02 pathfinder , have to double tap brakes [SOLVED - front brake lines]

[towncarblue]

i have a 02 nissan pathfinder 4x4.
when i put my foot down on the brakes, it goes down spongy and the patthy slowly stop { not good for emergency braking }
i have to put my foot halfway- release and press the brakes again. the second time i press the brakes
the pedal feels nice and strong. its as if im pressurizing the brake system with my first pedal push .
i bleed the master cylinder and the brake lines. when i removed the rear drums
i noticed that the shoes were in contact with the drum { i had to use my foot to get the drum back in }.
i could not find a lsv in the diff,

what could be causing my spongy brake pedal ??

[elwesso]

Sounds like maybe it's not bled good enough, or perhaps the master cylinder is worn out. Sometimes air can be very stubborn to get out, I would bleed the master cylinder first and then bleed all 4 corners. If that doesn't work then I'd replace the master cylinder.

[EdBwoy]

Sure sounds like more bleeding would be worth the effort, since the issue started after you opened the system.

Also, since this part is usually free and simple, I'd pump the brakes with the car turned off to see if the pedal gets firmer. It should, and is a test for a healthy brake booster.
topic615231.html#p6740918

[towncarblue]

the issue started before i opened the system
when the issue first started i noticed that the brake line thread on the master cylinder closest to the brake booster was leaking . i cut and replaced the threaded part of the brake line. i went and bleed the mater cylinder on the vehicle ( noticed alot of air being pushed out ) , took a while to get all/most the air out.
i think i might get more out if i take the master cylinder out and do it on a flat surface.
when i went to bleed the rear cylinders i broke the bleeding screws so i replaced the wheel cylinders. i then bleed the entire system { except for the lsv , cant find it- dont know if 2002 came with them }
i had replaced the master cylinder with a new aftermarket one ( CARDONE SELECT 133136 ) last year.
my old one completely failed/ no brakes , very scary.

i tried .... , turning off the car and pumping till firm. when i the put a bit of pressure on the brake pedal
it slowly starts to sink all the way to the bottom.
also.. which way am i supposed to turn the adjuster for the rear drums to make sure they are adjusted? up to down or down to up
since its under warranty i ordered a new one , but im not sure if it will fix the problem

[towncarblue]

i replaced the master cylinder and bled the brake lines.....

for about three days of usage the pathfinder stops great, on the fourth it happens again,
i have to double tap the brakes to get them firm. its not as bad as before. im not noticing
the master cylinder losing any fluid. i went and just bled the front pass side caliper and now
my brakes are stronger { i have to keep doing this every four to five days }
what do i look for now ??/

[towncarblue]

found the issue,
i was bleeding the brakes using my vacuum pump and it looks like i should have kept it elevated instead of
having it leveled and i also put some petroleum jelly on the brake bleeder .
also..., i noticed that the master cylinder cap might not have been fully tight...
either way the issue is solved.

[barnaclebob]

Thanks for posting the solution.

[towncarblue]

the problem kept coming back.
i ended up replacing the brake lines for the front brakes { the rubber ones that goes from the caliper to the metal brake lines }
that solved the issue