Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

  1. #1
    DX User
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    31

    no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    drum brakes not engaging until brake pedal on the floor

    1. parking brake works
    2. brake shoes are adjusted until slight drag on drums
    3. brake hoses are not bulging under pressure
    4. front disc brakes work properly (with engine off )

    Has anyone EXPERIENCED this problem?



  2. #2


    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Vehicle
    88 LXi
    Location
    Knoxville TN
    Posts
    5,205

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    Quote Originally Posted by onebad4D View Post
    drum brakes not engaging until brake pedal on the floor

    1. parking brake works
    2. brake shoes are adjusted until slight drag on drums
    3. brake hoses are not bulging under pressure
    4. front disc brakes work properly (with engine off )

    Has anyone EXPERIENCED this problem?
    Sounds like the master cylinder has failed,assuming it is full and you have no other leaks in the system any place.

    For a quick check how well does your Emergancy brake work? Can you get it ot hold the car back with 2-4 clicks on the handle?

    Does pulling the e brake up 4 clicks help the pedal feel? This will tell you if the brake shoes to drum are adjusted correctly.
    1988 Lxi owner since August 1995
    336k miles running strong!
    Now running E85.

    Oldblueaccord <<< MY YOUTUBE PAGE!

  3. #3
    DX User
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    31

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    If the master cylinder is bad, why do both front brakes work fine?

    Pedal feels fine with the engine off. If I adjust the shoes outwards any further, I won't be able to install the drum.

    It wouldn't be a quick check for me to check if the parking brake will hold the car...the car is on my QuickJack portable car lift, and it's a real pain to move.

    I forgot to mention there's no air in the lines...I bled them with a top-of-the-line Pressure Bleeder system.

  4. #4
    LXi User InAccordance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Vehicle
    1989 Accord LX Sedan / 2000 Accord EX v6
    Posts
    967

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    pull the drums and see if the wheel cylinders are blown.
    Originally posted by ShiRen:
    Nice car or not, nobody likes losing a race to an old 4 door Honda.

  5. #5
    DX User
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    31

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    the drum brake cylinders look fine,,,and work fine so long as the pedal is at the bottom of its stroke.

  6. #6


    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Vehicle
    88 LXi
    Location
    Knoxville TN
    Posts
    5,205

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    [QUOTE=onebad4D;1214922]If the master cylinder is bad, why do both front brakes work fine?

    Pedal feels fine with the engine off. If I adjust the shoes outwards any further, I won't be able to install the drum.

    It wouldn't be a quick check for me to check if the parking brake will hold the car...the car is on my QuickJack portable car lift, and it's a real pain to move.

    I forgot to mention there's no air in the lines...I bled them with a top-of-the-line Pressure Bleeder system.[/QUOTE

    master cylinders can go bad on one channel. If the pedal was dropping alot and someone plowed it its easy to push the plunger too far and damage the internals seals. Old metal MC in old school cars you could stand on the pedal with two feet "and hit the floor" and be fine plastic not so much.

    If you pull the E brake it moves the shoes towards the drums and lessens the pedal travel. its just a quick check to see if the shoes really are adjusted "up" to the drum. I have had 10 people come to my house over the years and say my drums are adjusted where as they were not and they had alot of pedal drop. Quick pull of the e brake will tell you where your at. you dont need to move the car or be on the ground.
    1988 Lxi owner since August 1995
    336k miles running strong!
    Now running E85.

    Oldblueaccord <<< MY YOUTUBE PAGE!

  7. #7
    DX User
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    31

    Re: no back brakes UNTIL brake pedal on the floor

    I think you're right about the master cylinder being bad. It was very difficult to separate from the booster...I had to pry it off with great force. It had goo all over the flange and boss.

    Pulling the parking brake didn't change the pedal travel.

    One of the drum brake shoes is worn unevenly...it varies in thickness from about 1mm to 3mm. The other shoe looks great. I guess I'll replace them as a set after I fix whatever is causing the uneven wear.

Similar Threads

  1. Brake Pedal Goes to Floor
    By msulaimain in forum 3geez Accords
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 12-22-2013, 10:12 AM
  2. 88 Lx-i clutch pedal stay on the floor
    By coy91pgt in forum 3geez Accords
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 02-07-2011, 05:23 AM
  3. Pedal hits the floor after sitting at a light
    By EXI in forum Suspension/Wheels/Tires/Brakes
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 08-30-2010, 11:52 AM
  4. Replies: 21
    Last Post: 04-17-2006, 07:02 PM
  5. Brake pedal
    By Jerren in forum 3geez Accords
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-13-2002, 03:35 PM

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
This website uses cookies
We use cookies to store session information to facilitate remembering your login information, to allow you to save website preferences, to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners.
     
Links monetized by VigLink