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View Full Version : Lost all braking power without warning! Please help!



Reptile
05-07-2007, 01:57 PM
I was slowing down to stop for a red light in my 1987 Accord LX-i Hatch when the brakes went out. I pressed the brake pedal down all the way but it barely had any braking power at all. I immediately drove it home and over the three-mile drive the brakes basically stayed out, it would eventually stop from 35 mph if I gave it about 10+ car lengths but there was virtually no power in the brakes. Pumping the pedal seemed to improve the situation only slightly. The brakes just would not grab. There was no noise or anything, just no stopping power.

When I got it home I checked the fluid level and it was fine.

A mechanic told me that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. Could this be the cause of the sudden and un-announced brake failure or is it something else?

ZackieDarko
05-07-2007, 02:02 PM
replace the master cylinder and totally flush the system

MessyHonda
05-07-2007, 02:29 PM
replace the master cylinder and totally flush the system


x2

bakedboarder34
05-07-2007, 02:30 PM
yeah you got lucky. last time that happened to me i was doing +40 to an intersection with a red light. i had to emergency break 12 miles across west valley highway from auburn to the hill over in renton. it was a busted line. i am still losing fluid. looks like you just have a busted either master cylinder or break booster. either one is going to be not cheap. but not timing belt expensive though. i have an 87 lx. must be the years. lol

LX-incredible
05-07-2007, 04:34 PM
Sounds like a master. You got lucky, when this happened to me I was pulling my 69 lincoln behind my suburban... not pretty. You should be able to get a brand new Raybestos with the tank for around $80.

Reptile
05-07-2007, 06:19 PM
The mechanic told me he could fix it for roughly $190 if I remember correctly. I'll fix it within a few days.

lostforawhile
05-07-2007, 06:43 PM
I was slowing down to stop for a red light in my 1987 Accord LX-i Hatch when the brakes went out. I pressed the brake pedal down all the way but it barely had any braking power at all. I immediately drove it home and over the three-mile drive the brakes basically stayed out, it would eventually stop from 35 mph if I gave it about 10+ car lengths but there was virtually no power in the brakes. Pumping the pedal seemed to improve the situation only slightly. The brakes just would not grab. There was no noise or anything, just no stopping power.
When I got it home I checked the fluid level and it was fine.
A mechanic told me that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. Could this be the cause of the sudden and un-announced brake failure or is it something else?
thats probably your master cyl. i've had a bunch of rebuilt ones fail,usually the rear seal will blow out,and then dump the fluid into your brake booster,ruining it. if it is bad, buy a new one,not a rebuilt one. and you don't need to get one with a resivoir. the resivoir is very easy to transfer from the old one to the new. there is a screen at the bottom of it, take the old one off,lift out the strainer/screen and clean the crap out of it with brake cleaner. also clean the resivoir itself very good with the cleaner,and wipe all the crud out of it. it'll be good as new. make sure you bench bleed the master cyl. before you install it on the car,there should be instructions included on how to do this. now would be a really good time to inspect your brakes,replace all the rubber hoses since you have to bleed the system anyway,they are cheap insurance,and check the entire system for leaks. make sure to pull the rear drums and check the wheel cylinders for leaks. this is a common source for leaks. rear wheel cylnders are so cheap,it might pay to replace them or rebuild them while you are doing this.

Reptile
05-09-2007, 02:18 PM
Thank you all; the master cylinder has now been replaced for $183.39 for a refurbished one with a 1 year 12,000 mile warranty.

The next time is decides to suddenly not stop it might just get replaced.

Reptile
05-09-2007, 09:30 PM
And guess what, I drive the car for 20 minutes and the brakes are out again! WTF is going on here? I'm taking it right back to that mechanic first thing in the morning.

88Accord-DX
05-09-2007, 10:10 PM
When you replace master cylinders, you should always get a new one. Master cylinders & water pumps should always be purchased new when replacing.

Reptile
05-09-2007, 10:14 PM
Yeah, I went the rebuilt route because that is all I thought I could afford, now like magic I discover an extra $200 I didn't think I had so I am taking it right back up there tomorrow and if I can get an upgrade to a new one without extra labor I'll do it.

Reptile
05-13-2007, 08:22 AM
Ok, I still need major help with this.

The master cylinder has been replaced with a new one and the brakes are still going out! I can drive it for about 20 minutes max before I have no braking power at all. It also appears to only be using the two drivers side wheels when it is trying to stop, I say this because I was able to get it back to the mechanic when it was acting up and he took a temp reading of all four wheels and the two on the passenger side were barely over the temp of the outside air while the two drivers side wheels were nearly twice that! The front drivers side-wheel lug briefly gave a temp close to 200! When the brakes are gone and I do try to use them to stop the car pulls to the left (drivers side) thus reinforcing that only that side is working at all.

Could it be the brake booster, or anything else for that matter?

baqnblaq
05-13-2007, 08:40 AM
It might be your master cylinder. Before you go spending that kind of money on replacing it. Check and see if you have a loose or broken brake line. You could have a blown seal in one of your calipers or you might have some water build up in your brake lines and you might just need to simply bleed your brakes. If all those are fine, then spend the big bucks.

Reptile
05-13-2007, 09:29 AM
The master cylinder has been replaced, if it was just that we will try again at no cost to me.

The mechanic said he personally bled the brakes the day before when it was up there so that is not it, and that might rule out the water or air in the lines thing as well.

I admit it could easily be that one or more of the lines are loose or otherwise in need of being replaced.

I will pass on the caliper seal idea as well to him first thing tomorrow morning.

Oldblueaccord
05-13-2007, 02:47 PM
I think the rod to the brake booster is mis adjusted. Sounds like your brakes are on all the time over heating and failing. The rod is a fine adjustment I have never done but its critical to be adjusted correctly.


wp

88Accord-DX
05-13-2007, 08:15 PM
If the pushrod is too long it will damage the piston's seals & lead to a master cylinder failure. It will also cause the piston seals to block off the compensating port, which can cause brake drag or lock-up. I believe the master cylinder is diagonally split. The gap is small, generally around 1/32" on some vehicles.

Other points to inspect- collapsed front brake hose, seized caliper & slides. On the rear; primary shoe on backwards, mis-adjusted brake shoe, seized wheel cylinder.