Bleeding Brakes but having issues!

[sjordanGTI]

Hi!

I obviously know how to bleed the brakes, but for some reason, we havn't had any success. We have nearly used 2 bottles of brake fluid and they barley work. When bleeding, the flow isn't exactly healthy.

We have just replaced the rotors, pads and painted up the calipers (we blocked the hole for the brake line when painting).

If anyone has any advice, please post!

[noone]

Different cars recommend doing the brakes in different order. What order are you doing them in?

[jords]

we are starting at the rear, passenger side, and working towards the master cylinder.

When bleeding, there is very little coming out of the rear bleed nipple, as though there is no pressure at all. I was wondering if it has something to do with the brake pressure regulator, as the manual suggests moving it towards the rear, but from what I can see, it either pushes up or down, but I don't know which way to pus it, up or down?

The other possible cause is I read somewhere that depending on how the piston was wound back into the rear calliper could damage it, but what would be the symptom? Inability to bleed brakes? I also noticed that the handbrake is not working either, i.e. pulls straight up with little or no effect on holding the car.

I have done countless other cars and never had this hassle. Helpppppppp!

[jords]

Ok, after more bleeding, we have a handbrake and if the brake pedal is pumped, it becomes firm, but if it's released and applied normally, it just sinks away.

Anyway, going to repco for more brake fluid and we will try to bleed some more.

[noone]

Maybe start from the top...
Taken off the cap? Car is turned off? Not likely the cause, just trying to understand what steps you are taking.

What fluid was in there / what are you adding? No chance air got into the lines?

[jords]

Ok from the top.

We removed all the calipers, and the old fluid drained drained out of the unconnected brake hoses.

Calipers were then refitted and new fluid added to the master reservoir.

We then started the bleed process, in which we have bled 1,5 liters of fluid through and the brake pedal has nothing.

I must be missing a vital step.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[h100vw]

Ok from the top.

We removed all the calipers, and the old fluid drained drained out of the unconnected brake hoses.

Calipers were then refitted and new fluid added to the master reservoir.

We then started the bleed process, in which we have bled 1,5 liters of fluid through and the brake pedal has nothing.

I must be missing a vital step.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Here's a few things to check.

I have seen the rear calipers fitted to the wrong side of the car or rear calipers from a different car. Leaving the bleed nipples at the bottom. No way to get the air out.

Clamp each of the flexy lines off and see if the pedal improves. If it does, the corner clamped off has air in it.

Air in the master cylinder, try cracking the nuts for the solid lines and let some fluid through.

Seals in the master cylinder have flipped inside out. If you can pump the pedal and it becomes hard, I am favouring air somewhere.

When the car gets loaded up in the back, the bias valve moves more braking to the rear, so with that valve move it as would happen with that extra weight.

Gavin

[jords]

Thanks for the tips. Calipers are on the right way, clamping flexi hoses has no effect. Master cylinder coming off tomorrow to see if there is anything amiss there. We also have a golf3, which we can swop over the master cylinder to rule that out.

Pedal no longer has any feel to it, regardless of whether it is pumped, so I'm really confused now. Brakes bleed ok, it's just there's no pressure on the pedal.

[Jmac]

Hi mate dilemma i see. Ok you have done the right thing by going from the furthest to the master. All bleeding good and no bubbles?? dids you pressure bleed or do a manual?? got to wwatch going into no mans land with the pedal, If you have changed the master from the MK3 then please check you have the pin located into the master from the Servo, very easy to miss that and get no feel whatsoever. Then if you are sure the pin is oin the master ( seen that heaps of times) then you can start clamping the flexis one by one till the pedal is hard, if it is still soft with all 4 blanked then it has to be a duff master.
Good luck
Jmac

[jords]

Hey mate. Haven't swooped to the golf mc yet, still trying with the original. Thing is the mc was fine until we drained it. All calipers are bleeding air free. After a bit of googling, it seems I might have air trapped in the mc. So tomorrow I'll try bleeding the mc whilst it's on the car.

I tried the manual method and power bleeding (using a compressor set at 30psi and a makeshift reservoir cap with the air line forcing air into mc).

[jords]

Finally! We have brakes. After bleeding the master cylinder, still no pedal. So I removed the master cylinder from the mk3 and put it in the Ibiza. Bled all brakes and hey presto. So it seems the mc packed up at the exact same time as we replaced all the rotors and pads. Just an unfortunate coincidence. So I just need to get a new master cylinder for the golf and go through and re bleed all those brakes. Oh joy!

[Jmac]

Manual bleed can stuff the MC mate, if the pedal goes too far itll do the seal for sure, if you clamp all the flexis and its still soft can only be that
Good luck
Jmac