Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time

Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time.

Finally driving my car again after it was laid up for 2 months.

I don't think it was like this 3 months ago.

When I first press the brake pedal, it goes half-way to the floor, but
then stops the car very well. If I press the pedal again within 2 or 3
minutes, it moves very little before it's stopping the car.

If I wait 15?? minutes, it's like the first sentence in the previous
paragraph.

What's the problem?

Bad master cylinder?

On Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:47:17 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
> Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time.
>
> Finally driving my car again after it was laid up for 2 months.
>
> I don't think it was like this 3 months ago.
>
> When I first press the brake pedal, it goes half-way to the floor, but
> then stops the car very well. If I press the pedal again within 2 or 3
> minutes, it moves very little before it's stopping the car.
>
> If I wait 15?? minutes, it's like the first sentence in the previous
> paragraph.
>
> What's the problem?
>
> Bad master cylinder?

Doubt that it's the MC, sounds more like air in the lines.

Sign of bad MC would be if the pedal drops as you hold it at a stop light. If it does that then you probably need a new MC

otherwise I'd just bleed the brakes thoroughly (until you see new fluid coming out of the bleeders) and try it again.

I probably would not pump-bleed on an older car but try to find a pressure or vacuum bleeder instead... but if you do have to pump bleed I'd have your helper put a 2x4 scrap under the pedal so it doesn't go all the way to the floor.

good luck

nate

N8N > wrote in
:

> On Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:47:17 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
>> Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time.
>>
>> Finally driving my car again after it was laid up for 2 months.
>>
>> I don't think it was like this 3 months ago.
>>
>> When I first press the brake pedal, it goes half-way to the floor,
>> but then stops the car very well. If I press the pedal again within
>> 2 or 3 minutes, it moves very little before it's stopping the car.
>>
>> If I wait 15?? minutes, it's like the first sentence in the previous
>> paragraph.
>>
>> What's the problem?
>>
>> Bad master cylinder?
>
> Doubt that it's the MC, sounds more like air in the lines.
>
> Sign of bad MC would be if the pedal drops as you hold it at a stop
> light. If it does that then you probably need a new MC
>
> otherwise I'd just bleed the brakes thoroughly (until you see new
> fluid coming out of the bleeders) and try it again.
>
> I probably would not pump-bleed on an older car but try to find a
> pressure or vacuum bleeder instead... but if you do have to pump
> bleed I'd have your helper put a 2x4 scrap under the pedal so it
> doesn't go all the way to the floor.
>
> good luck
>
> nate
>

air in the lines would make it spongy all the time not these symptons.
It is probably a master cyl. or if rear drum brakes they may be out of
adj. pretty common on both. KB

On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 8:15:55 AM UTC-4, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
> N8N > wrote in
> :
>
> > On Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:47:17 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
> >> Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time.
> >>
> >> Finally driving my car again after it was laid up for 2 months.
> >>
> >> I don't think it was like this 3 months ago.
> >>
> >> When I first press the brake pedal, it goes half-way to the floor,
> >> but then stops the car very well. If I press the pedal again within
> >> 2 or 3 minutes, it moves very little before it's stopping the car.
> >>
> >> If I wait 15?? minutes, it's like the first sentence in the previous
> >> paragraph.
> >>
> >> What's the problem?
> >>
> >> Bad master cylinder?
> >
> > Doubt that it's the MC, sounds more like air in the lines.
> >
> > Sign of bad MC would be if the pedal drops as you hold it at a stop
> > light. If it does that then you probably need a new MC
> >
> > otherwise I'd just bleed the brakes thoroughly (until you see new
> > fluid coming out of the bleeders) and try it again.
> >
> > I probably would not pump-bleed on an older car but try to find a
> > pressure or vacuum bleeder instead... but if you do have to pump
> > bleed I'd have your helper put a 2x4 scrap under the pedal so it
> > doesn't go all the way to the floor.
> >
> > good luck
> >
> > nate
> >
>
> air in the lines would make it spongy all the time not these symptons.
> It is probably a master cyl. or if rear drum brakes they may be out of
> adj. pretty common on both. KB

Not necessarily, brakes needing to be bled can be "pumped up" and made firm... for a while...

nate

N8N > wrote in
:

> On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 8:15:55 AM UTC-4, Kevin Bottorff wrote:
>> N8N > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> > On Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:47:17 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
>> >> Brake pedal goes half-way to the floor, only the first time.
>> >>
>> >> Finally driving my car again after it was laid up for 2 months.
>> >>
>> >> I don't think it was like this 3 months ago.
>> >>
>> >> When I first press the brake pedal, it goes half-way to the floor,
>> >> but then stops the car very well. If I press the pedal again
>> >> within 2 or 3 minutes, it moves very little before it's stopping
>> >> the car.
>> >>
>> >> If I wait 15?? minutes, it's like the first sentence in the
>> >> previous paragraph.
>> >>
>> >> What's the problem?
>> >>
>> >> Bad master cylinder?
>> >
>> > Doubt that it's the MC, sounds more like air in the lines.
>> >
>> > Sign of bad MC would be if the pedal drops as you hold it at a stop
>> > light. If it does that then you probably need a new MC
>> >
>> > otherwise I'd just bleed the brakes thoroughly (until you see new
>> > fluid coming out of the bleeders) and try it again.
>> >
>> > I probably would not pump-bleed on an older car but try to find a
>> > pressure or vacuum bleeder instead... but if you do have to pump
>> > bleed I'd have your helper put a 2x4 scrap under the pedal so it
>> > doesn't go all the way to the floor.
>> >
>> > good luck
>> >
>> > nate
>> >
>>
>> air in the lines would make it spongy all the time not these
>> symptons.
>> It is probably a master cyl. or if rear drum brakes they may be out
>> of adj. pretty common on both. KB
>
> Not necessarily, brakes needing to be bled can be "pumped up" and made
> firm... for a while...
>
> nate
>

air can never be made firm. no mater how much you pump them. KB