STILL NO BRAKES! Options

[JHop]

Gents,

I have done the searches, watched some video, looked up stuff, rebuilt my calipers, replaced the MC, soft brake lines, and some hard lines, new pads and hardware, adjusted the venting clearance on the rear pads, speed bleeders...probably going on about $600 all in on this brake system so far...bled , then bled, then bled some more using a pressure bleeder...still a soft pedal and red blinky brake dash light when the pedal goes to the floor. I tried to do the pedal bleed, but it didn't seem like the fluid was moving. When I switched to the pressure bleeder, the fluid started coming out...no air bubbles.

What am I missing? Adjust the venting again? If I did that wrong, does it screw up the whole system? Car runs, is looking good...needs to STOP. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[McMark]

You absolutely, undeniably MUST bleed the master cylinder before hooking up your brake lines. This can be done on a bench or it can be done in the car.

You need three caps to plug the outlet lines on the MC. You can make these by getting some cheap bubble-flare brake lines from your local auto parts store. Cut the ends off, crimp the cut end of the hardline, the heat with a torch and drop some plumbing solder down the tube. Viola! Brake line plug.

Make three of those and install them in the outlet ports of the MC. Then just pump the pedal until is gets ROCK solid. Not kinda solid. Not mostly solid. Not a little bit firm. Keep going until it's SOLID. (well there may be a bit of free play at the top/initial movement depending on how your pedal plunger is adjusted).

Once the MC is solid, have someone sit in the car and press the pedal and keep it down while you remove the plugs and install the real brake lines. With the pedal down the fluid from the reservoir won't spill all over.

Or for an even better bleeding experience, hook up just the rear lines first, leave the caps in the front and bleed the rears until they're rock solid. Then add one of the fronts and bleed that until rock solid. Then add the last front and finish bleeding.

It's a pain in the ass, but you're driving yourself crazy because you're doing it completely wrong. Take a break ((IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)) and then come back and attack it correctly.

You can do it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif)