I replaced my brakes and can't get them to bleed properly. Help?

[ericedelman]

As things sit now on sunday afternoon, the truck has a brake pedal that goes to the floor. Friday, when I drove it over to my friend's shop to do the brake work, everything was fine, it's a 2006 regular cab with a little over 3000 miles on it.

I'll tell you what I did, and if I did or didn't do something right, maybe you guys can help.

I put the truck on a lift, took off all 4 wheels.

Then I pulled the front calipers and disconnected the brake hoses. I replaced the OEM pads with EBC yellow pads. I replaced the OEM rotors with with EBC sport rotors. I remounted the front calipers and reconnected the front brake lines with new banjo bolts and washers.

I took off the rear calipers and and disconnected the brake hoses. I replaced the OEM pads with EBC yellow pads. Replaced the OEM rotors with EBC sport rotors. Remounted calipers and reconnected the rear brake lines with new banjo bolts and washers.

At this point, I refilled the master cylinder resevoir with EBC DOT 4 fluid and opened the bleeders. Pumped the brake pedal a few times until fluid started flowing from the bleeders, then closed the bleeders and bled the brakes according to the manual. I got a low pedal, so we re-bled them, which didn't help. I used the snap-on modis scanner to cycle on/off the ABS solenoids, which also didn't help. Then we bled the master cylinder, re-bled the brake lines, recycled the ABS solenoids witht the scanner, and again, nothing.

I did another whole cycle of re-bleeding the master cylinder, brake lines, and ABS solenoids which didn't help either.

The whole time, I've got the truck up on a lift, I sprayed everything down with some brake-clean and used an airgun to dry everything. Not a leak or a bubble anywhere I can find, and all four sets of pads are clamping on the rotors. But still, no pedal pressure, the pedal goes right to the floor.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm about ready to throw in the towel and do the walk of shame to the dealer. Is there some special procedure not in the service manual for the front calipers (they have two bleeder screws)? Somewhere else on the truck that can be bled where air is trapped?

At least they look nice, right?

 

[viperhauler]

why did you disconnect the brake lines in the first place?...with 3k miles, i'd say it's hardly due for a flush

i know that's a moot point now, and i can't think of anything you haven't done....

just curious...

how's the prep for onelap coming?

 

[ericedelman]

The brake work is prep for one lap. I also did my clutch and got a new shifter and some other stuff done this week. I even own a CB radio now.

Anyhow, I got some advice that I should flush the old brake fluid out with new, higher temperature fluid before the race. Bleeding brakes never seemed like a big deal before, I've replaced master cylinders, so what could go wrong, right? I guess if I could go back to yesterday, I'd just replace the rotors and pads and call it a day.

why did you disconnect the brake lines in the first place?...with 3k miles, i'd say it's hardly due for a flush

i know that's a moot point now, and i can't think of anything you haven't done....

just curious...

how's the prep for onelap coming?

 

[scoobert]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
you might have ruined your brake master cylinder.
i did this once on my 83 nissan 710.
i think it was because i pumped them too fast, i was 16 so i don't remember that clearly.
it might also be because i didn't bench bleed them. either way it sounds like a blown master.

 

[Prof]

Eric, sounds as if you have done everything right to me. If I were you I would bleed them one more time...(wives are good at pumping the pedal!).

 

[FerrariTruck]

not really neccessary to cycle the abs valves..

Just do one wheel at a time

starting with r/r


pump twice and hold...

open bleeder screw

when pedal hits the floor

close screw.

repeat about 15x's per wheel and you should be good.

Make sure you dont let the reservoir run dry or you will get air in their and then

will have to "bench bleed" the master

 

[viperhauler]

yeah, the road course in MI toasted mine after only a few laps...

so it was probably a good idea...

 

[71dusterjon]

if the old method of pumping the brakes don't work then i suggest getting a pressure bleeder. you only need a few lbs of pressure and it will force any air and fluid to the bleeder you have open.

 

[THEWELSHM]

Personally with a little cooperation of a bleed partner sitting in the truck ( old school) and not applying to much down force on the pedal, this should be the way to go! As some have indicated one wheel at a time keep checking the fluid bleed until you see clear fluid then move to the next wheel, Me I always do the fronts first:dontknow:

ps you will love that new fluid and high heat resistant pads, " watch her first thing in the morning though"

Good Luck

thewelshm

 

[Prof]

not really neccessary to cycle the abs valves..

Just do one wheel at a time

starting with r/r


pump twice and hold...

open bleeder screw

when pedal hits the floor

close screw.

repeat about 15x's per wheel and you should be good.

Make sure you dont let the reservoir run dry or you will get air in their and then

will have to "bench bleed" the master

...and start with the most distant wheel...then move closer and closer to the reservoir.

 

[Chuck B]

I had to replace a rear caliper. Had the dealer do the work and while the brakes worked fine they were not the same. Pedal had to be pushed a bit further before engaging and then required a bit more pressure to obtain the same braking force. Seemed/acted like a bit of air was still in the line. Took it back to the dealer and they bled them again with no improvement. Dealer srv mgr and myself went round and round a few times. They did try to accommodate me however they never could make improvements and return it to like new standards. Ended up going to buddy's shop. He thought the ABS would need to be cycled and he gave it a go...still no improvement. We ended up going old school with me depressing the pedal and him opening/closing the bleeders manually. That was the ticket....

 

[Troy's QC SRT]

I you broke the lines buddy(which i would never do anyway unless replacing the calipers) bleed from the farthest wheel away from the master cylinder first (r/r, r/l, f/r, then last but not least f/l). More than likely you just have too much air in the lines and you still need to do some bleeding.....For future referances, if you want to bleed the brakes, dont remove the line.....just replace your pads and bleed your brakes until you see new/fresh brake fluid coming out of the bleeders.....

 

[ericedelman]

The walk of shame.

The good news is that the dealer figured it out in about 20 minutes. I swapped the rear calipers to the wrong side when I reinstalled, which had the bleeders pointing down, which made it impossible to bleed the air out of the rear calipers. And now I have a nice firm pedal.

The bad news is that my wife can't drive a stick well, so I have to actually go down there and get the truck myself. They're saving me a picture of my upside down calipers and want a picture of me to put on the back wall of the shop.

 

[71dusterjon]

thats funny. maybe you should get a copy of the picture and hang it in your garage too.

 

[Prof]

Kewl!

We have all made similar mistakes...hmmmm...would make a great thread!

 

[Chuck B]

Laugh out loud funny!! :rock:

 

[Westxsrt10]

Thats really not funny......scary YES. Maybe you shouldnt be working on the brake system. No offence really.

 

[SANCHOBA]

DOH!

 

[ericedelman]

Thats really not funny......scary YES. Maybe you shouldnt be working on the brake system. No offence really.

I had the same thought - the last time I did brakes on a car was at least 15 years ago.

When I took all the parts off, I used masking tape and a marker to mark the old parts and reboxed them in case I need spares during the race. Maybe I should have used some masking tape to label the calipers too.

 

[ZCx]

& life is good:rock: :rock: :rock:

at least she's stoopin as good as she goes again:burnout: :burnout: :burnout: :rock: