Brakes still really spongy after bleeding

[Draven]

Hi folks

i'm concerned. I've refurbed my cailpers and put them back together i've bled them 6 times now but there is still lots of brake travel and the car does not stop well at all. After bleeding the pedal feels solid and stops where you would expect as soon as you start the car the pedal practially drops to the floor and it just doesn't work well at all. When bleeding there is no air in the system at all it is just pushing solid fluid through.

I've run out of ideas. at this point i'd take it over to pacific works but i'm worried it might not stop well enough during the journey.

any ideas?

[Draven]

I'm thinking it might be the master cylinder the car had sat for about a month with no fluid in it.

[Peter Gidden]

To eliminate calipers, lock off hoses with clamps. Then see if pedal feel changes.

[Draven]

To eliminate calipers, lock off hoses with clamps. Then see if pedal feel changes.

What kind of clamps do i need? Won't that crush my braided lines.

Also the drivers side rear caliper just isn't working as well as the others. When i was bleeding my lovely assistant was putting her foot on the pedal and i was getting a dribble out of it. all the others rush out

Pete do you have a price for some clamps and a new brake master cylinder?

[Peter Gidden]

What kind of clamps do i need? Won't that crush my braided lines?

OK, you can't clamp your braided lines. You'd have to disconnect at caliper and use nut and bolt through banjo.

Also the drivers side rear caliper just isn't working as well as the others. When i was bleeding my lovely assistant was putting her foot on the pedal and i was getting a dribble out of it. all the others rush out

This needs sorting. Patially blocked bleed nipple? Try taking ipple right out and see how easy fluid exits the caliper.

Pete do you have a price for some clamps and a new brake master cylinder?

You don't need a new master cylinder. At the most, a m/c overhaul kit which is about £25.

[cosmos]

I have had to prime a new master cylinder on a Cooper S where fluid moves uphill from rest, you mentioned car had been left with no fluid so this might be worth a try disconnect MC to servo brake pipe from servo and pump to eliminate any trapped air then reconnect to Servo and re-bleed furthest rear wheel, then other rear working nearer to the nearest wheel to MC.
Gunsons easibleed, where to pressurise MC cap from spare wheel will give a positive bleed with no need for an assistant.
A brake fluid change should not be to expensive at a friendly garage?????????????

[Harold]

Gunsons eezibleed, where to pressurise MC cap from spare wheel will give a positive bleed with no need for an assistant.
A brake fluid change should not be to expensive at a friendly garage?????????????

Unfortunately the standard eezibleed attachments don't fit the mr2 brake fluid reservoir, it works best when it can be screwed on. Much to my dismay, when it works properly it almost makes bleeding brakes a pleasurable experience.

I'd sort out that bleed nipple to start with, bleeding brakes Is a pain in the ar$e, if you won't always have a willing volunteer to help you, consider using a one man bleeding kit. Essentially it's a bit of tubing with a one way valve on it, once you've pumped the air bubbles past it then they can't go back.

[cosmos]

Been a long time now with easibleed what about a spare MC screw cap and drill for adaptor bit long winded i know.
One way one man pipe pretty good pretty cheap also.

[Mike]

I don't wish to insult your intelligence but I would go around the car one more time bleeding each caliper very carefully.

I had the same issue after fitting a caliper myself. Had bled the system several times, convinced that I had got every last bubble of air out.....alas...no. Decided to try one more time and lo' and behold one single tiny bubble from the nearside rear if I remember correctly. Was amazed that such a small bubble could have such a profound effect on the brake pedal.

Worth a try mate

[Draven]

I don't wish to insult your intelligence but I would go around the car one more time bleeding each caliper very carefully.

I had the same issue after fitting a caliper myself. Had bled the system several times, convinced that I had got every last bubble of air out.....alas...no. Decided to try one more time and lo' and behold one single tiny bubble from the nearside rear if I remember correctly. Was amazed that such a small bubble could have such a profound effect on the brake peddle.

Worth a try mate

Perhaps you might be right. I'll get it up in the air and try one last bleed. I was worries down to the fact that the system was completely empty.

