Ok, so about a week ago I bought a 1990 LS w/ 107k on it (manual…screw autos =P) and it just needed new rear calipers/pads. Well I put those in today, and only did my father’s jerry rig job of brake bleeding a.k.a. you pump the brake and then I’ll put the cap back on:crazy: But once I started driving it I had NO brakes at all…pumped it, had pressure but no stopping power…none. But anyways tomorrow I’m going to re-check/re tighten everything and do a real brake bleed to all four calipers(new pads going the the front ones also).
What I’m curious about is if this is just a problem with air in the system, or should I be pricing a master cylinder tomorrow instead? Any help appreciated, thank you.
Well the “jerry rig” job invovled no fluid coming out…just me pumping he pedal for about 10 minutes while my father stared at the resivior and the put the cap on when I had what seemed like max pressure. Now I been driving all around Herndon and Reston VA delivering papers today so…lol…tomorrow I’m gonna bleed all calipers with an actual bleeder tool while my fiance pumps the pedal. Also gonna replace the stock seals to be through. And I know, front left caliper first, front right, rear right, rear left…please correct me if I’m wrong on the order of bleeding the rears. I’m just concerned it’s the master since I had more stopping power before I changed the calipers and only had front brakes…now to stop the thing from moving forwards I gotta slam it in reverse. Thank God I found this out before I made it outta my driveway or above 10mph.
[QUOTE=GhostTeg;2278460]…pumping he pedal for about 10 minutes while my father stared at the resivior and the put the cap on when I had what seemed like max pressure…[/QUOTE]There is a good chance you inadvertently introduced air into the system when you pumped the pedal… its easy to do, really nobody does brakes often, and when you bleed brakes using the pedal, you have to make sure that air does not get in when the pedal is released (on its way up).
There are so many ways of bleeding brakes, hard to know what might have happened… even reversing the order would not have done this, you either have a leak, in which case you will find someplace where the fluid is coming out (and the level of fluid in the reservoir is dropping), or more likely, there is air in the system (a lot of air). Master cylinders do not go from OK to all bad this quickly, no matter what you do, and definitely not on both sides/chambers. Think of the lawsuits if any new or old car had a master cylinder that could just fail completely like this (!)
Find some bleed procedure that you understand and like, read it over a few times, and it will work.
The car I am working on had been standing for years, and the brakes started very very soft. After I pumped about a quart of fluid through the system, using pedal pressure and opening and closing the valves, the seals in the master cylinder recovered a bit (swelled) brakes firmed up. Took bleeding the brakes 2-3 consecutive days but now I think I prolly have 75-80% breaking with new rotors and pads. Same (22-year old) master cylinder, and 3 out of 4 calipers are original, one replaced.
Thank you thank you. I found it hard to believe the master just went like that, and I know a little about cars but I’ve decided to just hook up an actual bleeder I made to the calipers and have my fiance slowly pump the brakes until I can see very little if any air coming out in the fluid. And of course I can’t pick up new rotors on Thanksgiving but yea, their coming…lol.
Actually from everything I’ve been told you bleed the caliper closest to the master cylinder first then go diagonally so front left, rear right, front right, rear left…can we get an expert on this?? lmao
My bad =/ you’re right, lol. Looked it up and it mainly helps to stop cross contamination of the new and old fluid…I’m sure there are other benefits but yea.
Problem solved…bled the brakes all around and then the rears a second time and brakes are fine now. Pedal travel is only about 1/3-1/2 the way to the floor. Thanks for the help everyone.:rockon:
