New brakes, new problems
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 147
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New brakes, new problems
I just did the brakes today on my 1985 and now I have a problem. I changed the rotors, pads, and hoses and bled the system. I took the car on a test drive and the brakes immediately had greater travel and were not as effective. The brake light also came on and would go off after I pumped them a couple times. No matter if I pumped them or not they weren't as effective and the brake light eventually would come back on.
My thought is that there's still air in the line but I bled the system twice with the 2 person system. Am I on the right track with bleeding or am I missing something else. Any thoughts would be much appreciated since I'm basically out of commission now.
My thought is that there's still air in the line but I bled the system twice with the 2 person system. Am I on the right track with bleeding or am I missing something else. Any thoughts would be much appreciated since I'm basically out of commission now.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2015
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Antfarmer, I have one of the vacuum bleeders, specifically this one... http://www.harborfreight.com/brake-b...kit-69328.html I bought that to do the clutch master and slave cylinders but didn't need it since we were able to bleed that out using the 2 person method. That's the long way of saying I don't know how to use it! Any tricks or suggestions for it?
Thanks again all. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to get back out there this weekend.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,424
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From: Hartford WI
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,424
Likes: 3,276
From: Hartford WI
I have always wondered about vacuum bleeders. They suck the old fluid out and if you get carried away, the reservoir gets empty and you have issues. I saw how they did it with my MB. Suck the fluid out of the reservoir, top it up and attach the device on and hook up shop air. Go to the bleeder screw, turn it open till it runs clean. Tighten it and move to the next one. Obviously it has to be pumped every so often with this one. It has a 2 qt capacity so.....
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,952
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From: Venice Cali.
I just replaced my front brake lines and used this to simply bleed the beakes and clean out my resivoirs. On 85 order does not matter.
http://www.autozone.com/test-scan-an...kit/46839_0_0/
http://www.autozone.com/test-scan-an...kit/46839_0_0/
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2015
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Maybe I was wrong about the little bubbles? Or maybe there was air trapped somewhere else in the system? Do you have to jack the car up on an angle or anything crazy to get the air to go down to the bleed valves? Sorry if these questions are dumb. I've just never done this project before and am not sure what to look for. Thanks again for all the help.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Park City Utah
First, no, there should not be any air bubbles in the fluid. Air is compressible, you were seeing it still coming from the bleeders and there is your problem. Keep going until the fluid is clear and un-aerated.
Second, the "right order" doesn't matter. I don't believe that it matters at all, and know that it doesn't matter when all you did was brake hoses and you're really just bleeding out the calipers/hoses.
Last, no need to tilt the car any way. You want the reservoir higher than the calipers, so as long as the car is lever, it should be just fine.
I like the gravity method. Open all the bleeders, let 'em run until there is no air bubbles at all...close and you're done. One person, all 4 at a time...way to get it done fast and right. Some times I'll tap on the calipers to encourage any bubbles "stuck" to the caliper bores/walls etc., to free and rise to the top, and out the bleeder.
.
Second, the "right order" doesn't matter. I don't believe that it matters at all, and know that it doesn't matter when all you did was brake hoses and you're really just bleeding out the calipers/hoses.
Last, no need to tilt the car any way. You want the reservoir higher than the calipers, so as long as the car is lever, it should be just fine.
I like the gravity method. Open all the bleeders, let 'em run until there is no air bubbles at all...close and you're done. One person, all 4 at a time...way to get it done fast and right. Some times I'll tap on the calipers to encourage any bubbles "stuck" to the caliper bores/walls etc., to free and rise to the top, and out the bleeder.
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Last edited by Tom400CFI; May 14, 2016 at 07:48 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 239
From: Venice Cali.
Just did my final line today, ad I saw small small bubbles. My bldr bottle has clear lines, I just did another half a resivoir and no more bubles youy have to clear the line with totally new fluid which is what I was doing anyways. And if the resiviour rund down too far you will have to clear that line all the way again so keep it topped of or at least 1/2 full.
Good Luck
Somethings wrong here with the typing
Good Luck
Somethings wrong here with the typing
Last edited by xrav22; May 14, 2016 at 09:04 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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I did the fronts and then took the car out (didn't have to get the car up in the air and take the wheels off for those). Seemed better but still soft and the light would come on again. Oh, one other thing, at least one of the wheels on the passenger side would completely lock up on hard braking so I guess the air problem is on the driver's side.
Just finished the backs again but am now keeping an eye on my kids so I can't test yet. I'll probably do the fronts again one more time just to be safe before I test again. I'll report back soon.
Just finished the backs again but am now keeping an eye on my kids so I can't test yet. I'll probably do the fronts again one more time just to be safe before I test again. I'll report back soon.
Last edited by DarkObsession; May 15, 2016 at 11:51 AM.
Race Director
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From: Lansing MI
I did the fronts and then took the car out (didn't have to get the car up in the air and take the wheels off for those). Seemed better but still soft and the light would come on again. Oh, one other thing, at least one of the wheels on the passenger side would completely lock up on hard braking so I guess the air problem is on the driver's side.
Just finished the backs again but am now keeping an eye on my kids so I can't test yet. I'll probably do the fronts again one more time just to be safe before I test again. I'll report back soon.
Just finished the backs again but am now keeping an eye on my kids so I can't test yet. I'll probably do the fronts again one more time just to be safe before I test again. I'll report back soon.
Last edited by PatternDayTrader; May 15, 2016 at 11:58 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Hartford WI
I bought a Motive Products brake flusher. It pushes fluid into the reservoir and since it is under pressure, there is no bubbles really. It has an adapter to connect the tank full of fluid to the reservoir. Once the system is under pressure, you open the bleeder screw and the dirty stuff comes out. Shut it and go to the next one when you are done.
I have 2 MBs, 1 Ford and 1 GM. Each reservoir comes with a different cap so you need a different adapter to make the pump system work with all the cars.
I have 2 MBs, 1 Ford and 1 GM. Each reservoir comes with a different cap so you need a different adapter to make the pump system work with all the cars.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Hartford WI
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 17,982
Likes: 1,074
From: Lansing MI