Brake pedal sluggish to depress - fresh brake fluid

[jderou]

In a emergency type stop, when I go to hit the pedal, it slowly moves down through the travel until applying pressure. It acts as though it is damped, and their is kind of an air sound as its depressed (kinda like I am pushing in a tire pump). When it hits the master cylinder, the brakes are...ok. If I press real hard, it will slowly sink (probably bad mastercylinder), but that's not my main focus right now. The main thing is the slow travel right now. The booster holds vacuum fine.
Ideas?

 

[gcwimmer]

Try bleeding the system with new brake fluid.

 

[jderou]

Will do, it was on my list anyway.

 

[Lincoln Jealous]

Try bleeding the system with new brake fluid.

+1

 

[jderou]

ok, fresh brake fluid is in. I ended up making a device to suck the fluid through (see pics). Just happened to have a small vacuum pump, and put a tank inline to catch the fluid. I had to turn it into a one person job.

Results:

Pedal action is a little better. The sinking pedal is more obvious though now. So new master cylinder and brake pads is next.

The actual stopping is a little better, but still not what it should be. New pads in the front may help. I'm not real sure the rear calipers are working, though. Is their any easy way to check without the piston depresser tool? I know that the e-brake won't even think about stopping the car (pull it as hard as you can and you feel it drag a little).

Thanks for the help!