adjusting brake master cylinder pushrod?

[stmotorsports]

I've never done this before, is there any way to do it correctly without the special tool?

just for reference, the car in question is a 2000 Civic Si

anyone?

 

[welfare]

PEDAL HEIGHT

1. Disconnect the brake switch connector, loosen the brake switch locknut, and back off the brake switch until it is no longer touching the brake pedal.

1. At the carpet cutout, measure the pedal height from the right side center of the pedal pad.

Standard Pedal Height (with carpet removed):M/T: 156.5 mm (6.16 inch)
A/T, CVT: 161 mm (6 5/16 inch)</B>

1. Loosen the pushrod locknut, and screw the pushrod in or out with pliers until the standard pedal height from the floor is reached. After adjustment, tighten the locknut firmly. NOTE: Do not adjust the pedal height with the pushrod depressed.

1. Screw in the brake switch until its plunger is fully depressed (threaded end touching the pad on the pedal arm). Then back off the switch 1/4 turn to make 0.3 mm (0.01 inch) of clearance between the threaded end and pad. Tighten the locknut firmly. Connect the brake switch connector. CAUTION: Make sure that the brake lights go off when the pedal is released.
2. Check the brake pedal free play as described below.

PEDAL FREE PLAY

1. With the engine off, inspect the play on the pedal pad by pushing the pedal by hand. Free Play: 1 - 5 mm (1/16 - 3/16 inch)

Pedal Free Play

1. If the pedal free play is out of specification, adjust the brake switch. CAUTION: If the pedal free play is insufficient, it may result in brake drag.

copyright 2007 alldata

 

[stmotorsports]

WOW sweet info there- someone should maybe make that a sticky

only prob is I was looking for the procedure for the pushrod clearance adjustment- ie measuring/adjusting the distance between the end of the pushrod and the mc piston

the svc manual says you need some special tool but I think I should be able to just measure the distance from the end of the pushrod to the mounting flange on the booster and the distance from the mounting flange on the mc to the inner cup of the piston and compare the two distances, and that should be the clearance. Right?

 

[welfare]

Im not sure if that is what the clearance is tha you are looking for, every time I have replaced a master on a honda it hasn't required any adjustments.

 

[stmotorsports]

yeah i dunno either, the brakes are just kinda fkd and I'm trying to figure it out before autox season is over. I've already done pads & rotors all around, flushed & bled the system multiple times, done full caliper services fr + rr, stainless lines, and replaced the mc.

were your brakes weird after you put the blower on? That seems to be around the time mine started acting up...

 

[welfare]

I have never had problems with the blower and the brakes, That is why there is the check valve in the positive vaccum line right there on the vacuum line for the brake booster.
If for some reason the check valve isn't working right you may have wrecked the booster, but if it feels like the power assist is working right then I have no Idea unless you didn;t bleed the brake right or there is an air bubble trapped in the master, prop valve or ABS unit (if equipped)
Also if your calipers are on upside down. . . The bleeders should be on the top, but i have seen it happen before.

 

[stmotorsports]

yeah i dunno either, the power assist is definitely working, if anything it feels like it's working too well since there is an assload of pedal travel and it feels spongy

I've never heard of a prop valve going bad?

and i highly doubt all 4 calipers are bad unless someone that had the car before me put some weird liquid/contaminants in the system or some shit

LOL @ putting calipers on upside down, I've actually seen someone do that myself- I guess it would be easy to do if you weren't paying attention- just swap L-R

 

[welfare]

Not that the prop valve is bad, it is just that it may have air in it, either way it sounds like you have air in the system, just keep bleeding it out, follow the manufacturers procedure for bleeding, I think you start at the right rear wheel and then do the left rear, then right front and finally left front (furthest from master to closest to master)
Have someone help you so they can push the pedal while you open the bleeder. Make sure you have about 1 quart of DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid to keep filling the resivoir up, don't let it go dry.