97 Honda Accord. 180k miles. This car has always had a low brake pedal, since new. The brakes have always worked good, its just that the pedal travel is excessive, but once engaged, the pedal is solid. Its time for new brakes so last week I did the whole thing, rotors, calipers, hoses, pads and wheel bearings on the front. Brakes work good, but still low pedal.
This week I put new wheel cylinders and hoses in the rear. The rear shoes and drums have no appreciable wear. they are almost like new. I adjusted them out a little to just contact the drum. Bled system and brakes still the same. I am replacing all the rubber components just because they are 14 years old.
So today I installed a new master cylinder. I bench bled the MC before I installed it. Then bled the whole system. No bubbles, but the pedal goes further to the floor.
My question is about the pushrod in the booster. I know that if this is not correct that it can result in either excessive pedal travel or dragging brakes. There is a special tool to make this adjustment but I can’t find one anywhere. I looked up an alternate (not approved by Honda) procedure but I am having trouble determining exactly where to measure the touch point by using the brake pedal.
With the original MC and the engine off, vacuum bled off, the pedal had about 10mm of free play, but with the engine on, that either reduced to 2mm or increased to closer to 20mm. Under vacuum, does the pushrod get pulled back into the booster or does it extend? Right now I’ve got closer to 20mm W/O vacuum, maybe 30mm with.
Anybody know where to get that tool, not AutoZone loaner program for sure.