So I am having a brake problem. It has done it twice now. I leave my house and use the brakes twice before getting on the highway. They work fine. Once on the highway for about 5 minutes the passenger front brake starts dragging really bad, like downshift to 2nd and to the mat bad.

I drive like that for about 1 minute and it either heats up so bad that it stops dragging or it "fixes" itself. I have taken the caliper out and removed the pistons and everything is like new. I figure it can't be the master because then both fronts would be doing it. The funny thing is I am not even using the brakes. Its like a ghost is pushing on the peddle.........

I pulled the master and cleaned out the oil container and re-bled the master with new oil. Seems okay now but I will see when I go to work.

 

So no vibration in the front, just after a few minutes it starts pulling to that side?... then goes away?

 

It doesn't even pull. The only reason I know it is that side is because that rim is hot and stinks. It just feels like someone else is pushing the brakes on slowly.

 

I think I would look at the rubber brake lines sometimes they can break down inside and cause trouble.

 

Well I am at work and it did it again really bad. I had to limp home and get the civic. So I guess I am down to two things. The master (other side not doing it though???) and that rubber line. I will change the rubber line tomorrow and see if that is it. I think I will change the master while I am at it with a spare I have. I just don't get why it is pumping up on its own?? Heat I guess..........Master not letting the fluid back in....why not the other side........

 

Being that it is only the one side it really makes me want to think it is the line on that side. Could be any time you even think about braking it doesn't allow the fluid back and that just keeps a cycle going until it starts really dragging you down. It then releases over time when everything cools down. Hope I have helped.

 

just a thought... could there be a blockage with the LSPV since it distributes braking pressure to all 4 corners seperately??

 

I don't have the LSPV anymore. I have one line going to the back and one with the split going to the fronts. The pedel get pumped right up hard without me even touching it. I am leaning towards the Master NG.

 

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And I'm 31 years old.........

 

had this prob on a chebby, i just greased up the sliders, so it could slide freely and dabbed a lil grease where the pad sits on the caliper, says to do so in the FSM

 

Not bad for an old guy

 

I had this same problem on my Dodge. The internals of the rubber brake line had broken down, and was causing a one way check valve of sorts. Once it sat for a long enough period of time, it would bleed back off and be fine. Then a few pedal applications later, it was back to diving to the right. Not very fun when towing a trailer

A set of stainless steel braided brake lines did the trick and although it cost me almost $200, it should only set you back around $75-100

Also, as suggested, make sure you check the sliders and the pads. If the holes in the pads are worn oblong, the pads can jam sideways.

 

I have aparts truck so I am going to swap the rubber line and master cylinder. I just don't get where the pressure is coming from since I am not pushing the brake. maybe just heat from the engine compartment and pads running on the rotors a bit.???

 

Oil??? i really hope you ment brake fluid.. since oil and brake fluid are two completly different fluids.... If calipers are okay, then i'd say the rubber hoses leading to the calipers are faulty.

 

I knew a guy once who put PS fluid in his hydraulic clutch system....the results were less than satisfactory But, instead of causing a locking up like you are describing, he blew out all the seals in the system.

The reason there is pressure at the caliper is the hoses are acting like a one way valve from the corrosion.

 

Brake fluid is oil. I re-filled it with 80-90. seems good now....................

 

I hope that was a funnay, funnay joke

 

So I swapped the master and all is good. When I pulled the "bad one" off the oil did not drip out of the ports. The good one oil does drip from the ports. This to me shows that the oil was not getting back into the reservoir.

 

Most brake fluid is NOT OIL. It is an ethylene-glycol based fluid (an alcohol of sorts... DOT5.0 is silicone based). Though you may be able to substitute some sort of oil and have comparable results, DOT3/4/5.1 brake fluid will not boil, burn or coke like oil will.