Kaline Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I recently bought a 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL (3.1L/auto/110Kmiles) which was in dire need of a brake job. I just replaced all four calipers, rotors, hoses and pads and bled the system. The car seems to stop fine, but the brake pedal travel us pretty long (2/3 travel to hard brake apply). The pedal does not go to the floor, and the pedal always stops at the same location after each hard apply. I'm 90% sure I got the air out (I've done many complete brake jobs before), and I'm beginning to wonder if this might be characteristic of these cars brake systems. Are yours grabby and firm at the top of travel, or do you have to press 1/2 way or so for a firm stop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 lets put it this way... You'll get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Cutlass Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 it's not uncommon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 2/3 seems like a lot of pedal movement, I'd try re-bleeding them. I've never had any problems with the brakes in these cars, other than sticky slides on the rear calipers. Does the car have ABS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Bleeding the brakes fully helps immensely on these cars. They're old. The brake fluid isn't designed to last 15+ years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaline Posted September 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 The fluid is new (Valvoline Syntech) and the car does not have ABS. I bled an entire bottle of Syntech thru the system to make sure all the old fluid was flushed out. I'll drive it for a few days then re-bleed. If the pedal travel stays the same, I'll assumer that is how these brakes feel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 off topic: Al Kaline was a stud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Gutless was right.. all early W's I've driven feel that way. It's like stepping on a fat guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 It's like stepping on a fat guy. Never looked at it that way before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 PM3 has a good feel.. when the accumulator isn't kicking on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 The one in my 89 Cutlass is firm near the top. I had to bleed the crap out of it, upgrade to 94 rear calipers, and upgrade to 96 front rotors to get that feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 I must be the only person who doesn't have PM3 that has a good brake pedal. My car also stops on a dime Must be a factory freak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 My car's brake pedal is firm since I bled it, but it stil doesn't stop worth shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakefxgp96 Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 My 96 GP has about 1/2 travel before they grab, whats funny though is that with my slotted roters (and the larger 95.5-96 W-body design), they grab great right after 1/2 travel, i can tell that they are working just a little bit with just 1/8 travel, but then 1/2 way they grab like hell. The lumina on the other hand, has standard 93 rotors, the fronts are brand new rotors and pads, they start grabbing well at about 1/8 travel, but its only slightly better grip until about 2/3 to the floor. This is without bleeding and with really old rear rotors, so even in poor shape they still behave the way you describe. If you really want to improve braking on your car, next time you do the brakes, find a junkyard and get some 96 calipers, and buy some new 96 rotors, they are 11.25" fronts and 11?" rears. The older pre-95 rotors are much smaller 10.5 and 10.1 front and rear and the rear calipers are terrible actually i its been years but i read all of this in the upgrade section of this site. Its a BIG difference in braking performance, you have to try it to beleive it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted September 13, 2005 Report Share Posted September 13, 2005 I had this problem before. I took the bitch in after screwing around with shitty stopping distances, etc...they said the only rpoblem was the rear sliders were "stiff" which meant the calipers to acutating (sp?) but not properly. So he replaced the sliders and greased them up nicely and now I have a feel firm brake pedal that is quite high (better then half pushing the pedal half way and not having anything, then 3/4quaters to actually start stopping, and full to actually stop short lol).... But since you've replace dall those parts, try to bleed the system again and again. These brakes suck dick if you haven't noticed, and there isn't much you can do about it short of a +94 brake swap, and etc. - Jeff L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaline Posted October 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 I thought I would update the board on my brake pedal feel concern. After putting 500 miles on the car, the brakes feel A-OK now. I must have needed time for the brake pads to burnish and everything else to "find its happy spot". Now I can feel the brakes grab on initial apply, and a hard stop is only about 1/2 the pedal travel. For the record, I have the Duralast Gold pads from Autozone (made by Morse) on the front and rear. By no means a high performance pad, but great for the daily driving my car is used for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Good to hear man ! That's more then I can say...my car is back to the same old pedal falling again....I have to set the e-brake every morning to get the rear sliders goings...then the pedal is more stiff lol....fucking first gens lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebojsa_o Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 When I first got it, my 96 had a hard brake. As soon as you touch it, it would grab. Then after putting about 10,000km on it, it's a lot softer now. It goes a little less than half way down before they grab. This way actually feels better, when I got it, they were way to stiff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 yeah stiff as to where you accidently touch the pedal and you get lunged forward in your seat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebojsa_o Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 It's true, it had 0 movement. It would grab even if you only pressed it down like 1/4 of a inch. It was nuts, but I got used to it, and then it went away. I got no clue why it went away, but it feels better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pabz Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 I want to flush out all the brake fluid in there with new stuff, can i just do this by continuously bleeding one brake caliper while i keep filling up the brake fluid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 You have to bleed each line seperately, they are on different circuits. Even then you can't get all of the fluid out of the MC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFromColorado Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 I was havin' the same problem with my car (2/3 travel to a decent feel at that point) I found on one of the rear brakes the hose was cracked and when I'd hit the brakes it'd expand at that point allowing the pedal to travel further. You may want to inspect all the rubber hoses to make sure they are all in good condition. --Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaline Posted November 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 Thanks for the advice Dave. I had this same problem on a '75 Buick Regal I was driving 5-6 years ago. Since then I ALWAYS replace my joince hoses if I don't know how old they are. My Cutlass has new hoses on it now (along with the new calipers, pads and rotors). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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