hey all. finally put on my new pads/rotors last nite. But while I was working, and the fluid was dripping out, i let the Master cylinder get dry. I filled it back up, reinstalled everything and bled the air out of the calipers. HOWEVER, the pedal is mush, and i have no brakes. So i assume there's air further up the system from when the MC went dry. My question is, do i just have to bleed the crap out of it now until that air is out? Or is this some sort of disaster? Thanks.
bleeding brakes
- Thread starter 4camV8
- Start date
Yeah, that occured to me, but i am thinking as long as i bleed all four wheels, and bleed sufficiently to get the air from wherever it is all the way to the bleeder valves and out, i should be okay. (provided i don't let the MC run dry again:bash: )
I need consensus. In the meantime i'll cross my fingers. Thanks for the input!
If you know what you are doing you shouldn't have to bleed them at all. You can actually clamp a portion of the caliper so it doesn't let air in at all. All you have to do is change out the pads then unclamp it. The system should still be under pressure. Ask about this for the next time.
There should be some sort of piston on the caliper. If you take a clamp and close it first it keeps all the fluid in and the lines air tight. Once everything is back in place (new pads on and calipers intact) you take off the clamp. It should be exactly the same except for the clearence of the new pads.
Your car might be different. I'm pretty sure the designs are pretty close though.
Call somebody who specializes in brakes. They can explain it a bit better.
you have a choice, you can gravity bleed,(crack open bleeder and let gravity pull fluid, KEEPING the MC FULL) or I do mine with a vacuum pump. about $25 from any parts store. KEEP THE MC FULL is the most important thing.
You don't have the bleed the brakes if you are just changing the pads. If your CALIPERS leaked air, your going to have a much bigger problem on your hands.
Where was the fluid leaking from? There shouldn't be any fluid leaking unless the master cylinder overflowed from depressing the caliper pistons.
Thanks, i know that though. (just like I *knew* to not let the MC run dry)
The calipers didn't LEAK air. But i had to bleed cause i had the lines disconnected. (i was going to intall my MM stainless lines, but abandoned that idea so that i could get everything together faster before the hurricane hit).
Anyway, long story short, the problem is solved. It was just a matter of bleeding the crap out of all four corners. Car stops on a dime now with normal pedal pressure. Thanks all for you help!
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