I just installed 4 new discs, 4 new calipers and new pads/hardware and now I'm trying to bleed the brakes.

Now matter now many times I go around (following the shop manual's order of driver-front/passenger-rear/passenger-front/driver-rear I cannot get pressure into the system the pedal keeps going to the floor.

There are no leaks, no fluid coming out anywhere.

What am I doing wrong?

I'm doing it with car running should it be off when bleeding? I'm thinking maybe it should be off but it doesn't say in the shop manual.

HELP!!

 

I have always done it with the car off but i don't really see how that would make much of a difference. vacuum pumps work wonders btw you can usually pick them up pretty cheap and then you don't even need a second person to hold the pedal when you open the bleeder valve aside from that just remember to topoff the master cylinder now and then while you are bleeding them.

 

they are four ways to bleed your brake. Manual bleeding, vacuum bleeding, pressure bleeding and gravity bleeding. If i were you, i would do the gravity bleeding and wait til air bubbles come off of bleeder screws. Remember pour in clean fluid in master cylinder, then bolt down the screws when clean fluid pours out. All done

 

explain the process you are useing step by step and Ill let you know if you are doing anything wrong.

Was the brake system working fine before?

 

No there was a wierd issue before and I'm not sure what it was.

I would brake and get fine pressure, but if I partially released the brake pedal then I was able to re-apply pressure and it would go down further. I could continue to finesse the pedal all the way to the floor.

I figured it was one of the calipers which are still the original OEM ones so I replaced everything.

The process I was using was this:

My brother (doublethink on here) would pump the brake 4-5 times then hold it down on the last stroke.
I would release the bleeder, then close it again.
He would repump and I would move to the next caliper.
Repeat

It's something like 20 degrees out here in New York so I think I'm beat. I have a friend with a shop that I'm going to tow it to.

Thank you for the quick help but it's too cold to be outside and I have to give up.

Thanks again!
Cheers


Modified by eumoria at 5:09 PM 1/20/2008

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eumoria &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My brother (doublethink on here) would pump the brake 4-5 times then hold it down on the last stroke.I would release the bleeder, then close it again.
He would repump and I would move to the next caliper.
Repeat
</TD></TR></TABLE>

who ever said to pump the brakes?

you OPEN the bleeder screw FIRST, then you slowly push the pedal down and HOLD. then close the bleeder. release the pedal. repeat.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eumoria &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Now matter now many times I go around (following the shop manual's order of driver-front/passenger-rear/passenger-front/driver-rear I cannot get pressure into the system the pedal keeps going to the floor.</TD></TR></TABLE>
The correct order is actually passenger rear &gt; driver front &gt; driver rear &gt; passenger front. Start with the corner farthest from the master cylinder, then move to the opposite corner since the channels are diagonal.

You may have a bad master cylinder.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">who ever said to pump the brakes?

you OPEN the bleeder screw FIRST, then you slowly push the pedal down and HOLD. then close the bleeder. release the pedal. repeat.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yep.

Or do what I did and buy a $20 pneumatic brake bleeder from Harbor Freight. One-person bleeding FTW!

 

bleed with the car off. This should be done for 2 reasons. 1. its safer. 2 Its faster. if the car is running you build less brake pressure per stroke of the master cylincder. you would be there all day. pump the peddle 5 times holding on the last stroke. Make sure you don't push to the floor you can damage the seal in the MC. next open the bleeder screw of choice. i always go farthest to closest to the MC. wait till the peddle feels lighter don't let it drop to the floor. close screw while there is still pressure on the peddle. repeat process untill air bubbles are gone. vacume bleeders are much faster but sometimes will not get all the air out, and can actually cause small bubbles to form in your lines. i personaly use a vacume but make sure you keep plenty of fluid in the resivour.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

You may have a bad master cylinder.


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Thats what I was thinking

If your having a problem keeping pressure and your not leaking I would say its the M.C. Ive never had a caliper cause that problem.