[bobhatton]

Also the drivers side rear caliper just isn't working as well as the others. When i was bleeding my lovely assistant was putting her foot on the pedal and i was getting a dribble out of it. all the others rush out

You need to sort this out first before bleeding again, this is where the air will be

[Draven]

Also the drivers side rear caliper just isn't working as well as the others. When i was bleeding my lovely assistant was putting her foot on the pedal and i was getting a dribble out of it. all the others rush out

You need to sort this out first before bleeding again, this is where the air will be

Yes I was thinking that. I'm going to get it up in the air tomorrow if it stops raining and check to see if the fluid is getting in and out of the caliper properly.

[big_joe]

I was having trouble bleeding my brakes a while ago. I noticed the bleed nipples were kind of loose in the threads, they must wear down and hence pass air through. Ordered some new nipples from toyota (couple of quid) and that sorted it.

[toxo]

Considering the problems you've had with your calipers I would be using new bleed nipples everywhere. It's quite likely there is some powder coat / shot in the caliper that's not bleeding properly and that's why brake fluid's not travelling through it properly.

This sounds like a daft question but have you fitted the calipers on the right sides? Bleed nipples should always point upwards.

You can use an eezibleed kit if you like, Gunson sell alternative caps for them other than the screw fit one and there is one that fits the MR2.

If all else fails, when I had removed all my calipers and drained the braking system, upon reassembly I had to adjust the brake pedal as per the BGB.

[stuMR2lee]

I had a low/soft pedal on my current MR2 after refurbing a couple of calipers and despite bleeding it several times (2 person method) it still didn't seem right.

I felt that air was getting back in past the bleed screw threads when the pressure on the pedal was released.

Having done a bit of reading up on 'Gravity Bleeding' I thought it was worth a go. So what I did was take each bleed screw/nipple out and clean it with a wire brush and then an air line to ensure they weren't blocked. Then I used a bit of ptfe tape around the threads (stuff plumbers use) then screwed the nipple back in but not all the way. Just enough so fluid will go down the tube not past the threads. Attached a clear tube into a jar and then left each corner to drain for 15/20 minutes until about an inch of fluid had bled through. A small amount of fluid will obviously spill as you are cleaning the bleed screws so have a tray/cloths ready. This method can be done on your own and you don't touch the brake pedal at all. Just keep the fluid topped up during the process and follow the usual order of caliper bleeding starting with the one furthest away from the master cylinder.

For me the results were the best I have ever had bleeding an MR2 brakes. I appreciate other people will have different views. I would always do the 2 person method first followed by the gravity bleeding just to be sure.

[toxo]

I'm not sure PTFE tape is designed to withstand brake fluid, is it?

[stuMR2lee]

Been on several months now with no issues. To be safe worth going for new Toyota bleed screws I agree. Probably don't need the ptfe then.

Edit: thinking about it the ptfe tape will probably break down but as long as it lasts the bleeding process it should be fine as its the point of the bleed nipple that seals the caliper rather than the threads when everything is tightened up. I've certainly lost no fluid since I did my brakes.

[Draven]

I used brand new bleed nipples all round.

Well other than it is raining. I can't do anything now. I've freaking lost my locking wheel nut so can't take the wheels off to look..

VERY stressed right now.

Ps John these speakers are really rather good blasting some choice tunes out of them makes me feel a little better.

[Nails]

fixed mine after days of bleeding the 2 man method by removing the pads on caliper at a time, push the brake pedal till the piston is almost touching the disc (also leaving them attached so they cant pop out as the disc will stop it), then cracked open the nipple with a bleeding tube already on it ino a jar with fluid in, then pushed the piston back in, nip up the nipple, did this a couple of times and worked a treat.

[KarlBristol]

Well other than it is raining. I can't do anything now. I've freaking lost my locking wheel nut so can't take the wheels off to look..

You can get to the bleed nipples on every corner and bleed the brakes with the wheels on (obviously depending on your wheel design). There is usually enough clearance.

I've managed to do it quite comfortably on mine with the wheels on. Just use little spanners

Do you have abs?