'89 Prelude on my way to work when brakes started getting tighter and tighter. Had driven about 2 miles and had to stop. Let cool down for 4 hours and got back in and was able to drive it back home. But the brakes were getting tighter and tighter. Disc brakes all the way around. I feel this is more than a stuck caliper. Gonna start looking around tomorrow and see what I see. Where should I start?
Brakes Getting Tighter Longer I Drive
- Thread starter Gebo
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Flex lines to calipers deteriorate inside. Clog with mud. Won't let fluid flow back to release the pads.
Happening on all 4 wheels it's not a caliper or line. If the master cylinder can't come all the way back when no one is pressing the brake pedal, what you describe will happen. Like someone else said, this can be from replacing a part in the train from the pedal through to the MC and not adjusting it properly, even the brake light switch.
Contaminated fluid, i.e. someone adding oil or any substance other than brake fluid, could also do this.
Contaminated fluid, i.e. someone adding oil or any substance other than brake fluid, could also do this.
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I would drive it until it acted up then jack up each wheel and see if all 4 wheels are actually dragging. ( you may also be able to tell by temperature, if 1 rotor is hotter than the rest, that is your dragging brake)
If only 1 wheel is dragging, you can narrow down to a caliper or collapsed hose.
If all 4 wheels are tight, probably a master cylinder.
I had a similar situation on a Ford Ranger and it ended up being the LH front caliper was sticking.
If only 1 wheel is dragging, you can narrow down to a caliper or collapsed hose.
If all 4 wheels are tight, probably a master cylinder.
I had a similar situation on a Ford Ranger and it ended up being the LH front caliper was sticking.
I just bled the left front and everything freed up. Took it for an around the block test drive and barely made it back home. Lot's of smoke coming from the front brakes. Jacked up rear and it is locked up as well. Are we all in in agreement with this info that it is the Master Cylinder?
If cracking open the lines at the master cylinder releases the brakes then it's not a blockage. Leaving only the master cylinder suspect.
My money is on the master cylinder.
My money is on the master cylinder.
Allright, I jacked the car up and all 4 wheels are unable to be turned by my hand. I cracked the bleeder valve on one wheel and it loosened all other wheels up. I then cranked the car and mashed the brake pedal 40 11 times and the wheels still turn just fine. I can feel slight resistance but I'm assuming that is normal. Still Master Cylinder?
I'm cracking open the line at the wheel. Not the master cylinder.
I'm cracking open the line at the wheel. Not the master cylinder.
IDK why you need to be convinced by 60 posts.
Your MC has a slot in it where when your foot is off the brake, fluid goes up through it to the reservoir, from either thermal expansion or if you use a C-clamp to push the caliper back with new pads. It can also trickle down, to make up for when the pads wear. But it only does either with the pedal at rest.
WHen you press the pedal, the piston covers this slot so it can build pressure and send it down the lines.
This slot is either clogged or obstructed by the piston. A post suggesting the misadjusted brake light switch is targeting this phenomenon.
When you drive, you make heat, which expands the fluid. The rubber hoses take the expansion but stretch and push the fluid back out to the calipers applying the brakes.
Doing it in your driveway, you aren't putting 50 hp worth of heat in.
Just pull the trigger and swap the part.
Your MC has a slot in it where when your foot is off the brake, fluid goes up through it to the reservoir, from either thermal expansion or if you use a C-clamp to push the caliper back with new pads. It can also trickle down, to make up for when the pads wear. But it only does either with the pedal at rest.
WHen you press the pedal, the piston covers this slot so it can build pressure and send it down the lines.
This slot is either clogged or obstructed by the piston. A post suggesting the misadjusted brake light switch is targeting this phenomenon.
When you drive, you make heat, which expands the fluid. The rubber hoses take the expansion but stretch and push the fluid back out to the calipers applying the brakes.
Doing it in your driveway, you aren't putting 50 hp worth of heat in.
Just pull the trigger and swap the part.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
A post suggesting the misadjusted brake light switch is targeting this phenomenon.
