Getting parts / bleeding brakes

[sbourg]

Question 1 - When I need some small part quickly I tend to buzz over to the local Benz dealer, but that never works anymore. No matter how common or maintenance oriented the part - they never stock it. Now our '91 is the most recent vehicle we own, and I seem to ALWAYS be able to find the part in stock for our Honda or Chevy van at those dealers - or they'll have it in a few hours. Why does it take days for MB to to do the same thing? Latest example - lost a pad spring clip for one of the rear brakes, and luckily found it when I returned home, since the dealer was skunked on the part. I guess if you head to the dealer for a repair, count on other transport for at least a week.

Question 2 - about the brakes. I replaced front disks and front and rear pad sets, but due to grungy-looking fluid - mostly from a deteriorated MC cap gasket - my intention was to FIRST flush the system with my new Motive pressure bleeder. This worked fine at 15 psi in the rear, but essentially not at all in the front, even at 20 psi. I did the front brakes anyway, and everything seems fine, but I would really like to flush out all the old fluid, and using the pressure method if I can. Will the MC reservoir hold more pressure? Am I doing something else wrong (eg should the engine be running)? Thanks.

Steve