Bleeding the brakes! What the hell......

[DK_Neil]

So a simple task of bleeding the brakes.

The braking system was completely empty as the car has been a non runner for some time, so I bled in sequence, passenger rear, drivers rear, drivers front, passenger front.

All done, all bubbles out the system, clear fluid all the way through. Lovely.

No, the brake pedal was still spongy. Depressing the pedal did not stop the wheels. Pumping the pedal builds pressure and then goes firm as it should. But this then causes some sort of bubbling in the master cylinder??

I saw this and thought there must be air somewhere, so I bled again. I have now used a large bottle of dot 5 and its still the same.

I have also changed the master cylinder (for one on my last 14, which I know works) thinking that was the problem.

Any ideas? Isn't one I have seen before haha

I have no leaks

[R3K1355]

You running ABS as well, did you bleed the pump?

[Gerry]

Probably a silly Q have a similar problem where is the abs pump located , thanks.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Its a big metal block with lots of metal pipes going into and out of it on the passenger side near the bulkhead.

[piman2k]

[Gerry]

Silly me, thanks.

[DK_Neil]

You running ABS as well, did you bleed the pump?

Noooo, I have not bled this pump! First ABS car

[Dan@DB-Power]

I believe you can only bleed S14's, s14a's you can't

[arry]

And if you can't then drive the car a bit to move the air then bleed again. Repeat etc.

[Kieran O'Quick]

Don't you have to stand on it on the loose somewhere to get the ABS to kick in and then bleed again?

(Could be miles wrong on that.)

[DK_Neil]

I believe you can only bleed S14's, s14a's you can't

Oh, I have a 14a. So what is done with the 14a's?

[DK_Neil]

Don't you have to stand on it on the loose somewhere to get the ABS to kick in and then bleed again?

(Could be miles wrong on that.)

Oh right, so you guys are saying I would need to drive the car. Make the ABS kick in to move the air out, the bleed the system again.

I would love to hear the police response to that if I got pulled while doing this HAHA.

[Zornyan]

Don't need to do all that, if you look at the fusebox you should be able to jump a couple pins to make the pump cycle.

Done this method on my e36/audis old s13 and most cars I've owned.

I actually used it to bleed my entire e36 system, just jumped the wires, opened up bleed nipple and let it bleed itself.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

One would have to question the advisability of wazzing around in a car with no brakes to get the brakes to work.

[DK_Neil]

Don't need to do all that, if you look at the fusebox you should be able to jump a couple pins to make the pump cycle.

Done this method on my e36/audis old s13 and most cars I've owned.

I actually used it to bleed my entire e36 system, just jumped the wires, opened up bleed nipple and let it bleed itself.

Like that! Very clever will try it on the weekend, thanks!

[Zornyan]

Really easy way of bleeding brakes, not as quick as a pressure or vacuum setup (I have both) but I always get a better pedal from doing it. And it obviously makes sure the abs has fresh fluid and no air trapped in it.

[Kieran O'Quick]

Really easy way of bleeding brakes, not as quick as a pressure or vacuum setup (I have both) but I always get a better pedal from doing it. And it obviously makes sure the abs has fresh fluid and no air trapped in it.

Utterly sensible. Other method always seemed flawed...

Where the hell were you when I asked the question a few years back?

[Desa]

If calipers were off maybe they are on wrong sides, mate had this problem on his s13

[Jon]

I always used the 'drive it trigger the ABS ' method, though tbh I only ever had soggy brakes when I first bought the car way back when.
If the ABS pump can be made to run by bridging electrics, this would be more sensible. Now, looking at the fusebox is fun, but which pins and where ?

[Jon]

If calipers were off maybe they are on wrong sides, mate had this problem on his s13

This has happened before Trying to float air downwards