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights. You know, the white plastic plug thing that sticks in the arm on the brake pedal? My son said he pressed the pedal in with all his might just to get the white plug installed. But nothing was adjusted. I just started thinking could he have pressed the pedal in with such force that it screwed something up?
I apologize if you think I'm disregarding your responses. On my end we are gathering more info and I'm jus trying to report it thinking one of these additional pieces may be the key that is needed for a 100% fix the first time.
A post suggesting the misadjusted brake light switch is targeting this phenomenon.
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights. You know, the white plastic plug thing that sticks in the arm on the brake pedal? My son said he pressed the pedal in with all his might just to get the white plug installed. But nothing was adjusted. I just started thinking could he have pressed the pedal in with such force that it screwed something up?
I apologize if you think I'm disregarding your responses. On my end we are gathering more info and I'm jus trying to report it thinking one of these additional pieces may be the key that is needed for a 100% fix the first time.
Originally Posted By: Gebo
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights. You know, the white plastic plug thing that sticks in the arm on the brake pedal? My son said he pressed the pedal in with all his might just to get the white plug installed.
He probably messed with it enough he used up the vacuum reserve with the engine off.
I can't "feel your pedal" from 1000s of miles away but you should have 1/4 inch of slop or so before the brakes start working. It should not feel like you're stepping on a tree stump.
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights. You know, the white plastic plug thing that sticks in the arm on the brake pedal? My son said he pressed the pedal in with all his might just to get the white plug installed.
He probably messed with it enough he used up the vacuum reserve with the engine off.
I can't "feel your pedal" from 1000s of miles away but you should have 1/4 inch of slop or so before the brakes start working. It should not feel like you're stepping on a tree stump.
All you should need to do here is loosen the lock nut on the brake light switch, unplug the wires, and rotate the switch counterclockwise to adjust it back some to compensate for the thickness of the new plastic piece(*). Set up the switch so it is NOT the thing restricting the pedal from coming up (this should be done by the stop in the booster). The pedal should be pressing the button on the switch in so the brake lights turn off, but not pushing much further than that. Like eljefino explained, you need the pedal to come all the way up when no one is pressing it, so the fluid can return freely to the reservoir and keep the pressure in the brake lines at zero.
* It's also possible you have the wrong part and it is too thick.
* It's also possible you have the wrong part and it is too thick.
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Originally Posted By: Gebo
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights.
Why didn't you say so in the first place?
That "plastic bumper" is TOO THICK. You need to adjust either the brake light switch or the master cylinder pushrod, whichever is appropriate to your application.
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights.
Why didn't you say so in the first place?
That "plastic bumper" is TOO THICK. You need to adjust either the brake light switch or the master cylinder pushrod, whichever is appropriate to your application.
Solved! We got the plastic bumper from Honda so we assumed a simple installation was all that was required. Right? Anyways, we were talking and it came to our remembrance that we didn't find a broken plastic bumper anywhere while we were installing the new one. What we did find in the floor board was a metal clip like holds on fender parts. Being a little slow on the uptake, it finally dawned on me as I stated in the above post that maybe there wasn't a plastic plug in there to begin with and maybe that wafter thin metal clip was performing the duties of the OEM plastic clip. Cha-Ching!
We wound back the brake light switch almost a 1/4 inch, tightened it up, went on a test run and all is well. Brakes work fine. Problem solved with no more dragging brakes. Thank you all for your help!
We wound back the brake light switch almost a 1/4 inch, tightened it up, went on a test run and all is well. Brakes work fine. Problem solved with no more dragging brakes. Thank you all for your help!
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: Gebo
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights.
Why didn't you say so in the first place?
That "plastic bumper" is TOO THICK. You need to adjust either the brake light switch or the master cylinder pushrod, whichever is appropriate to your application.
Because I assumed we were just replacing the old one.
Originally Posted By: Gebo
The last thing we did to the car was the day before the brakes stuck, when we replaced that plastic bumper thing ($1.82) that turns off the brake lights.
Why didn't you say so in the first place?
That "plastic bumper" is TOO THICK. You need to adjust either the brake light switch or the master cylinder pushrod, whichever is appropriate to your application.
Because I assumed we were just replacing the old one.
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