Soft brakes

TO avoid a family of pheasants crossing the road I became aware of the travel in my brake pedal. Sometimes the pedal is a little soft but a few pumps and it comes up and is firm. (no jokes please) This would indicate air in the line yet when I bled the system none came out. If the master cylinder were bad the pedal would go to the floor when a constant pressure is put on it. It does not do that. Is there anything else that I am missing. It is not dangerous but I am a little picky and want things to be just so.

Ralph, Search "brake bleeding" or such on this site. It seems there
is a particular order to bleed by or you won't get any/full brake pressure to build up and drive air out.
Sorry, I don't remember the order.

I think it was Kirk at Vintage that once told me "If you have disc on the front, then start at the nearest wheel to the MC. If not, then start at the farthest."

Ralph,

Just had to redo my brakes - 4 wheel disc. Start with - closest to MC and work your way out. It's helps to get a bleeder jar. Get a longer hose (Home Depot) so you can set the jar far enough to see it as you pump the pedal.

Mel

Trying to do it yourself is a PITA, get a dedicated pedal pumper while you are watching the mentioned jar for the dreaded bubbles,

Ralph,

Maybe I missed something, but do you have 4 wheel discs or front discs/rear drums?

Some of the most common problems I have seen are:
freeplay in pedal
mis-adjusted parking brake
too small MS (on 4W discs)
air

CEH

There are cheap tools that enable 1 person bleading - one is a bottle or clear bag with a tube from <$10 and then there are $30+ Vaccumm bleeders. The Karman Ghia which came with disc front brakes used a larger diameter master cylinder which also apparently didn't keep pressure on the front discs. It has a different part number. 914 owners often swapped their master cylinder out for a 911 one -- it too has a larger diameter piston. Unless racing avoid silicon brake fluid -- stick with DOT3 High Temp brake fluid.

Ah Ha. I always have bled from furthest to closest. WIll try that next. Drums rear. Rotors frnt. Brakes adjusted correctly ----slight drag on high points.
BTW, I have not found anyone who still arcs shoes. HOw do you guys manage?

Carey:
I think the park brake is correct or if anyhting perhaps I err on the tight side. Problem with that approach?

Ralph, I have had similar problems with soft brakes on my 911 and once on my speedster. I get help from the wife or daughter and gentley tap on the lines with a screw driver handle to dislodge the micro bubbles that get trapped in the brake line curves. I have great pedal feel. You can tap or drive and wait until they, the micro bubbles, take care of themselves by conglomerating.

By the way, I think I knew the previous owner of your car. I believe he bought a rusted out "real" roadster so he could use the Porsche VIN. It was either him or perhaps a previous owner in Florida. It has been several years since I spoke with him.

Ralph,

Thanks. No. That's how you start, by making sure the shoes drag a little. I was taught to tighten the shoes until you couldn't move the wheel by hand, and the back it off 2-3 turns. Check both shoes with a flashllight and make sure you dont have one tight and one backed off somewhere. Your problem sounds (to me) more like one of your shoes is having to travel a greater distance (i.e getting closer with each stroke, and then finally engaging, hence the "pumping up" effect)

I don't want to start a longest v. shortest flame LOL, but I have never bled any other way than longest to shortest...

There is some good advise in this thread. I would spend a few $$ on a power bleeder bottle. You'd be amazed what little bubbles this thing will push through. VW ISPWest sells one that pressurizes the resivoir (stay under 20lbs!!) and then you just walk around the car and run fluid through into a waste bottle. Very easy to use, and very effective. I paid $50 shipped. Spend a few minutes and tap on the lines (also as suggested), especially at the tops of any arcs. Don't be afraid to push some fluid through and watch the fluid level in the bottle on the bleeder or you'll be starting over... There's nothing like finishing up the last line and then it sounds like someone sucking the bottom of an empty McDonald's cup through a straw... DOH!

Keep us posted.

Carey