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Low brake pedal - What is normal?

578 views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  mtnmichael 
#1 ·
Bought pristine 2000 Catera w/35,000miles from 90yo mom, and almost drove through the garage wall! What is normal pedal free-travel? Dad had new pads installed 10y ago, there are no visible leaks, and brakes are rock solid once you get there, but I'm measuring almost 3" before anything happens, at idle. Have new master cylinder ready to rock, but cannot find any reference to proper travel. Have everything from '58 pickup to new Chevy truck in the corral, but these are definitely "different." Appreciate any suggestions...
 
#2 · (Edited)
If you have Honda as second car, you definitely need to get used to catera's brakes lol. They are powerful enough but they never grab as newer cars. I even had GTo calipers, same thing, seems like pressure builds up within some time, not instantly, no matter how hard you press (speaking from autocross experience). My 14 ram 3500 diesel has similar brakes feel. Try to brake hard from 60 mph, when no one behind you, if it stops solid, nothing to do with it, if there is no power or feels not enough, or pulls to the sides, than you might have bad rotors, sometimes on the inner side, you can't see it until wheel removed or laying on the floor. I just replaced rear rotors on my wife's catera, had really bad ones from inside, and it did huge difference. I would check rotors if I was you. It's my 5th Catera, never replaced master cylinder in any of them, two current ones have over 200k now. Also brake fluid needs to be changed every 2 years, it's hydroscopic, means attracts water and becomes diluted over time, might boil or freeze and changes its working specs. Long travel might be because of air in the system. I think you better do overall check up and tune up such fluid change and bleeding first, before you start throwing parts at it.
PS. Try to press the brakes slightly let's say 2 inch, and wait if they start to grab or not with delay, mines would, right after brake light comes on, it's not crazy power, but it doesn't have 3 inch free play as in your case.
Good luck.

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#3 ·
Thank you for the informative and encouraging reply @globuslive! I am an old gear-head from Detroit, and I know what I know, but your comment about changing out the brake fluid rang a bell. I already bought the M/C, so I will just change it out, in the process of flushing the fluid. I was road-testing a 365/GTB4 as a kid mechanic at Taylor RR in WPB, because after 5 minutes at speed, the brake fluid would boil (sat right over the exhaust manifold), and the brakes would never be the same. Great suggestion! I have a stack of parts (t-belt/pulley, CPS, various gaskets/sensors) and was just going to spend a couple days going through the car, and will add this, now. Thanks again for rattling the neurons. Excellent forum!
 
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