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Poor Braking Performance; Low brake pressure
Topic Started: Jan 4 2011, 09:48 PM (2,994 Views)
rcdraco
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Since I "inherited" my geo 2 years ago the brakes have always been poor, I went along with it thinking it was just the way the car was. Now I'm just tired of not being able to be sure of when I can stop. When I first start the car the brakes go to the floor and the car barely stops. When I pull up to lights I have to have the pedal to the floor to keep the strong torque converter from pulling me into the intersection.

The pedal itself feels soft and feels like it needs to travel further then it does. Recently flushed the fluid, changed out front brake hoses, and had the shop change the rear shoes and tires all around. It seems to stop nicer now that it has actual material on the shoes, but still seems to take far too long to stop. If I let up on the pedal at lights I can hear the shoes themselves buzzing as the car moves forward.
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Memphis metro


Could be the master cylinder bypassing. Have you replaced it?
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allmountain40
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Enginedoctorgeo that is my thought as well. Doesn't sound like Master cylinder is working right. That is usually the cause of a "spongy" pedal when no leaks are evident.
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I remember reports of the brake booster vacuum hose collapsing or becoming clogged and there is a one way valve in-line that may be stuck? :dunno
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Jezza
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Boost Junkie

Or maybe there is air in the lines ... have it bled and see if that helps
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MR Bill
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What about the proportioning valve?
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Cobb
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My brakes were like that. I flushed the system with new fluid and medium grade pads up front.
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JellyBeanDriver


Bad Bent
Jan 4 2011, 11:07 PM
I remember reports of the brake booster vacuum hose collapsing or becoming clogged and there is a one way valve in-line that may be stuck? :dunno
That wouldn't make the pedal go to the floor though.
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rcdraco
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The fluid was flushed, and I would assume the garage bled the rears after installing the new shoes. I did have the vacuum hose off before, it seems to have a number of cracks in it, but the valve appears to be operating properly.

As far as going to the floor, what I mean is that the pedal has SOME resistance, but resistance doesn't change with travel, and when it's at the floor it feels like there's very little pressure on the system.
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HavsCritiria
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Sounds like the master is no good IMO
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Jezza
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Boost Junkie

Well I dont know then ...
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Memphis metro


Bad Bent
Jan 4 2011, 11:07 PM
I remember reports of the brake booster vacuum hose collapsing or becoming clogged and there is a one way valve in-line that may be stuck? :dunno
This would cause a hard pedal, not a soft pedal.
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944door
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rcdraco
Jan 5 2011, 12:20 AM
The fluid was flushed, and I would assume the garage bled the rears after installing the new shoes. I did have the vacuum hose off before, it seems to have a number of cracks in it, but the valve appears to be operating properly.

As far as going to the floor, what I mean is that the pedal has SOME resistance, but resistance doesn't change with travel, and when it's at the floor it feels like there's very little pressure on the system.
That is a matter of trust. I have met techs that to them sucking out the resivoir and then topping it back off is a "flush". Id try to bleed the brakes (be careful with the rear bleeders they strip easily) :smackface . If that doesnt do the trick Id suspect the master cyl. The pedal should NEVER go to the floor unless being bled
Edited by 944door, Jan 5 2011, 08:32 AM.
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Fireball 89
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2.4 Cylinders of Determination

rcdraco
Jan 5 2011, 12:20 AM

...The pedal itself feels soft and feels like it needs to travel further then it does...

...As far as going to the floor, what I mean is that the pedal has SOME resistance, but resistance doesn't change with travel, and when it's at the floor it feels like there's very little pressure on the system...
Hi rcdraco-

If your rubber brake lines are not cracked and leaking or swelling, then I think your master cylinder will need replacing.

Edward
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Horn


look at all the brake lines to make sure they aren't rusting out. then I would bleed them again and see what happens.
After that I would look around the drums to see if the brake cylinders may be leaking, also do that to see if the calipers are leaking. Then look at the master cylinder
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