S14 brakes too mushy

[TwelveAM]

I'm running evo brembo front calipers and rotors and z32 rear calipers rotors with a 15/16' BMC. Car is Non-ABS, I bled the brakes, but the brake pedal seems too mushy for me, I'm aiming for a firm brake feeling. Do I need to bleed the brakes more? or do I need to upgrade the BMC into 17/16'? Does the brake booster take any role in this? Still new at all this, so excuse the n00bness.

[upsdude]

did you bleed just once? took me about 3 bleeding sessions to get all the bubbles out and stuff.

[NissanEnthus]

I'm not sure on the brembos, but upgrading your BMC to the larger one does firm up your pedal. Also like upsdude stated as well make sure you got a good full system bleed to get all the air out.

[TwelveAM]

I did it 3 times, but I do believe I need to bleed some more. But, what I want to know is if I should go 17/16' for that firm feeling, since I was reading up that for a big brake upgrade it makes the pedal stiffer. I wouldn't mind the 15/16' BMC but, for daily driving I'm a bit paranoid that my brakes will lock up since I'm getting use to driving without ABS, and with the pedal sinking in and being so mushy as it is right now, would it be worth changing the BMC? Or would just bleeding the brakes some more, solve the mushyness?

I was reading up also that changing the brake booster is necessary for the setup I'm running, this true? I have the stock s14 non ABS booster atm

[codyace]

The larger the bore on the MC the firmer the pedal will become. At the same time the split point/knee point front to rear bias also changes between them all. So while you may get the pedal, you may introduce a situation of the rears locking before the fronts and so on.

I'd personally focus on bleeding it again. I've got a Wilwood setup on my car with the 15/16th and the pedal is perfect, almost like OEM. I typically do not like firm pedals as with the larger bore MC you also move more fluid...thus taking away some 'feel' with the pedal (as in you will have a harder time modulating pedal pressure).

I could see maybe going to a 1" master helping, but you'd need to know the caliper bore size etc etc to really do the math to get the right answer.

[MadScientist]

you can also adjust the plunger between the Booster and MC... I highly suggest if you do this onlt making very small 1/8 to 1/4 turns outward (loose).

I would do the MC/ Booster before adjsuting the plunger (or whatever you feel like calling it)

[blktopsr20]

make sure the bleeders screws are facing in the up position.

[k.man]

sorry to thread jack, but I got a 97' 240 with ABS, with z32 26mm alum brakes all around with 15/16 bmc... pedals are mushy as fuck.

..if some of you guys are bleeding it 3 or 4 times to get the air out of the system. how much fluid are you guys using up in total?...like a bottle or 2?

[MadScientist]

Are you guys bleeding the master first after changing.... you really need to do that first, vacuum bleed... save yourself the time and run around.

Yes Caliper Bleeders need to be facing UP/ not down. Do yourselves a favor and get one way speed bleeders at the least.

[upsdude]

you go through alot of fluid buy the big bottle lol. when you change out your calipers and change the bmc you introduce all sorts of air into the lines. it's a ton of extra work but you could take out your bmc and bench bleed that, then do the calipers. and do the booster adjustment as a last resort lol.

[codyace]

Are you guys bleeding the master first after changing.... you really need to do that first, vacuum bleed... save yourself the time and run around.

Yes Caliper Bleeders need to be facing UP/ not down. Do yourselves a favor and get one way speed bleeders at the least.

SpeedBleeders are kinda junky after a few bleeds, I never had good luck with them

[MadScientist]

These?
Speed Bleeder Bleeding Brakes Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes Automotive Bleeder Screw Brake Bleeder (http://www.speedbleeder.com/)
Never had any issues and had them on all my cars... this shit should be factory.

Vacuum Bleeder
Mityvac BRAKE BLEEDING KIT - JCWhitney (http://www.jcwhitney.com/brake-bleeding-kit/p2004119.jcwx?filterid=c21303u0j1)
Well worth it for any tool box... or get the Harbor Freight one for about $30.

Not recomended but you can recycle the fluid. (epecially if your using expensive stuff) be sure to use a non reactive container (no soft plastics) Brake fluid will eat a Red SOLO Cup in about 1 min.

[codyace]

Yup with them. The orange goo crap gets bad if you bleed/change your fluid often (I do, just as it sees track time). I had made a comment on NRR about it as well, and had similar comments. They actually sell new goo for them that you're supposed to use.

Mityvac's do work damn well, I like them. I also use the 30 dollar Habor Fright pneumatic one though most of the time, it works freakin just as well as the 200 dollar Snap On one.

[illkraze510]

I'm running evo brembo front calipers and rotors and z32 rear calipers rotors with a 15/16' BMC. Car is Non-ABS, I bled the brakes, but the brake pedal seems too mushy for me, I'm aiming for a firm brake feeling. Do I need to bleed the brakes more? or do I need to upgrade the BMC into 17/16'? Does the brake booster take any role in this? Still new at all this, so excuse the n00bness.

Use the 1 1/16" from the 300's