Brake pistons won't come out after bleeding

[daltonculvert]

Changed my rear wheel bearings on my Terminator. Everything went back together, but I decided to bleed the fluid because I figured it needed new fluid and the pistons won't come out. On the left side after I took the caliper off I tried to use a c clamp to push it in and it wouldn't go then I realized it needed to be turned. I bought a tool and then turned it on. On the left side I accidentally stripped the brake line hole so I just replaced the caliper with a new one. I could see maybe the driver side not working because I tried to push it, but the other side is new and neither are coming out. I tried bleeding them myself with a friend and did so for more than an hour. The pedal is still limp and wasn't getting stiffer so I decided to just take it to a shop and let them bleed it. They called me and said they coudn't get them to come out and the calipers must be ruined. Well, that might have been true for the driver side but the passenger side was new. I told them that and they said neither side was coming out. Could the new caliper have just been defective and the right was ruined by trying to push it even though it didn't budge at all when I tried to clamp it in... What do you guys think?

 

[NastyNate420]

I doubt you ruined the caliper by trying to press it in.
Sorry I cant be much more help.
Is it possible you have a bent brake line ?

 

[daltonculvert]

It is possible. How would I be able to tell? Just a kink in the brake line?

 

[Black02GT]

First thing I'd do is open the bleeder screw and see if you get fluid out when you pump the brakes and go from there.

 

[daltonculvert]

The calipers are getting fluid though. Fluid comes out of the caliper when bleeding them. It doesn't squirt out, but leaks out.

 

[daltonculvert]

I put quite a bit of torque onto the brake line bolt that goes into the caliper. Is it possible I over tightened them and it's not allowing enough fluid to the caliper?

 

[01turbowolf]

Not likely. I would make sure they are completely bled first, if they are bound up you would still have a hard pedal if they were bled properly.

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[daltonculvert]

I bled them for over and hour and it made no change in the pedal feel. The shop used an electronic bleeder and still couldn't get it...

 

[Torch10th]

The calipers are getting fluid though. Fluid comes out of the caliper when bleeding them. It doesn't squirt out, but leaks out.

You have air in the system, possible the master cylinder. When the pedal is depressed you should get a solid stream of fluid. If you're only getting a small leak you've got air trapped somewhere.

 

[daltonculvert]

How do I get the air out? Just keep bleeding them and bleeding them?

 

[daltonculvert]

So, we're sure there's nothing wrong with the calipers and it's just air?

 

[daltonculvert]

Why wouldn't the shop be able to get it using an electronic bleeder? They've always done great work on all of my cars.

 

[TOPLESS_SVT]

did you let the line drain completely?

ive heard of horror stories where the air has gotten into the abs system and been a real pain

if the system is gravity bleeding the typically they are getting the fluid.

have you tried spinning the caliper pot out to take up some of the slack between the rotor and pad, lots of air + no compression(hard surface) = hours of bleeding procedures

 

[daltonculvert]

I did let both lines completely bleed out into a cup... I haven't tried bringing the piston out anymore, no.

 

[01turbowolf]

They can be a real pain to bleed sometimes and on some of them they have separations in the reservoir to keep from losing the whole system from a leak and if for some reason it gets too low while bleeding you pull in air on only one side of the system making the problem worse. And yes if it gets into the abs your pretty well screwed and have to use a scan tool along with a pressure bleeder to get all the air out and then manual bleed it.

Doesn't change the fact that if you have no leaks, the system is bled properly, have no other problems, and your calipers won't budge you would have a stiff pedal.

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[TOPLESS_SVT]

hmm both line completely emptied thats gonna be a tough one.

im not sure about the cobras, some cars if the air gets deep enough into the system the abs needs to be purged aswell

and i beleive you need a scanner to activate it.

only other thing i can tell you is buy a bunch of brake fluid and start the entire bleeding process from passenger rear to drivers front from scratch and do it until it works the air out

 

[daltonculvert]

Would it be best to take it to a dealership and let them do this for me?

 

[thomas91169]

T And yes if it gets into the abs your pretty well screwed and have to use a scan tool along with a pressure bleeder to get all the air out and then manual bleed it.

Thats likely exactly whats necessary at this point.

 

[SVTPete83]

I just redid the brakes on my 96 cobra. Replaced all the fluid, brake lines and pads. I am having the same issue. We tried bleeding with a mityvac and just pumping the pedal. Fluid is coming out of all the calipers when the pedal is pushed. But the pedal still goes to the floor when pushed as well.

-SVTPete

 

[oldmodman]

Would it be best to take it to a dealership and let them do this for me?

Probably for the best. Once the brake fluid has been allowed to drain out of the ABS system it requires Ford's special computer to deliver the commands to hold all the valves in it open so new fluid can be sent into the ABS. I did cheat once when I wanted to replace all the old fluid in the system.

I replaced all the fluid with fresh fluid (except for the ABS since I don't have Fords scan tool) then drove the car around grassy field in the rain. The ABS was activated for long periods of time when I braked, pulsing the brakes and sending fresh fluid through the system. But This was with a firm pedal and no air in the system. I doubt that it would get the air out of your ABS module.