Well, I got my brake package and tried to install them myself. I couldn’t take those calipers off! My breaker bar was too long to fit and taping the wrench with the rubber mallet did not budge the bolts. Don’t want to use a sledgehammer. Well, I guess I will have to take the new rotors and pads to a shop and pay them to install the parts.

I did install the Stainless Steel brake lines, speed bleed valves, and ATE Super Blue fluids. I bleed all 4 wheels until there is nothing but clear, blue fluids coming out the valves. However, during the test drive, my SOTP meter did not detect a difference. My leg muscle cannot detect any increase firmness from the pedal. Isn’t SS brake line supposed to give more firm feeling on the brake pedal?

So I am thinking maybe I should bleed the master cylinder but here is a slight problem…. I don’t know where the bleeder valve is. Can someone please help me on telling my where the bleeder valve is and the proper procedure? Thanks.

I am a beginner mechanic and I am hooked!!! I need to get more tools and learn more things.

 

Dude, Don't pay a mechanic. You need the right breaker bar.

I used an 1/2" 18" Long "Swivel head" Ratchet. The swivel allows you to manuever outside the wheel well.

I got mine at Home Depot. Like $28. It's worth it. A mechanic will charge you 4 or 5 times the price of the tools you buy. And get to keep.

Hang in there!! :cheers:

 

I agree - you should have a torque wrench. Mine had an 18" handle. I set the torque to 145 and I did hit it with a hammer because I am too weak to put 140 lbs on those bolts. But I felt I was protected from hurting anything by the troque wrench. Interestingly enough, I had no problem tightning back to the 140 lbs spec. so I guess they may have been over tightened to start with.

 

First of all, using a torque wrench to REMOVE a bolt will DESTROY the internals of the wrench; at the very least you'll need to have it recalibrated. Those things are designed to go in one direction; light loads (10-15 ft-lbs) probably won't damage it, but 145 will do some major damage.

Second: For what a shop is going to charge you, you can buy either a) a real breaker bar - very nice to have, b) an electric impact wrench - get one that's good to around 200 ft-lbs, preferably batter powered, or c) buy an air compressor and an impact wrench - figure around $250 out the door and, of course, you get to keep the tools. The next time you have to take something off of the car, or put something on, you'll be very glad you have the compressor.

Bleeding: The master cylinder doesn't have a bleeder valve. There are a couple of possibilities here:
1. You let the master cylinder get too low, and managed to get air into the ABS pump. This is bad, since the only way (that I know of) to bleed the ABS sytem is to hook up a Tech 2 and choose "automated bleed" - that is, the dealer. They like to charge a hundred bucks or so for the privelage of having them hit a coupe of buttons.

2. If it's really the master that has air, and not the ABS, here's a procedure from All-data that differs from the one in the service manual for bleeding, and mentions the master cylinder.
-------------------------------------
<pre>
The time required to bleed the hydraulic system can be reduced if the master cylinder reservoir is filled with brake fluid and as much air as possible is expelled before the master cylinder is installed on the vehicle. Pumping the piston can evacuate the air from the piston cavities.
Power brakes require the vacuum reserve be depleted by applying the brakes several items with the engine off. Care must be taken to prevent brake fluid from contacting any painted surface. Use rags to catch the excess fluid.

Fill the master cylinder reservoir with brake fluid and keep the reservoir at least half full of fluid during the bleeding operation. Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Service Precautions.
If the master cylinder is known or suspected to have air in the bore, then it must be bled in the following manner, before bleeding any caliper:
2.1. Disconnect the forward (blind end) brake pipe connection at the master cylinder.
2.2. Allow the brake fluid to fill the master cylinder piston bore until it begins to flow from the forward pipe connector port.
2.3. Connect the forward brake pipe to the master cylinder and tighten.
2.4. Depress the brake pedal slowly one time and hold. Loosen the forward brake pipe connection at the master cylinder to purge air from the bore. Tighten the connection and then release the brake pedal slowly. Wait 15 seconds. Repeat the sequence, including the 15 second wait, until all air is removed from the bore.

