well, im having some brake issues. i did a search, came up with nothing that matches this... so please, no "do a search remarks." anyways, brake problems start when i noticed after starting the car there isnt any pedal presure... after 2 pumps, its back and fine all day. then in the last week, i noticed after driving for awhile that the brakes are actually puting pressure on the rotors, and slowing the car down. they are putting an incredible drag on the car, and from the motor working so hard started to heat up high and i turned off the car. when i engage the clutch and roll the car stops liek im brake, but im n ot touching the pedal. im thinking i have a master cylinder problem. i have not seen any break fluid leaking at all. bu i have no idea why the breaks are grabbing while i drive. i have new hawk pads. been fine for 4k miles. i dont smell breaks either, i figured i would, but i do hear them sqeek a bit when i am nearing stop (with no foot on the break pedal)... so from that i know its the breaks. any ideas?

 

Did you adjust your e-brake handle recently? Maybe you tightened it too much and it's dragging now?

 

The emergency brake dragging wouldn't explain the fact that you have to Pump the brakes up..I'd be lookin at your Brake Booster,..Reason being that once the car's brakes are up ,they are fine and that IF a seal (or somethin like that ) inside the booster is Going ..It may be that the brakes are being Put on ..by that Leak in the booster..IF you haven't found any fluid loss,or leaks Outside the Vehicle..then it may be either the booster or the Master cylinder(leaking within itself)..

 

^ thats what i was kinda thinking. it would make soms enc if its leaking building variable presures up on both side of the piston... causing low pressure in the mourning, and pressures holding the breaks in. hmm. i may just have to start swaping parts. yeah, bleeding if fun

 

I think you have a seizing brake caliper or cable. Take the car for a short drive and see which brake rotor gets much hotter than the other 3. (Don't burn yourself) That's the one with either the sticking caliper or the seized brake cable. Detach the e-brake cable (if it's a rear wheel) and take it for another test drive. That should pinpoint it well enough.

Dave

 

^^^^
+1 vote

A piston could be seizing which causes the brake dragging and there could also be a leak causing the pedal pumping. Caliber rebuild kits are cheap or you could just swap the whole caliper which isn't so hard. If thats the problem that is.

 

Frozen caliper did the same thing to me a few years back...rebuilt it myself.

 

well, i had it happen so bad today that im parking it until its fixed. it started after i drove the car while and the brakes were hot. making me think maybe calipers. i had an idea to drive the car with a jack and when it does it, pull over and lift one side up and spin the wheels. try both sides. if its both, then probably its the master, if just one... thats my culprit.

 

Okay, I'm resurrecting this old thread cause I'm having the same problem. This 2gen is running for first time in about 10 years ($300, just finished motor swap, sweet deal). All four brakes get hot, but only on some drives not always. The e-brake WAS too tight, but that didn't fix it. It's GXL with anti-loc, and I think that may be the problem (plan to unplug the module); also has that "sport mode" crap. No brake fluid loss, and responded right to loosening the e-brake (pedal was mushy until adjusted itself). So I don't think it has anything to do with sticky calipers (would have to be all four at same time anyway). The master cylinder is new (had to replace in seller's driveway just to get it home, a couple years ago). Any idea why these brakes start dragging half-way home?
One other thing -- seems to start dragging after the cruise control kicks itself off. Going up a steep hill on the freeway (I live in the mountains), if the speed falls about 15 mph below where cruise was set, the dam thing kicks itself off. That's also when the brakes seem to start dragging (but may just be coincidence or my bad memory).
Any advice would be appreciated.
--
Nails

 

i have another thread about this up... but i still have the problem. no idea what it is yet

 

I unplugged the "sport mode" wires from the bottom of the master cylinder. So far, no more problem. The anti-loc module is still hooked up, as far as I know.

 

Stuck caliper piston or pistons. Been there/done that. As someone else said, drive around awhile, stop, and feel around for the HOT disc or discs

 

ive already esablished that all four breaks are grabbing. when all four breaks are doing this, i seriously doubt all calipers or pistons have seized.

 

Start by checking your brake pedal adjustments. If you have the pedal adjustment pushing the rod to master cylinder in too far, it will cause the brakes to drag.

As far as the pedal losing pressure, I would suggest the master cylinder. After having mine fail on me back in '04, that's about how my symtoms started.

 

well, it drove fin for a long time, i havent adjusted anything. but i think it is in the master cyclinder... or break booster.

 

a good quick check for the brake booster is to turn the car off. pump up the pedal till it is high and hard to press. while appling pressure to the pedal start the car. healthy booster will allow the pedal to go down when the car starts and the booster sees vac.

 

HEY, ALRIGHT, some good info. my pedal definatly stays rock hard when doing that. sound like the break boosters bad?

 

Problem solved! It was the Brake Booster or master cyclinder. I replaced both and it fixed it. check this thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=16