Last night, i changed the brake pads and fluid to an ITR. After the pads were installed, fluid was flushed, and all lines bled, I proceeded to to go for a test run. Getting out of my driveway, i discover the pedal is EXTREMELY soft. Thinking there is more air in the lines, i started to bleed the brakes again to discover there is no air anywhere!! The wierd thing is that when the car is off, the pedal is holding great pressure (very stiff pedal) but once the car is turned on the pedal is almost to the floor. Also, i can hear this air leak sound coming from the ABS unit everytime i pump the brakes with the car on. I compared it to my other friends ITR to discover that the other ITR doesn't make this noise. Could me ABS unit be shot?? The brakes were growing weak on me before i changed these parts.


[Modified by eg-six, 6:31 AM 8/17/2001]

 

First of all you have air in your system. The reason why it softens up when you start it is because you now have vacuum for your booster. That is what they do - make it easier to push the pedal down. Get the air out and you will be in much better shape. Did you follow the proper bleeding order for the car? Did you make sure you didn't run the MC dry? You could have air trapped any number of places that you won't get out from the corners.

Is your ABS Unit blown? That is a possibility. Were you smart enough to clamp off the brake lines and open the bleeder when you compressed the calipers or did you just ram the **** right back up through the ABS Modulator? If you DID NOT clamp the lines off there is a good chance you just committed ABS Murder. Even a lousy Haynes Manual tells you the proper way to compress caliper pistons on an ABS-Equipped car. Look on the bright side - ABS units are only about $1000.