I screwed up while bleeding my brakes

[texomawaves]

I had my wife pump the pedal doing the usual routine when I forgot to top off the reservoir and sucked in a massive air bubble. Oops! Now I think I might have a massive air bubble trapped in the ABS. No matter how much more bleeding the pedal still goes to the floor after I leave it alone for a few minutes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris

[Timco]

Same club. I'll post more when I get home.

My pedal is rock hard if pumped with car off. Stays that way. Car on, 2-3rd pump brakes well, but 1st push softly drops. 3/4 way down then brakes uneven.

Just bought pimp up style bleeder. Can't wait to make this right.

[rp17]

Chris sounds like your going to need some more brake fluid. Shoot me a pm I have a power bleeder you can use this weekend. Your in my neck of the woods.

[Chuck W.]

Originally Posted by rp17

Shoot me a pm I have a power bleeder you can use this weekend.

Class. Pure class!

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by texomawaves

I had my wife pump the pedal doing the usual routine when I forgot to top off the reservoir and sucked in a massive air bubble. Oops! Now I think I might have a massive air bubble trapped in the ABS. No matter how much more bleeding the pedal still goes to the floor after I leave it alone for a few minutes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chris

You are going to need a PST II, PIWIS, or Durametric system to cycle the ABS/PSM network while bleeding the car, that is the only way to get air our of the ABS system. Simple pressure flushing or pumping the brakes is not going to do it.

[Timco]

FWIW, it's $200-$250 at my P car dealer to flush the fluid and get the air out.

Or I can buy a PC laptop and the Durametric. For now I'll have P flush it.

[texomawaves]

I have the Durametric. I didn't know there was a section that will help flush or cycle the ABS. This will be interesting. I will try it when I get home on Sunday.

[BrakeExpert]

Is it an inline ABS system? I mean does the abs have a separate fill bottle?

This is a bit less than proper for some, but heres what I do when I flush my own brakes:

Run the bleeder hose a few inches up (like through the spring) and into a container. crack open the bleeder. When you push the pedal, fluid goes out (and air bubbles if thats the case). when you release the pedal, it may suck back in some fluid, but not the air, thanks gravity. I do this all the time as I have no local car friends.

As for air in the system. I've bled the old fluid out of the system, so its pretty much all new, clear fluid. What I've done is run a brake hose from the bleeder nipple all the way to the fluid resovoir on the MC. Yes, you may want towels for this - as brake fluid makes a decent paint thinner. when you open the bleeder, pump the pedal and fluid will make its way through the hose to the resovoir. check every 10 or 12 pumps to make sure the fluid level doesn't go low. By doing this, you can sit in the car and pump the pedal a hundred times or so and all of the air will push through the system, out the hose and into the resovoir where the bubbles float to the top and pop.

if the abs system works in the way that most other makes of cars do, this should work fine. I've done this on Hondas, Nissans, Astons, Toyotas and Mitsubishis and was never unable to bleed a car myself like this.

The bleeder hose by the way has an inner diameter of 3/16" if I recall. its roughly 30 cents a foot at a local hardware store.

Remember to bleed the outer bleeder valve first and then the inner one.

Hope this helps and that I'm not overstepping my bounds here.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by BrakeExpert

Is it an inline ABS system? I mean does the abs have a separate fill bottle?

This is a bit less than proper for some, but heres what I do when I flush my own brakes:

Run the bleeder hose a few inches up (like through the spring) and into a container. crack open the bleeder. When you push the pedal, fluid goes out (and air bubbles if thats the case). when you release the pedal, it may suck back in some fluid, but not the air, thanks gravity. I do this all the time as I have no local car friends.

As for air in the system. I've bled the old fluid out of the system, so its pretty much all new, clear fluid. What I've done is run a brake hose from the bleeder nipple all the way to the fluid resovoir on the MC. Yes, you may want towels for this - as brake fluid makes a decent paint thinner. when you open the bleeder, pump the pedal and fluid will make its way through the hose to the resovoir. check every 10 or 12 pumps to make sure the fluid level doesn't go low. By doing this, you can sit in the car and pump the pedal a hundred times or so and all of the air will push through the system, out the hose and into the resovoir where the bubbles float to the top and pop.

if the abs system works in the way that most other makes of cars do, this should work fine. I've done this on Hondas, Nissans, Astons, Toyotas and Mitsubishis and was never unable to bleed a car myself like this.

The bleeder hose by the way has an inner diameter of 3/16" if I recall. its roughly 30 cents a foot at a local hardware store.

Remember to bleed the outer bleeder valve first and then the inner one.

Hope this helps and that I'm not overstepping my bounds here.

Great post. I'll try this in an hour or two. Thanks!

[Timco]

Ran motive bleeder forever. Pumped brakes a lot. Watched stream of micro bubbles come through.

Bottom line is this will be great next time, but the pedal still drops. Not nearly as bad, and second pump is way firmer, but needs the abs done. Got all the green fluid with dark clouds out. Straight nearly clear fluid now. Should be minimal charge to bleed the abs.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Timco

. Should be minimal charge to bleed the abs.

Figure on spending $100.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Figure on spending $100.

Can't pull that cash out fast enough. Was quoted $200 at Strong Porsche.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Timco

Can't pull that cash out fast enough. Was quoted $200 at Strong Porsche.

And for $287, you can have the tool to do it yourself as many times as you want, plus diagnostic's, and you can sell it on when you leave Porsches. Doesn't really make sense, does it?

[Timco]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

And for $287, you can have the tool to do it yourself as many times as you want, plus diagnostic's, and you can sell it on when you leave Porsches. Doesn't really make sense, does it?

Don't have a PC. So it's the Durametric and a PC just to get these brakes bled. I'm glad to pay this and buy a PC laptop & Dura with my next draw from this big job I'm on. I do enough that I need the tool. Too bad it won't do my wife's VW Touareg.

[JFP in PA]

Basically, yes.

Your 2000 could have PSM as that was the transitional year from TC to PSM; just remember that back then, both were options.

[texomawaves]

Not much forward progress tonight. Although I am beginning to like using the pressure bleeder (thanks again Randy). I once again attempted to "cycle" the ABS with my Durametric, but no noise, no hum, no motor noise, no click, nothing! The only thing I can do is turn on the light. I bled the brakes again and no air bubbles, and the pedal still goes to the floor, bummer. Not sure what to do next except call a tow truck. Chris

[Timco]

Have you flat bedded it in yet? I think I have hen solution. Need another hour to experiment. Looking good, lots of air out visibly.

[texomawaves]

not yet, I'm hoping you are my savior

[Timco]

I'm taking pics. Getting massive air out. It's the technique. Keep that power bleeder. Get 50' of 3/16 ID 5/16 OD vinyl tubing. Clean white small plastic bucket. 3 qts DOT 4. I'm taking pics now. Still watching the bubble parade.

[texomawaves]

I have maybe 15 ft of 3/16 tubing, perhaps keep the pressure bleeder going for hours? Do you pump the pedal during all this time? Is it possible you are drawing air bubbles thru the threads in the bleeder nipple, or you really getting the air out of the ABS slowly but surely?