Brakes feel weird
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: College Station TX
Brakes feel weird
Hello all,
My brakes have felt really strange for a while now. A few months ago I had to replace pads (wore them out at a track event). I put some Performance Friction Carbon Metallic Z pads on the front. This didn't fix my problem. I've bled the brakes, pushing all new fluid through a couple times. This also did not fix my problem (though it feels a little bit better.. maybe...)
My brake pedal feels strange. I've driven other vettes and the pedal doesn't travel far and there is good stopping, and the pedal feels very firm. Mine feels sort of squishy for the first part of the travel. After a certain point though, it is very firm... almost hard to push. And it seems sometimes I scare myself in traffic because I push and push and it doesnt stop as well as I'd like. If I push hard enough it'll lock the tires and the ABS kicks in, but it seems I have to push pretty hard to make the ABS come on. It also seems like it takes about half a second after I push for the brakes to really start working.
Is this a brake booster problem, or maybe a master cylinder problem? I'd think the booster, but I've read other threads on teh forum and nobody mentioned it being squishy at the top, and THEN hard down lower. Please advise. Thanks,
My brakes have felt really strange for a while now. A few months ago I had to replace pads (wore them out at a track event). I put some Performance Friction Carbon Metallic Z pads on the front. This didn't fix my problem. I've bled the brakes, pushing all new fluid through a couple times. This also did not fix my problem (though it feels a little bit better.. maybe...)
My brake pedal feels strange. I've driven other vettes and the pedal doesn't travel far and there is good stopping, and the pedal feels very firm. Mine feels sort of squishy for the first part of the travel. After a certain point though, it is very firm... almost hard to push. And it seems sometimes I scare myself in traffic because I push and push and it doesnt stop as well as I'd like. If I push hard enough it'll lock the tires and the ABS kicks in, but it seems I have to push pretty hard to make the ABS come on. It also seems like it takes about half a second after I push for the brakes to really start working.
Is this a brake booster problem, or maybe a master cylinder problem? I'd think the booster, but I've read other threads on teh forum and nobody mentioned it being squishy at the top, and THEN hard down lower. Please advise. Thanks,
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Pitman NJ
Re: Brakes feel weird (Rearview)
I think you still need to bleed the brakes more. When I bleed my brakes I'll use up to a quart of fluid. There is alot of juice in the system between all the lines going from the wheels to the ABS system behind the drivers seat then back to the master cylinder it will hold about a quart. You could try this to check the master out: with the top off SLOWLY push the pedal down as hard as you can. Hold it for a second or two then very slowly release the pedal and have someone watch the master cylinder. If you see bubbles your master is sucking air from somewhere. Good luck :cheers:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: College Station TX
Re: Brakes feel weird (Blue88)
I don't seem to be losing any fluid (I bled them about a month ago, and my fluid is still nice and clear). One thing I find odd is that the reserve above the master cylinder seems to be a bit loose. I can wiggle it around a bit. But I see no fluid anywhere. Should this be secured well ot the master cylinder? How does it attach anyway? I can't see how it fits on there.
