Air in brake lines
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
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From: Flagstaff Az.
Air in brake lines
Hoping for some help here. Just replaced the front rotors for new two piece aluminum hat ones.
Ended up with air in the system that I can't get rid of. Have bled a quart of fluid thru the front system
and never let the master cylinder get less than half full. I have replaced the front rotors before with no problems.
Anyone here have any ideas? TIA
Ended up with air in the system that I can't get rid of. Have bled a quart of fluid thru the front system
and never let the master cylinder get less than half full. I have replaced the front rotors before with no problems.
Anyone here have any ideas? TIA
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Very strange question but it has to be asked. Are your BLEED Fittings on the TOP or BOTTOM of the caliper??? They must be on the TOP. Is the left caliper on the right side???
What you say???
This happen more often that you think!
What you say???
This happen more often that you think!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
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From: Flagstaff Az.
Yes, they are on top. Same ones I put on a couple of years ago. Just upgraded the rotors to aluminum hats.
My dad had a car agency, so I grew working on autos.
This is something I have never ran across, air in brakes lines I can't bleed out.
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,694
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From: Denver, NC
OP - did you push the pistons back or open the system?
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Orlando Florida
What's your bleeding process? Tube (preferably clear) from the bleeder into a container (also preferably clear) with the end of the tube submerged in brake fluid? Pumping the pedal, or power bleeder?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
Had to push the pistons back in to get the discs back in the calipers. Have had to do the same before w/o any problems.
I did not know this could cause problems, never has before.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
[QUOTE=redzg;1599793963]What's your bleeding process? Tube (preferably clear) from the bleeder into a container (also preferably clear) with the end of the tube submerged in brake fluid? Pumping the pedal, or power bleeder?[/QUOTE
Everything as you described except pedal power was wifie.
Everything as you described except pedal power was wifie.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
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From: Flagstaff Az.
Pistons were cleaned before they were pushed back in and there are no leaks around them.
Pedal goes to the floor on first pump and will pump up in one or two pumps.
Last edited by tiojames; Jul 19, 2019 at 09:04 PM. Reason: spelling
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,694
Likes: 490
From: Denver, NC
If you are completely stuck, I would gravity bleed, then normally bleed all 4 corners. Then I would use a brake hose clamp or a vise grip needle nose with rubber hose on it to block all 4 hoses - if using the latter DO NOT OVER CLAMP. That will tell you if it's a bad master. If the pedal is solid, undo each clamp one by one and check pedal.
Last edited by Ed Ramberger; Jul 19, 2019 at 09:52 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,694
Likes: 490
From: Denver, NC
I worded the question poorly - I meant did you open the system when you pushed them back, or just push them back.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
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From: Flagstaff Az.
Drifting
Joined: May 2008
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From: Denver, NC
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Just to be clear as it is kind of hard to follow, you removed the calipers and blocked the lines so they didn't drain. Put the calipers on a bench and cleaned the pistons after which you pushed them back in. Installed new rotors and then reinstalled the calipers. Now bleeding you can't get out the air?
I have had the air get drawn around the bleeders so air appears in the bleed tube but it isn't actually coming from the caliper internals. Have you tried closing up both sides and then pumping until you get a good pedal?
I have had the air get drawn around the bleeders so air appears in the bleed tube but it isn't actually coming from the caliper internals. Have you tried closing up both sides and then pumping until you get a good pedal?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Sounds like you have somehow gotten air in the MASTER CYL.. Have some one push the peddle and you crack the flare nut/s for each line one at time at the master cyl. Tighten and have the assistant release the peddle. Do that till you get good fluid on each stroke..
Then bleed the brakes all over again once you get the peddle back.
Bill
Then bleed the brakes all over again once you get the peddle back.
Bill
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
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From: Flagstaff Az.
I have been working on vehicles for over 40 years and know how to bleed brakes w/o getting air in the lines back thru the bleeders.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
Sounds like you have somehow gotten air in the MASTER CYL.. Have some one push the peddle and you crack the flare nut/s for each line one at time at the master cyl. Tighten and have the assistant release the peddle. Do that till you get good fluid on each stroke..
Then bleed the brakes all over again once you get the peddle back.
Bill
Then bleed the brakes all over again once you get the peddle back.
Bill
Only thing I haven't tried, and I will give that a try.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 207
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From: Atlanta, Ga
I’m wondering why did you remove the calipers in the first place? I realize you had to remove them from the caliper bracket , and remove caliper bracket to get the rotors off. I’m guessing you removed the brake hose from the caliper to either clean caliper or flush out old brake fluid. Regardless, you definitely have something very strange going on not being able to bleed out all the air. Last year I had a drivers side front brake caliper piston stick on me and burnt up my brake pads. I ordered and replaced both front calipers and had no issues at all bleeding the brakes.