larkja

I just purchased an '86 951 - love it!!! The previous owner had Porterfield R4s all around. The car stopped on a dime. I wanted to save these for the track so I ordered a set of Mintex pads from Performance. I just put them in this evening and the brakes feel very mushy. I didn't bleed them but shouldn't have to since I didn't introduce any air into the system. I was very careful when pressing the pistons back into the calipers to insert the new pads.

Do I just have to suffer through the break-in period for a couple days?

Thanks
Jim

Ahmet

It's possible that you have blown the master cylinder if you didn't open the calipers when you pushed the pistons in. I'd bleed the brakes and see what that does, if it doesn't improve at all, than you'll probably need a new master cylinder (It's not that hard to replace at all).
Ahmet

larkja

Thanks for the reply. I have done many brake jobs on other cars and never blown a master cylinder. Is this typical of these cars?

Jim

eclou

You just need to bed the brake pads in properly. Go to <a href="http://www.tcklineracing.com" target="_blank">www.tcklineracing.com</a> for the procedure.

Eugene

Dave951M

When was your brake fluid last changed and what type is it? If you don't know, I would change it out before getting too frisky with the brakes. Besides, that would eliminate one other potential variable in sorting out this problem and is a relatively cheap and easy thing to do.

Dave

special tool

I believe Mintex prints their brake-in procedure on the side of the box...or is that pbr? Anyway, contact Mintex - everybody has a slightly different method.

Ahmet

larkja, I know that many newer honda master cylinders will break their internal seals (ie: they'll blow) if you push the pistons in without openning the bleeder nipple on the calipers.

I had a blown master cylinder about two weeks after doing the brakes without openning the bleeders on my 86 turbo. I've done it to my early 944 many times without openning the bleeders, and that never gave me a problem. Anyway this is the second time this has happened to me, I'm guessing both my master cylinders were tired however. Draw your own conclusions...

It's also possible that you need to seat the pads in, but I would think that this isn't as likely as a blown master.
Ahmet

larkja

Thanks all. I bled the brakes this morning and it definitely firmed things up. I just need to take it easy to bed in the pads. I think the bleeding did the trick. In the future, I will loosen the nipple before I push the pistons in just to be safe.

Jim