98CoupeV6

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Thanks www.accordracing.com for the DIY
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1) Find the brake master cylinder. This is usually located under the hood on the driver’s side of the car, toward the back of the engine compartment.

2) Check your manual if you aren’t sure that you’ve found the master cylinder. The plastic cap will usually read “Use only DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid from a sealed container.”

3) Note that on most newer-model cars the reservoir is translucent and you can see the fluid level without removing the cap. There will be a “Full” line and a "Low" line.

4) Add brake fluid only if the fluid is below the "Low" line. If the fluid is below the "Low" line your brakes should be inspected for wear or leaks. Use the correct brake fluid for your car: Check the plastic cap and your owner’s manual to find out what grade of brake fluid your car requires. Most cars use DOT 3 or 4. If the reservoir has two parts, fill both halves.

Tips: If the brake master cylinder is empty, the brake pedal will go to the floor. If this is the case, you will have to bleed the brakes in addition to adding fluid: Time to see your mechanic, who will flush and refill the braking system.

Warnings: Brake fluid is very toxic. Keep it away from hands and eyes, and avoid spilling it on the ground and your vehicles paint. Dispose of empty containers carefully.

Wash your hands well after handling brake fluid.

Don't drive a car that has run out of brake fluid until bleeding the brakes.

REbornHONDAneer

Is there a section on "flushing your brake lines"? Because the 93 Civic I bought recently has really really really bad "spongy pedal". I assume this is caused by air OR by the age of the brake fluid itself. I have looked in the reservor and seen "chunks" of debris(maybe old brake fluid? Not sure!)at the bottom. Maybe the fluid was NEVER been flushed? Its 10 years old!

So, I NEED a brake line flush, but I know its fairly easy(similar to bleeding the brake lines), just time consuming. I don't want to spend the money doing it. Thanx!

Dave

JimBlake

Sounds like you already know how to bleed your brakes? It's the same.

Take the old fluid out of the MC reservoir with something like a turkey baster. Put in fresh fluid, then bleed at least a couple hundred ml from each corner. All you're doing is getting rid of the old & putting new fluid in the whole system. Keep bleeding until the fluid coming out is nice & clean.

REbornHONDAneer

well...i "somewhat" know how to bleed brakes. I've never seen it done or done it myself BUT i've read alot about it. I know i need two people to do it or a bleeder tool. I need a small rubber hose for convience to fit around the bleeder valve on each wheel or i can just let it drip into a jar or what have you. I know the basics, but it seems like it'll take a really really long time to do it. Has anyone here totally flushed their brake system using the "standard" method without a bleeder? If so, please let me know the approx time for "first timers" and tools and expectations i should..well..expect

Thanx!

Dave

JimBlake

Yeah, I've done it many times. Maybe a couple hours for a first timer. Get a couple quarts of fluid; since you say it looks kinda ugly you need plenty because it might take awhile before it's clean.

I just use some clear tubing from the hardware store, long enough to put into a small jar. If you can't find information specifically for your car, I'd go RR > LF > LR > RF. Make sure you can crawl under & reach the bleeder screws; if you have to lift the car make SURE it's on solid stands.

Have your helper pump the brake & hold it. Open the bleed screw just enough so fluid flows out. The brake pedal will sink so your helper should keep pressing on it. When it gets close to the floor he tells you to close the valve. Then he pumps the pedal again & repeat. Lots of people put a block of wood under the pedal so it never goes all the way to the floor.

Make SURE you keep the reservoir filled, so you don't suck air in. Another helper can just watch it & keep it full so you don't have to crawl out all the time. He can tell you to hold up for a second so you don't get bubbles while he pours.

Pump a cup or so out from each wheel. Then go around the wheels again (same order) and keep pumping until it comes out very clean & fresh without any bubbles. Keep going to use up your brake fluid. Once you open the seal on a can it doesn't have much shelf life.

REbornHONDAneer

why not push it to the floor? Just as long as you dont "release" before the bleeder screw is closed its fine right? thats what i thought anyway!

btw, thanx for that post!

Dave

JimBlake

The reason for not going all the way to the floor goes like this...

In normal use, the MC piston never goes all the way down. The last part of the cylinder might have crud, corrosion, or maybe it's just not polished smooth like the part that gets used all the time. When you pump all the way down, you work the piston seals against that rough(?) part of the cylinder and maybe damage the seals.

When you're bleeding the clutch, that doesn't make sense. The clutch MC goes all the way down every time you use it.

This makes complete sense to me, but like I said, I've pumped brakes all the way down MANY times without a problem. Maybe that's just because I never let my brake fluid get real old...

REbornHONDAneer

update:

I changed out the master cylinder/bled the brake lines fully.

AND....there's alot improvement in braking power and balance. I now dont have to go all the way to the floor when braking, and there's more power in braking. Thank God!

All in all, this process is very very easy!! I only paid $30 for the master cylinder(after a $23 refund for Core). The only seal you gotta deal with is the two seals for the brake lines that screw directly into the master cylinder, other than that its super easy!

I recommend flushing the lines if your fluid is really black, mine was!

All i used was a pint of honda brake fluid. Thats IT! I had bought 3 pints extra but i took those back.

Note: I do not recommend this to cars with ABS, because you have to bleed stuff a certain way(this is what the Haynes repair manual said). Take it to a mechanic!

Dave

REbornHONDAneer

Note: I got the master cylinder from Advance Auto Parts. It's manufactured by Nissin. The same manufacturer of the brake booster i noticed. I heard they make OEM stuff i assume.

Dave

JimBlake

There's nothing too magic about ABS brakes, actually.

Sometimes the ABS has it's own reservoir and it's own bleed valve. Then you look up a bleeding procedure in a Helm book & follow it...

Otherwise, a car with ABS might want it's wheels bled in a different order vs. a car without. But that's about it.