|
|
|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
Brake bleeding help needed BADLY!
Boy did I screw up.
I was going to flush out the old brake fluid on my 83 300D. I was using a Motive pressure bleeder to pressurize the system when the worst happened. As I was doing the first wheel (right rear) I accidently let the master cylinder reservoir go dry. Suddenly as I was letting fluid out of the wheel cylinder, I got a whoosh of air. Now the system has a lot ofair in it. I filled the reservoir again, and pumped up the pressure bleeder several times, but all I get is air, no fluid. Do I need to bleed the master cylinder now? If so, how. The brake pedal never gets firm, no matter if the car is running or not. HELP! Glenn
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers) 2005 Corvette 55K (fun car) 2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine) 1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids) 1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler) 1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter) |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
... how did you get air in on your first caliper, if you are using a powerbleeder? you are filling the powerbleeder with fluid aren't you?
__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread "as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do! My drivers: 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!! 1987 300TD 1987 300TD 1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere! |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
You can do it
This can probably be done with the master cylinder still in the car, but it works best with two people. You might be able to do it with just yourself and the pressure bleeder, but I've always (well, the few times that I've dealt with it) done the master cylinder bleed manually.
Fill the reservoir. Wear nitrile gloves, and put a pie plate under the master cylinder. Disconnect one of the brake lines at the master cylinder. Have your lovely assistant gently pump the brake pedal while you have a gloved finger over the hole mostly covering it until you see fluid coming out past your finger. Have her stop with the pedal held firmly to the floor. Insert brake line back in the hole of the master cylinder, tighten the line. If you're obsessive-compulsive only tighten the line loosely, have her pump once again so that it weeps past the loose connection, hold pedal to floor, and tighten firmly. Repeat on a second brake line at the master cylinder, preferably not the one on the other side of the round body - do one forward or aft of the one you just did. That should get you bled on the two chambers of the master cylinder, and then you can go forward from there with the pressure bleeder. Cheers, Kurt
__________________
- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride! - '86 190D (W201-126) - 2.5 NA engine, 5 speed, cloth interior, manual climate controls, 33-34 mpg (sold to forum member). |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
You do know that the reservoir is two-chambered and the only way to fill the back half is to overflow the front half into it through a tiny gap near the top?
We replaced a master cylinder on my 300SDL the first time we ever did brakes because we didn't know that. |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Ok, I was looking at the master cylinder reservoir. Only the front half is dry. the back half has fluid in it. But no matter what I do, I cannot fill the front half of the reservoir. I think if I can get fluid to the front part of the reservoir, that will solve my issue
VStech. No, I was only using the power bleeder to pump air. I usually do it this way, but I never let the reservoir go dry (except for this time) Glenn
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers) 2005 Corvette 55K (fun car) 2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine) 1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids) 1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler) 1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter) |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
You should be able to fill the reservoir just by tipping brake fluid into the hole at the top - perhaps you are having trouble seeing the fluid in there? How clean is the exterior of the reservoir? What sort of pressure bleeder are you using? Are you following the manufacturer's instructions? With my pressure bleeder it has a separate reservoir that connects to the one in the car - this separate reservoir is the one that has compressed air acting on the top of the fluid...
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
GOT IT FIXED!! I bled the master cylinder and COMPLETELY filled the reservoir, and I know have bubble free fluid at the rear brakes. Many thanks to all. Lesson learned. Do not work a double shift and then try to work on a car after only 3 hours of sleep!
Glenn
__________________
2012 Mercedes ML350 Bluetec 91K (hers) 2005 Corvette 55K (fun car) 2002 VW Jetta TDI 231K (mine) 1998 Volvo S70 T5 Turbo 196K (kids) 1994 Ford F150 4WD 249K (firewood hauler) 1983 Mercedes 300D 376K (diesel commuter) |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Just in case you don't know about it I once read here (on this forum) that a trick to get rid of small amounts of air in a brake system is to wedge the brake pedal down for a night or two or three... ...I apologise to the original poster of this great bit of advice - but I found it helps quite a bit!
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
I am glad you got it resolved but for others in the future, you are supposed to fill reservoir and the Motive Brake Pump with fluid, which when pumped, simply pumps fluid in as you go...that way you never have worry about this. The whole purpose of the system is not to pump air into the system.
__________________
1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head) 1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000 1981 300D - 250,000 |
Bookmarks |
|
|