[studybuddy]

I was waiting for a Stage 1 upgrade kit for my car from StopTech. It wasn't going to arrive until Monday and there was a 300zx meet on Sunday that I wanted to take my car to. Well, I had already drained the fluid and removed the calipers and cleaned them with brake cleaner so I could paint the calipers. So I decide to go buy more fluid to use for Sunday and fill up the resivoir with DOT 3, the recomended fluid.

I had one person bleed the brakes, another pump the brake pedal, and another pour more fluid into the resivoir as it goes down. Well, we bleed all four corners in the correct order and we still don't have any brake pressure. I figured that if I took it out of the garage and put the brakes under pressure, they would start working. They didn't. I pull back into the garage after a good 5 minutes of driving around with no brakes.

The only way the brakes would work is if I pumped them about 10 times quickly and it would build enough pressure up to stop. But, after about 1/2 a second, the brake pressure faded and the pedal would go to the floor again.

Anyways, I'm clueless as to what is wrong and I'm looking for some help. We've tried everything, including bleeding again. So now, we've bled 3 times...2 times to make sure we did it right. I'm clueless...can anyone help me?

 

[Zxrage]

Sounds like you might have a slight leak somewhere in the system. This would be why you were able to get pressure after ten pumps but then lost it again. My suggestion to you would be to double check your brake lines for any fluid leaks. Pop off the wheels and check your lines. Something is not tight enough. Then after you double check everything. You still might have air in the system and you will have to go through the bleeding process. Good luck. Let us know what you find out.

 

[studybuddy]

Thanks Zxrage. I'll definitely try that. Some have suggested some air in the master cylinder, which I'm going to check also. I'll definitely write up the conclusion in here.

 

[peptidbond]

I agree with ZxRage. Check the connections in each wheel well. There are three connections per wheel: one fromt the hardline to the softline, one from the softline to the caliper and then the bleeder valve itself. Make sure all are nice a tight. Also, if you disconnected the softline from the caliper, you may need a new gasket. I THINK there is a copper crush washer where the line connects to the caliper. You may need to replace this washer to get a good seal.

If a connection is leaking, you will see brake fluid (and probably smell) it all over the wheel and tire well. Once you have checked everything over, bleed the brakes again in the proper order. Run a vinyl tube from the bleeder to a cup with fluid in it. Doing this will prevent air from getting sucked back into the caliper in that moment after the brake pedal was pushed and before the valve was closed. Fluid will "hang" in the vinyl tube and keep air out. You can buy 100 foot rolls of vinyl tubing at Home Depot for $2.00. Just cut off a section of 2 feet for every use. Trash it once you are done.

Good luck!

 

[smoothz]

Don't drain the fluid all the way!!! Seems that was what I did, and now the system has air in it somewhere. It's at a shop right now. I should have probably kept bleeding my system, but after 3 or 4 days of trying to figure it out, I was done with her for now.

 

[studybuddy]

Well Dave, I already did. Now what?

 

[lionkiller]

Bench bleed the master cylinder...

 

[Jung918]

there should be no need to bench blled to master cylinder. you usually do that when it is a new master cylinder. You probally have air in the abs unit. I ordered a mityvac off of e-bay for my 91 240sx. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[studybuddy]

So we bled the master cylinder last night. The first 10 pumps or so were just air. There was the problem. After bleeding the MC I got my brake pressure back. It's still fading if you wait, but not as quickly. I'm going to go through and bleed the entire system again, doing everything I can. Hopefully that will fix it. Good luck to me.

Any more advice guys? Obviously bleeding the MC helped a ton! So if there's anything I may be missing, I could be done.

 

[jinxxycat]

Good to hear that you are on the right path now Buddy! :clap: Good luck!!!!! :chorusline:

 

[Buff]

[/quote]

+1 :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[smoothz]

Sweet, Buddy. I hope it works out. My Z is now at the dealership getting looked at. They'll probably bench bleed the **** thing. So far, I've spent over $100 in 2 places to no avail. I should have done what you're doing...

 

[studybuddy]

Yeh well, StopTech was no help yesterday, dealerships around here were dismissing their mechanics. I talked to you, and I created a thread on 5 different forums. I got as much as I could get.

Thanks for the help yesterday by the way. Nice getting to talk to you.

 

[smoothz]

Dealership just called. Rear calipers are on backwards. :wtf: :doh: Now they have to change them out, rebleed and see if that fixes it. So far...$180 for that work.

 

[jinxxycat]

[/quote]

Didn't Buddy do this too??? That sucks.........

 

[smoothz]

[/quote]

Didn't Buddy do this too??? That sucks.........
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Yes, and I'm tempted to tell them forget about it so I can do it myself and save some $$$.

 

[Buff]

[/quote]

Didn't Buddy do this too??? That sucks.........
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Yes, and I'm tempted to tell them forget about it so I can do it myself and save some $$$.
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With the way things are going for you - I'd just let them do it. If you take it home & do it you'll end up taking it back, because you STILL don't have any brakes :headshake:

Not trying to be negative here Dave, just been down that path before :banghead:

 

[smoothz]

[/quote]
You and I are thinking alike now. :clap: It's live and learn... I'll just have to sell my OEM spare parts to recover some of this.

Wasn't there a guy on Motoring that is buying spare parts? Or was it here? Or both?

 

[studybuddy]

I put mine on backwards too. They aren't labeled. Fronts are, rears aren't.

Bleed valve goes on top apparently.

 

[studybuddy]

Other than bleeding the whole system again, can you guys think of anything it could be. I hope it works. I'm tired of the thing looking like a monster truck on those jack stands...