Like a lot of guys here, i've been tinkering with cars for a while now. Not my first, second, or 5th brake job....

That said, i would have never known that my i had my right rears, where the lefts ought to be. Looks totally normal, caliper bolts line up, flex line is positioned properly. Only difference is that the bleed nipple is on the bottom side of caliper, opposed to the top. With the nipple on the top side, gravity pushes trapped air to the nipple and allows a proper bleed. Without a comparison car, would have never known!!

...

So, the power bleeder was producing fluid, but you never got a firm pedal.
Yup.
Air filled calipers will do that.

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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!

There is a reason why calipers are sold in a LEFT version and a RIGHT version.

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When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

Good ending!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I work on vintage ritish cars and some BMC products do this ~ they have dual blind 1/2 cylinders and put the bleeder screw in the bottom, God alone knows why as it makes them near impossible to bleed properly .

If you're a DIY'er, you don't necessarily know these things .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I was going to guess maybe seized caliper pistons. I'm glad it was a simple fix!

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1981 Mercedes 240D - Automatic transmission

Oh Jeez I can't believe it! I did exactly this!

I repalced rear calipers...all rubber lines, MC, rebuilt front calipers, and used a fancy pressure bleeder and like 2 liters of new fluid.

Nothing! All soft and mushy.

I'm not new to W123 braking systems.

But I just checked and sure enough, the rear calipers are UPSIDE DOWN!

Dammit.

Thank you, once again, PP. I've been lucky enough to benefit from this community since 2013. It's fantastic!

Yes, if you’re not super astute or well versed with the rear brakes, calipers are totally swappable from R to L. Just can’t bleed them!