Brake bleeding problems

[shjbbk]

I replaced the two front calipers on my 96 Explorer, and I bled the brakes for an hour and still have no firm pedal. I think I may have let the master fluid level get a little too low in doing so, and the chilton manual is telling me that I have to have it towed to a dealer because air can get trapped in the abs cylinder if you let the master fluid level get too low and a special tool is needed to bleed the abs cylinder. Is this true or is this something I can do myself? I really don;t want to pay an arm/leg to get this done.

 

[Blee1099]

How are you bleeding them? Honestly I would bleed all 4 to make sure you get all the air out.. Use a vacuum pump and keep the master cylinder constantly filled when bleeding.

 

[turboeeyore]

MAKE SURE THE CALIPERS ARE NOT UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! is the bleeder screw at the top? trust me it happens all the time. the left one fits on the right side upside down and the right fits on the left side upside down.

 

[fsumotorhead]

It might not be too bad, i would let them gravity bleed for an hour or so, bit if you have air in the ABS, you're boned. The only way to remove it is with the scan tool, it has a bleed procedure for the abs.

Did you just let the lines hang without being clamped?

 

[SoNic67]

If your ABS system got air in it, you need to get a spacial scanner tool that will open the valves insinde and allow the air to escape.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bleeding_abs.shtml

 

[shjbbk]

ok thanks for the info

 

[shjbbk]

Do have to bench bleed the master if the fluid level got too low?

 

[jlsparky7]

Check the link in my signature for a brake bleeding how to vid.

 

[BubbaFL]

If your ABS works, you can try doing a few hard stops that force the ABS to kick in, and then bleeding again. That might get the air out of the HCU.

 

[shjbbk]

I can't drive it anywhere, the pedal goes right down to the floor after bleeding both front brakes. I had just enough to stop it coasting out of the garage. There's got to be quite a bit of air in the master or abs

 

[1AJeremyD]

If you got air in there then you are just pushing air back into the system. I would recommend taking the master cylinder off, bench bleeding it and then doing a partial gravity bleed to get most of the air out starting with the pass rear wheel and working your way around to driver rear, passenger front and then of course the driver front. If you still have a bad pedal you will need the tool to get the ABS valves to open while you bleed the brakes

 

[crunchie_frog]

Hi,

Have you bled brakes before? Just curious, I know from my experience that if you do not get a nice, tight, good close when you let the pedal back, it will suck in air. If you suck in air, you can bleed many times and still will not get a good, tight, pedal. I would not recommend driving until you get this resolved. Brakes not working when you need them to can be a really bad thing.

 

[shjbbk]

MAKE SURE THE CALIPERS ARE NOT UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! is the bleeder screw at the top? trust me it happens all the time. the left one fits on the right side upside down and the right fits on the left side upside down.

Unbelievable I can't believe I did that. They ARE upside down. Do I have to swap them or can they be bled with the bleeder screw on the bottom?

 

[SoNic67]

Of course the bleeder needs to be on the top! Air cannot go "down" then "up" to escape!

 

[jevchance]

Unbelievable I can't believe I did that. They ARE upside down. Do I have to swap them or can they be bled with the bleeder screw on the bottom?

If you don't swap them, the air will just chill in the upper part of the caliper while you keep dumping fluid out onto the ground.

 

[El Duque]

MAKE SURE THE CALIPERS ARE NOT UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! is the bleeder screw at the top? trust me it happens all the time. the left one fits on the right side upside down and the right fits on the left side upside down.

I just had to bump this. turboeeyore, you are the man! I was going crazy with the brakes on my brother-in-law's '96 Explorer. We replaced all the lines and couldn't get rid of the spongy pedal. Thank you so much!

 

[cruzndaxploder]

thanks turbo

MAKE SURE THE CALIPERS ARE NOT UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! is the bleeder screw at the top? trust me it happens all the time. the left one fits on the right side upside down and the right fits on the left side upside down.

1st time changing calipers & wow these are way too easy to install on the wrong side

 

[ben jr]

1st time changing calipers & wow these are way too easy to install on the wrong side

 

[ben jr]

THANK YOU,THANK YOU!!!! Been 3 wks.trying to find this.Ben

 

[jbowden718]

Had to replace a caliper on my brothers car and the guy at Napa gave us the wrong side. I went through two bottles of fuild until I realized the caliper given was for the wrong side. Lesson learned. The caliper bleed screw needs to be at the highest point or air will never escape.