Soft brakes? Are they adjustable?

[Hawaiiannights]

I'm sorry for all the numerous noob questions, but i'm really not too familiar with the 1st Gens. Well anyway, I recently aquired a 1st Gen and I noticed that the brakes are very soft. Soft meaning I need to push the pedle in pretty far to brake.

I noticed the brake master cylinder in the engine compartment by the drivers side looks very shiny like its been recently replaced. And I think the brakes are still good because I don't hear any sounds and basically I just have to push in the peddle really far and then it catches.

Is there a way to adjust the peddle? Or is it really just my brake pads and shoes probally need to be replaced? Or maybe something is not working with the brake master cylinder? Any advice and or opinions would be appreciated. I'm trying as much as possible not to have to take my car in to a shop to fix all the little bugs it has and fix everything I can on my own since it is my secondary "beater" car that I only paid about $200 for. Thanks in advance!

[Marc93lx]

Might just need to bleed them.

[charles]

Yeah, and that applies to all cars, not just first gens.

[Hawaiiannights]

Great. gotta add that to the list of things I don't know how to do......is it easy? Where do I start? any advice my friends?

[charles]

It's not hard, but you do need two people.

[Marc93lx]

Go invest in one of those vacume pump thingys from auto zone. Such a life saver. Otherwise you would need a buddy. Or actually they sell these speed bleeders, never used them but heard great things!

[Hawaiiannights]

Hmm....I wonder if its worth it or should I just go on down to the local Midas, or Goodyear, to have them do it?....I guess I gotta decide....I don't even know where to bleed it from....and why do I need to bleed it? Is there an air pocket or something in the line you think?

[Marc93lx]

It's really not that hard. Yes, there is most likely air in your lines. There is a bleeding nipple on the calipers that you loosen after you build up pressure in the break lines by pressing on the break pedal (hence the need of a buddy) and you just let the fluid out until there are no more bubbles in the line. You start with the calpier furthest from the resevior and work your way around to the closest one.
Invest in a Haynes manual for your car. Will prove to be priceless.

[RALLYBP_94]

Hmm....I wonder if its worth it or should I just go on down to the local Midas, or Goodyear, to have them do it?....I guess I gotta decide....I don't even know where to bleed it from....and why do I need to bleed it? Is there an air pocket or something in the line you think?

You bleed brakes because with time air builds up in the brake lines and you have to get the air out, or because the fluid has boiled and it needs to be replaced.
if you go on google and type 'how to bleed brakes' there are links with pics that show you how to do it.

[Hawaiiannights]

Thanks guys!

[MazdaRacer]

you can do individual caliper bleeds and full bleeds alone using kits ($45-60) but you can do it with just one buddy helping out. All they'd have to do is sit and press on the brakes each time.

A full rack/lift is easiest, but next is to have the car up on 4 jackstands. You don't HAVE to remove the wheels, but it's easier if you do.

once rasied and supported safely:
1. find some rubber tubing (12-16") that will fit over the bleeder valve tip, not the whole thing (home depot)
1a. get a clear bottle, preferably with a screw on top. Then drill a hole in the top for the rubber tube to fit inside. (the real shadetree way is to use a green or clear beer bottle and jamb a paper towel in the top to hold the tube ) Fill the bottle with NEW fluid so that the rubber tube is sufficiently submerged in the fluid.
2. remove the rubber nipples from the bleeder valve on each caliper. Also remove the master cyl cap. Have plenty of NEW fluid on hand and remember to top off the master cyl at every or every other bleed.
2a. Start at the passenger rear, then driver front, then driver rear, then passenger front, in an X pattern. IIRC it's a 13/16 head size. Break the bleeder valve loose by 1/4 turn. Just enough to be easy to open and close.
3. have your buddy in the car press on the brakes: He yells out PUMP, PUMP, HOLD as he does just that with the pedal.
3a. when he yells back HOLD, you unscrew the bleeder valve another 1/2 turn or so. When you see the fluid go into the bottle and it stops flowing (1-3 secs) re-tighten the bleeder valve back up. Not full full tight, but pretty snug. Then your buddy can release the pedal once you've tightened up the bleeder valve. Be sure to keep the rubber tube tightly on the bleeder vlave and submerged in the fluid in the bottle.
4. move to the next caliper and repeat steps 2 > 4.

[95ProLeila]

if youre gonna do all of that too, you might want to look into SS brake lines, they aren't hugely expensive (like $100). Check corksport

[Marc93lx]

if youre gonna do all of that too, you might want to look into SS brake lines, they aren't hugely expensive (like $100). Check corksport

There is no point dropping $100 on ss brake lines for a beater car. Not worth it for him IMO.

[95ProLeila]

I guess, depends on what you want to do with it

[Proteus]

as old as the car is it wouldn't hurt to change the fluid. Brake fluid absorbs water over time and can reduce it's effectivness under heavy breaking conditions because it's boiling point gets lowered (the breaks heat up the trapped water turnes to steam).



my 2 cents