Spongy brake pedal on a 1994 XLT.

[tylergabriel]

Hi! this is my first post I have a 1994 XLT Explorer, several months ago my friend replaced my front pads and calipers(one of the calipers had locked up), we primered the calipers with dot-3 brake fluid, he didn't want to mess with the rotors, ever since then the brakes have been spongy and the ABS light is on 75% of the time and recently one of those new pads came right off while i was driving so I got a new friend and we replaced both front rotors and put a new set of pads on again repacked the wheel bearings and put it all together, used caliper slide grease, wheel assembly grease all the right stuff still spongy pedal though still ABS light, book says I have to take it to a shop is this true? air in system? what do I do know???

p.s. Hope to figure this problem out at home I can't afford to take it to a shop.... diapers are very expensive....:exp::exp::exp::exp:

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread to the stock 91-94 section. It sounds like there is air in the system, and it needs to be bled.

 

[tylergabriel]

ok do I need to bleed the entire system or just individual lines I dont want mess up HCU

 

[BrooklynBay]

Bleed the entire system since air could be trapped anywhere.

 

[tylergabriel]

is there a good thread to look at explaining how to bleed the whole system?

 

[MikeLitt3810]

is there a good thread to look at explaining how to bleed the whole system?

Start at the wheel furthest from master cylinder, rear pass tire, rear driver tire, front pass tire, and front driver tire.

Little precaution b4 you start make sure the bleeders come loose, if you break one .. it happens sometimes new wheel cylinders usually run about 12 USD.

After it's bled properly and still feels spongy, You may be in need of replacing your brake lines. Sometimes older lines rust letting air into system.

A good purchase is self bleeder valves they ran me 13 a pair at advanced auto.

if u have any other questions feel free to ask away.

 

[mikeinri]

Agree, with some modification...

1. Bleed lines

2. Check for bad (rusty) lines or other weak links in the system (such as wheel cylinder ready to die). Best way to do this is to pump up the brakes with the engine turned off. Get lots of pressure on the pedal and hold it for a while. If the pedal drops, you have a leak, look on the ground for brake fluid, then follow the trail to find the leak. Pumping up the pressure should force a weak part to fail, which is the easiest way to find it.

3. If that all checks out, and you still have a mushy pedal, bleed the ABS unit (take to a garage).

4. If that doesn't work, you may have a bad master cylinder or ABS unit.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[tylergabriel]

Thank you that helps alot I will let you know how it goes!