Ian_D

Update: Bled system again and now works 100%

I've just flushed and bled my brakes by the old-fashioned manual method of opening and closing the bleed nipples as someone pushed the brake pedal up and down.

Everything seemed fine until I started the engine and pumped the pedal to make sure that I had brakes. Alas, my foot went flat to the floor.

Bleeding the brakes some more didn't change anything. When I opened the connections on the master cylinder fluid came straight out of the rear pipe but very little out of the front.

All I can assume is that something has happened to the master cylinder, either dirt under the seals, displaced seals, stuck rod or some other master cylinder problem.

Thumping the master cylinder with a hammer in the hope that vibrations would sort out a sticking rod produced nothing other than a sense of some frustration worked out of my system.

I've got master cylinder removal instructions but I can't find anything on how to take it apart and put it back together again.

Any thoughts or help?

Tx for anything, I'm about to start crying as my ex is giving me a run around too.

Nopstnz8

iTrader: (6)

Did you bleed the master cylinder after?

Ian_D

AFAIK there isn't a bleed nipple on the cylinder.

Not until the pedal went to the floor after bleeding the 4 wheel cylinders and even then there isn't a bleed nipple so I bled by undoing the 2 unions.

The Rear gave fluid immediately (I think it feeds the Left Front & Right Rear cylinders)
but the Front (I think it feeds the Right Front & Left Rear cylinders) struggled to give fluid.

yokohamaboi

iTrader: (1)

Did you bench bleed your master cylinder prior to installation?

Ian_D

Thanks, that video will come in useful later.

The master cylinder hasn't been off (yet), it's the next thing that I can think to do unless someone can suggest something else.

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

I'm picking you let the fluid level get too low in the MC and it sucked some air in .
Bleed it again starting with the left rear .Pump the pedal rapidly to try force the air to the nipples and build up some pressure in the system. Then Put hose on nipple, undo it 1/2 a turn, and just keep pumping about 10 times for each nipple . You only need to shut off the nipple on return stroke of the very last pump.

Ian_D

I kept a close eye on the reservoir and filled it whenever it got to the min level, so I'd be surprised if low fluid level let air into the system, but stranger things have happened.

So I bled at the master cylinder again using the connections to the lines. No obvious sign of air.

I then bled all 4 wheels starting with the fronts (I'd moved her after bleeding the rears for the first time and the brakes were fine) and then the rears. No sign of air in the bled fluid, yet the pedal stiffened up after bleeding the front left.

Having used over 1.25 litres of brake fluid, I think I've given the system a good flushing.

The brakes now work, although the pedal isn't as stiff as I'd like so I'll do a mini-bleed after using her today.

So, thanks everyone for your help.