Tighten the brake pipe tube nut to 18 Nm (13 ft. lbs.) .
2.5. When clear fluid flows from the forward connection, repeat steps 1 and 2 to bleed the master cylinder at the rear (cowl) connection.





Individual brake calipers are bled only after all air is removed from the master cylinder. If it is known that the brake calipers do not contain any air, then it will not be necessary to bleed them.
3.1. Place a proper size box end wrench, or equivalent, over the brake caliper bleed screw. Attach a clear tube over the screw. Submerge the other end of the tube in a clear container partially filled with brake fluid.
3.2. Depress the brake pedal slowly one time and hold. Loosen the brake caliper bleed screw to purge the air from the cylinder. Tighten the brake caliper bleed screw and slowly release the pedal. Wait 15 seconds. Repeat the sequence, including the 15 second wait, until all air is removed. It may be necessary to repeat the sequence 10 or more times to remove all the air. Rapid pumping of the brake pedal pushes the master cylinder secondary piston down the bore in a way that makes it difficult to bleed the system.

Tighten the brake caliper bleed screws to 12 Nm (106 inch lbs.).
3.3. If it is necessary to bleed all of the brake calipers, the following sequence should be used:
3.3.1. Right rear
3.3.2. Left rear
3.3.3. Right front
3.3.4. Left front
3.4. Check the brake pedal for sponginess.
3.5. Auto bleed the modulator and repeat the manual bleeding procedure to correct this condition. Refer to Automated Bleed Procedure.
</pre>

 

Holy clap! Sounds like I shouldn’t have followed Goodrich instruction and drain the brake fluids to change the lines. Ok guys, I have the following questions:

1. How do I know if the ABS pump has air? I have being able to invoke the ABS during my test drive. It was a slow speed (20mph) brake and there were no wheel lock ups. I did not test it at higher speed yet.
2. I assume the forward and rear brake pipe tubes are the tubes in front of the brake cylinder?
3. For future references, if I should not drain the fluids when I change the brake lines what is the best procedure to do this?
4. For future references, if I want to change brake fluids, should I just keep bleeding the line and keep adding the new fluid? So eventually clean fluids will come out?

And thanks for the advice; I may just buy an impact wrench or air tank now.

Oh boy I hope there is no air in the ABS pump.

 

What makes you think you even have air in the system - because you don't detect a change in pedal feel? That's not in indication of air. Real spongy brakes or changing pedal pressure would indicate air or water in the brake system. It doesn't surprise me that you can't feel a difference with the SS lines - I've heard of many people who can't. Personally, I think they're a waste of $100 for street-duty. But they look pretty :D

 

Don't waste your time on an Electric impact wrench... I rented one and barely fit it in the wheel well. Also it just made a lot of racket but did not budge the bolts. The 18" breaker is the way to go. It turns like butter once you lean into it a little to break the locktite.

 

In addition to my air tools, I've got a right-angle electric impact that took the bracket bolts off in about 5 seconds. You get what you pay for.

 

For starters, he DRAINED the system of fluid when installing the new lines. There's no way that he DOESN'T have air in the ABS module. Rag on SS lines all you want, but I haven't seen a C5 at the track yet that didn't have them or couldn't have benefitted from them.

 

You're right about the SS lines for racing, but you'll NEVER feel the difference during regular street driving. It's a waste of $100!


[Modified by jw38, 2:01 AM 3/26/2002]

 

I beg to differ. I had a problem with a mushy brake pedal and tried new pads (they were tapered), new fluid (flushed & bled every way I could think of) and a host of other "solutions." The SS lines fixed it.

On a brand new, sub-10k.mi. car, I can see how you wouldn't feel the difference, but with a vehicle and a brake system that's been thoroughly[sic?] broken in, I still vote for the SS lines.