Help: Mushy brake pedal, any suggestions?

[rhock99 at epix.net (Ryan H)]

ok guys, had some more time to work on it this weekend, and it didn't go so well:

1.) Gravity bled the rears several times, one caliper had a few small bubbles.
2.) Gravity bled the fronts just in case.  Not a single bubble.
3.) Power bled the entire system; power bleeder at 13 psi, farthest calipers first.
4.) Checked lines/calipers/bleeder valves for leaks while still under pressure.

Still mushy, although a teeny bit better, probably cause of the bubbles that were released at one of the rears.

I smelled the vacuum hose coming off the booster to see if it smelled like fluid in case my master cylinder blew a seal (or a walrus... doh!), doesn't seem to, but the rubber smell may be masking it.

Any other ideas before I go replacing the master cylinder?  Anyone nearby Binghamton NY with some brake experience that could go over everything with me?  Pay would be involved of course.

> 
> From: Spewey <spewey@comcast.net>
> Date: 2004/04/27 Tue PM 10:29:12 EDT
> To: Ryan H <rhock99@epix.net>
> Subject: Re: Help: Mushy brake pedal, any suggestions?
> 
> Ryan H wrote:
> 
> > Nah, the master cylinder is really recent, but it was a
> > remanufactured unit, so who knows the quality.  If it did leak into
> > the vac booster, do you think I can just clean and re-use the
> > booster?  MC replacement is easy.  Booster replacement is also easy,
> > but a PITA to get out. Thanks Spewey!
> > 
> 
> Yeah, you can towel it out or let the vacuum take its course.  Hydraulic 
> fluid has a low vapor pressure but there won't be much in there.  If you 
> fix it but don't drive it, it will eat through the diaphragm of the 
> booster eventually.  More important is whether this is the problem or 
> not.  If it's reman, I would stack even more coins in favor of my 
> theory, but that is neither here nor there.  It would be smart to verify 
> that I'm wrong.
> 
> I know that some cars are tough to let the m/c out on its studs w/o 
> taking it off because of all the steel lines in the area if the rear 
> regulator is right there but I don't remember which even if I knew what 
> kind of car you have.
> 
> Keep me posted.
>