christian79

First off I want to thank you guys for all your help with my pad selection. I ended up getting HPS rather than ZO6 pads b/c I needed them on a Saturday and Jegs did not have the ZO6 pads. In addition I replaced the rubber lines with 80k on them for Stoptech ss lines and the rotors with NAPA ultras. BTW they are painted but I DOUBT it will hold up.

Here is the problem......

I have to push the peddle to 30 ot 50 % before the brakes start to work. Also after the first push the pedal gets firm again but goes away. The car will do an ABS stop if you mash it but I expected there to be some brake action at 10% or so.

I have never driven another vette so this maybe normal but my wifes Jetta seems to engage the brakes immediately.

Some things to note:

During the install I replaced the lines one at a time with the master cylinder cap on. I did this in rather quick succession so I lost little fluid. Before the lines I replaced all the bleeders with Speed Bleeders also with the cap on. After I removed the old fluid from the master and replaced it with new. All the lines were bleed front then back one at a time never letting the master run dry. I don't know what I could have done wrong

BTW when I replaced the drivers rear I noticed that the bleeder had been seeping some fluid but the master was almost full. It my be worth mentioning but the fluid in the master was very dirty almost black.

Any Ideas or is this normal. BTW I bleed each caliper until the fluid came out clear.

Thanks Guys.

christian79

When do the brakes engage on your car?

CJR2

The Z06 has fantastic brakes in my opinion.

You still have some air and crud in the system. I'd get a few quarts of Prestone Dot 4 , pull the wheels off one at at time and CAREFULLY bleed them again.

MNCrystalRed2011

Make sure you got all the shims on the back of the pads seated correct. One slipped when I was changing pads and rotors last year and I got the same symptoms as you describe.

christian79

The shims seem to be riveted to the pad.

CJR2

U may want to check your brake line connections as well since you changed out the brake lines. Make sure air couldn't get into the system.

Last C5

"All the lines were bleed front then back one at a time never letting the master run dry. I don't know what I could have done wrong"

I got a little lost here. The correct bleed sequence for your 2001 is RR,LF,LR,RF. How were yours bled?

christian79

Lf,rf,lr,rr

Last C5

Could be your problem, at least worth redoing with the correct sequence to be sure.

95jersey

I bleed out of sequence all the time and have no problems with brake pedal feel. I would re-bleed. When you bleed are you having someone hold the pedal down while you close the valvle? If the valvle is not closed, you suck in tons of air.

Usually when I have a low pedal, its a bleed issue.

UstaB-GS549

christian79

I am using speed bleeders. Are they any good or just bs?

Bill Dearborn

1. Is the brake pedal dropping to the same level as the gas pedal on the first stroke?

This has been normal on all my Vettes for the last 20 years. It tends to help with heel toe braking downshifting.

2. Once the brakes start to engage does the pedal continue to slowly drop?

This may indicate that you have air in the line or you could have a slow leak in a brake line.

Bill

BEZ06

I have speed bleeders too - they're great!!

With speed bleeders you won't get air into the system through your bleed valves, and they make solo bleeding a snap.

Bob

The Spark

I don't know if 99 is different but I've done the old rr/lr/rf/lf sequence and haven't had any problems. I use a MityVac handheld vacuum system.

SouthernSon

Sure fire method:

After positioning car, turn off key, pump pedal with car off several times to remove residual vacuum in diaphram, use pressure bleeder pumped up to no more than 10-12 psi, bleed brakes in recommended order. Pedal will be firm, no creep, and at full extension.

Last C5

That is the correct sequence for the 97-00 cars. It changed in 01 when the brake line plumbing changed. 01 - 04 cars use RR,LF,LR,RF.