So I finally started digging into my 320i caliper that had the busted-off bleeder valve last night. I figured I'd get it off of there, drill the old one out, 'Easy-Out' the old one and get her back on the road. Boy did that sound a lot easier than it was!

After a long ordeal to get my DF rim off the car, I was in the business of taking my caliper off. No problems there! I drilled out the FIRST easy-out that broke off inside the caliper. Evidently, I didn't learn my lesson. The next one broke off in there too! Now I'm pissed...grab the Dremel, and start to put a line in the whole mess to take it out with a screwdriver. 5min later, it looks like this ( | ) so I'm off to the races...not. That broke too, so NOW it looks like this. | } Crap...maybe I'll go to the old calipers...

So I look at them...WAY worse than I remember. The pads are 3/4"thick at the top, and 1/8" on the bottom. That aint going to cut it...I scream into the night..."WHERE IN THE #$%@ AM I GOING TO GET A SET OF MACHINED 320i CALIPERS AT 10:00pm IN CLEVELAND!"



not 30sec later, Samson calls me to see if I need help with the optical ignition that I wanted to do.

Doug: "Don't you have a set of 320i calipers that you aren't using yet?"
Samson: "Yeah, but they are on the west side..."
Doug: "Can I come get them?"
Samson: "I'll be home in 20...see you there."

I got there before HE did...to take possession of a rebuilt set of machined 320i calipers! I paid the man, thanked him kindly, and was on the way back to the house to finish the deal.

And you Cali guys think you have all the cool friends!


Here is the question part...

I got them put on the car, and bled the lines my self with the power-bleeder. Then again with my wife, then again this morning. I'm STILL not getting the braking that I think the car is capable of. I have a NEW 19mm master, replaced all the rubber lines, all the hard lines from the rubber to the calipers, new Metal Master pads, and have bled the system 5 times...still takes me forever to stop. I've got a "T" for the rear that I'll do later tonight, but Im out of ideas...

Anyone???

Did you put the bleeders on top or on the bottom? There is a right and a left, the bleeder goes on top. Other than that, if you had a good pedal before, the T wont change anything. Bleed out the system again running new fluid through it to flush it out. I would still change out the rear proportioning valve and install the T but that really wont change how the brakes feel to the point you would be able to tell. Good luck though.

QUOTE (skline @ Jun 2 2005, 10:36 AM)

... that really wont change how the brakes feel to the point you would be able to tell.

Crap...I was afraid someone was going to say that.

I'm going to put it in there...because I bought it, and if I wait, I'll loose it. I'm just stuck. Maybe my pads choice is bad? Are the Metal Masters a good pad?

QUOTE

Are the Metal Masters a good pad?

Depends. For driving back and forth to the grocery store? Sure. Anything else. No.

i would say you are wasteing your time bleeding if you are going to put in the T, as you will have to bleed them again

are you using a clear tube off of the bleeders to a bottle, if not do it, you can see if you have bubbles in the tube. check the lines from the res to the mc to make sure it is not sucking in air make sure the rubber things are seated and not cracked.

before you go any further do the t

also remember that the 19mm mc works at a lower pressure than the 17, but the 320 calibers have bigger pistons so they make up for it

Ok, I'll go over all that tonight.

I'm also going to order another set of pads for this thing. I'll call around today and see if I can get anything from Summit. What pad should I be looking for? Semi-metalic? Organic? I have no clue...

If you can find them, go for the ceramic pads. I dont know if anyone makes them for the 914 or the BMW calipers but if they do, that would be the hot ticket. I put them on my Camry and just installed them on my truck. They are so nice. No more black brake dust on my wheels anymore and they stop quiet and firm. I like them a lot.

If anyone has part numbers...that'd help.

I have metal master pads - all new braking system pads, rotors, rebuild calipers, new MC. Pedal is acceptable, but it does not stop with authority. Pads! From what I read, organics are the way to go, they are dustier than the semi metallics. Don't know anything about ceramic pads, when I replace mine I am going to shoot for the Porterfield street pads.

Organic stops best vs. semi-metallic. Porterfield R-4 S would be my choice.