Honda Accord 1992 Brake Problems

Bubbles in the hydraulic fluid?

Check the main servo, Mate. And there's a spare in my skip if you wannit <splutter>.

Answer #3=Most likely problem. I have a similar problem with my 93 Accord - after recent 60000 mi. "service" I experience an intermittent and "partial" loss of braking "power". Brakes take too to respond. Am not a mechanic, but after some research, suspected dirt or contaminants in a part common to all four brakes (master cylinder et al?) since there was no pulling, etc. Going back for "repair" .

Gosh! This sound like a shop time thing but I will also check it out the vacumm hoses and the booster just in case. The pads are probably wear down and the disc rotors crystalized, check it out too.

Secure that puppy in a flat surface real good to avoid any accidents working around it for safety. Scan the compu if you have a chance sometimes it will tell you some good clues as well, I'll Bet.

Easy Does It,

MC

You did not say if you had drum brakes on the back or not . I do think you may have some old fluid and maybe some moisture in your master cylinder. What can happen under hard braking the moisture will over heat first and you will have brake fade. You also could have dirt trapped in the residual valve which could cause the same problem.I would suggest a replacement master cylinder for best results and evac complete system with clean fluid. (residual valve ) These in-line pressure valves retain a minimum brake line pressure to help eliminate excessive pedal travel in both disc and drum brake systems.

The two pound valve is used in disc brake applications where the master cylinder is mounted below the horizontal plane of the calipers and fluid drain back occurs from gravity and vibration, mostly on race car applications, thereby causing excessive caliper piston retraction and a longer brake pedal stroke. The minimal two pound residual pressure prevents fluid from flowing back without causing the brakes to drag. With drum brakes, a ten pound valve is used to compensate for return spring tension in the drums. Good Luck ,country

intermitent problem and no leaks= masster cyninder!!!!!!!!!!

No offense meant but I wouldn't try to figure that out with any of the responses here.

I have experience in brake system maintenance and repair on the many cars I have owned. I obtained that knowledge originally by reading the manuals for repair of the cars I owned.

But, if you have no experience, don't mess with it yourself.

That leaves you with a very serious problem. How to find a competent, knowledgeable mechanic who will not rip you off. That excludes the dealers because most of them will rip you off.

I would start with people you know who may have used a mechanic in whom they have confidence and whom they feel has not ripped them off.

Nonetheless, before you even do that go buy the repair book for that car. Also if possible, go to the library and pull a book that explains brake systems and their problems, especially paying attention to the vacuum assist.

In the long run learning how to work on your own car is your best bet. Even if you don't do the work at least you are protected against getting ripped off.

j.

That excludes includes the dealers because most many of them will rip you off.

Can be any & all of things mentioned- a simple thing you can try is to bleed the sytem, where a hose is connected to each wheel cyl in turn, the end in a container of brake fluid(or a spring loaded special tool)- the bleed nipple is opened half a turn & the brake pedal pushed till no air bubbles in the fluid- close nipple- start at longest run from master cyl- keep master cyl topped up.

Two problems with your question--

You did not state whether or not your a losing and having to replenish fluid.

You did not say if you or a shop replaced the pads...if a shop, then your fluid is almost certainly new.

Randomly (in auto talk) can mean many things...usually that one does not yet recognize a pattern.

Often when such a problem occurs after recent service, it's because of the parking brake circuit was not checked. I have a hunch this might be your problem because it fits the symptoms you describe.

Another randomness related guess would pertain to you driving habit. Is it such that you seldom or never use the brake to stop the vehicle backing up? Maybe you have a "circular" drive way? If such is the case, it could be that pad clearance from rotors--and, accordingly, fluid in brake lines--is not adjusting...until you are compelled to pump them up. If this is the problem, then include backing and braking periodically to your driving pattern...so the fading of hydraulic won't come as a surprise.

j am losing fluid

As many have already mentioned, replace both the hydraulic fluid and the master cylinder asap.

Let a professional do the work as you can, with little or no knowledge, cause similar problems with the new stuff!!! You would also get a guarantee at the same time from the dealer.....

This is no time to play about!!! Your life (and that of any poor B*****D in your car) is at stake here........

I had a similar problem on a new car, I lost all servo effect occasionally, the pedal did not appear to move at all in my case, hard as stone, but the effect was the same, no brakes!!!! Not a good feeling with 130MPH on the clock!!!

Yup, it's likely the master cylinder. If it's easily accessible in your car, it's a 10 minute job not including the time you'll need to bleed the system. Get a lot of brake fluid and bleed them like crazy.

I just did a similar job on my '96 VW. My issue was the rear drums appeared to never have been bled ever. The bleeder screws were frozen and required the rear brake cylinders to be replaced.

I thought Country was going to bring this up, since he/she questioned whether you had brake shoes on the rear. If bleeding,changing the master cylinder or safety brake adjustment don't work. All performed by a competent mechanic, I assume. Then, if you have brake shoes on the rear, have them adjusted. I put it last because of the intermittent nature of your problem. Many young mechanics rarely have to deal with cars with brake shoes anymore and are stumped when they do the afore mentioned standard procedure but still have a "soft pedal"

Thank you for reinforcing my advise in #11--at least partially. With all-wheel disc brakes one must bear in mind that a fifth hydraulic line (system) is required to set the rear brake pads in Park mode--unlike cable actuation with rear drum brakes. Hydraulic parking brake actuation is recognized by the need to "pump" the parking brakes by means of ratcheting-type foot pedal or hand actuated lever. (As pad wear progresses, more pump strokes are required to set the parking brake, the rear pads, firmly. When the park brake is release, compressed fluid in the park brake lines returns to "normal" circulation. Hence, if air is left in or, via leakage, is drawn into the park brake lines, it can "migrate" to the brake system lines and show up as seemingly anomalous brake fade while driving.) This (the parking brake lever) also can be a "tell," either of excessive rear pads wear, too-loose brake pad clearance adjustment, or (importantly) failure of DIYers or brake shops to properly check/repair, adjust, and bleed the Park brake lines following "normal" service to brakes--an oversight that occurs not all that infrequently. This also suggests yet another quick test the original inquirer can do to try to pinpoint the brake fade failure mode he's encountering: which is to operate the parking brake numerous times. With recently serviced pads and rotors, and properly bled (or self-bled) hydraulic lines, very little movement of the Park brake leverage should be required to firmly set the car in Park...often the brakes will set firmly even without ratcheting--without the need of a second or third "pump" stroke. If, however, several strokes are needed for firm Park setting, or if the park brake actuation lever (pedal or handle) ends up at or near the end of its range before the brakes are firmly set, then this is, in all likelihood, and indication that the park brake system needs servicing and/or hydraulic line bleeding.

If the original brake service was performed by an auto or brake service facility, the vehicle should be returned for the job to be completed correctly--i.e., including the park lines--at no additional charge except for defective parts previously overlooked.

When I was younger and short of money I skimped on some car maintainence for the Rambler Classic 550 my father gave me. I had to crawl under it every three days and extend the clutch pin.

Then I started having a similar problem, but wanted to get to an airplane ride to NY from NC and drove the car on a risk, but had to hit the brakes hard, and they failed and I hit the back of one car, and then had to hit the walls of an overpass so I wouldn't enter the next intersection.

I did this all within the last three days of my insurance coverage, for the damage to the car I hit.

I highly suggest you get this fixed one way or another before driving the car any further.

Changing the mastercylinder and the fluid used to be the cure for such things. Typically it is not all that expensive, unless you don't fix it.