I feel like a noob, brake question

[k20]

Hey all, well the background info, 87 chevy K20, non-hydroboost, jb7 (or is it jd7, whatever) braking system. Other night on the way to school, passenger side brake caliper locked up, stopped rotor glowin red, etc. Replaced that one caliper, drove home. Next day, new caliper on the drivers side, new pads, and a new rotor for the passenger side (old one was warped like crazy).

Now the new problem. I was bleeding the system today, bled till didnt get any air. Test drove it, pedal is dang near the floor. Bled some more, and notice that it doesnt seem to be shooting the normal geiser of fluid that will hit the inner fender, more like barely getting to the top of the tire.

The master cylinder that was on it was questionable, so I replaced it. Bench bled it of course, bled the brakes more. The geiser seems to be just a tad bit higher (still not hitting the inner fender like it used to), and the pedal is still almost on the floor. Its really soft when you hit it, and travels down a good distance. The truck will throw you forward on the brakes (much better than before), but the brakes will not lockup. I used to could lock all 4 down in a panic stop, but it wont lock down backs or front now.

Sitting still, with pressure on the pedal (like at a redlight) the pedal wont continue to fall (like if there was air in the lines). What could be causing this? Im almost thinking booster, but I dont know, figured I would ask y'all.

I know this is long, but your help is appreciated.

Chris

 

[rubbinz raczn]

does bleeding the rear act same as before? could be booster or collasped brake hose, do both front seem differnet than before or just one side?

 

[k20]

It doesnt pull at all, and neither fronts seem to have the geiser effect they used to. The rears, I just need to adjust shoes out again, havent done that lately, (of course the self adjusters dont work). Neither front caliper has the geiser, and it doesnt pull one way or another, just an annoyingly low pedal. Its just odd that i had a caliper lock up and then a _________ also bad (im trying to fill in the blank). Theres really only 2 parts left that I can think of. The proportioning valve, and the booster.

I know out of adjustment rear brakes can cause a little longer pedal travel, but this has happened since I redid the front brakes.

 

[86chevybanshee]

this happend to me a few weeks back, i got a new master cylinder, i put the new one on, connected the lines bled the brakes, and i got nothing, i couldnt figure it out. i had the same thing happen when i tried to bleed them, only a little came squirting out, so i replaced the MC,booster,both calipers,and both wheel cylinders, bled them all, same thing. so i tried switching the lines around(the last owner did the both the brake lines with the same size) for the hell of it, and what do you know, the brakes worked as good as they did when it came of the lot.

i dont know if it will work for you tho

 

[k20]

What do you mean switching them all around? You mean on the master cylinder? The two fittings on it are different sizes.

 

[mojo-jojo]

Any one have a clue? I'm having the same problem and can't figure it out either. I have replaced everything except the prop valve.

 

[TrcksR4ME]

Sounds like it needs more bleeding. If you replace the MC you have to bleed all the brakes, and you have to bleed them a lot. Its usually something easy like that.

 

[GMCLegacy]

the booster should not create a soft pedal feel or change the height of the brake pedal, i would not replace it just for the sake of replacing.

it sounds like you have air in the lines. adjust the rear brakes too

 

[k20]

i swear ive bled almost a bottle of fluid through it. The plan for tomorow is to adjust the rears, if that doesnt help, then im gonna take it and get it pressure bled.

 

[k20]

Just figured Id update it, today I disassembled the rear brakes, cleaned em up, unfroze the adjusters (doh) and reassembled. Adjusted them up, now I have a pedal that is higher than the gas pedal, and better brakes than my moms new j**p!

Lesson learned: Adjust your brakes idiot.

 

[rubbinz raczn]

so it was pushing more fluid to the rear than needed? that would explain low pedal. that shouldn't affect front since differnet reservoir.

 

[k20]

yeh it stopped good before (fronts only i guess), just the pedal was suicidily low.