As the ones that suggested that it was the master cylinder that caused
that spongy-down-to-the-floor-brake feeling may have expected, replacing
the front pads didn't do it. It helped and it was needed but the problem
reappeared by the end of the day. So, I replaced the master cylinder.
Big difference in both braking and no spongy effect at the stop lights.
Thanks for your suggestions!!!

I have a question though. The original cylinder did not have a little
tiny hole where the cylinder attaches on the booster. The new one has a
little tiny hole that dripped a couple of drops while bleeding (look at
attached pictures). The directions suggest not to worry about it. It
didn't seem to leak at all after a couple of tries to bleed the system.

Anybody knows what that little tiny hole is there for? Should I worry
about it?

Here are a couple of pictures showing the hole:
http://pe.usf.edu/~gstylia/Cyls2s.jpg
http://pe.usf.edu/~gstylia/NewCylHole1s.jpg

georgios

Georgios A. Stylianides, PhD wrote:

> Thank you all for your input!!!
>
> Actually, I completely neglected to look at the front brake pads. I
> replaced the rear brake shoes but didn't even look at the front. Come to
> find out that they were pretty low as well. I replaced them with new
> pads and the problem is gone.
> Does that make sense?
>
> georgios
>
>
>>> Vanagon GL 86, 2.1, Gas
>>>
>>> Last month, the brakes got soft/spongy. They were braking fine, but at
>>> the stop lights they would go down to the floor.
>>> I opened the rear drums and it was time for new shoes and new
>>> cylinders.
>>> I changed both, the brakes work great, but at the stop lights again,
>>> the
>>> pedal seems to be going down again. Not as bad as before and not all
>>> the
>>> time. I opened them again, they looked fine, I readjusted, and it still
>>> does it intermittently.
>>> Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> georgios