Bleeding the brakes problem

[jruss1601]

I tryed bleeding the rear brakes on my 95 SHO with my dad yesterday, but he wasn't happy since the fluid wasn't squirting out. It had a flow of about a drop per brake pump. The brake pedal does feel stiff. However, the pads aren't squeezing down on the rotor cause with the pedal depressed, the rotor moves freely. My dad was convinced it was the rear brake level sensor (the aluminum block all the brake lines go into). I wasn't so sure

So, looking in the manual theres an accumulator that charges when the car is turned on? There is also something shown in the manual that appears to be below the air filter. Looks like an empty reservior. And there is a tool i need to bleed that reservior? I think it bleeds the abs.

So theres a few questions i have. How can i get to that reservior? By removing the air filter? Where can i get this tool the manual talks about? Can it be rented from autozone or should i just take it to a dealer? What does that reservior do? Anything i should know about this before i get into working with something i don't understand?
Basically, can i do this or should a dealer do this?

I searched the threads on here and came up with some close but i'm not sure they had the same questions i had.
http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=76568
http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=76396

Thanks!

 

[Shoaz]

You most likely have one of two problems:

1. The rear flexible lines have collapsed. This is not uncommon for older lines to just crap out, and the failur mode is pretty much what you described. It could be that the rubber lines in the rear just need to be replaced.

2. If the left rear wheel was in droop (i.e., the suspension allowed to drop with the car jacked up), then the brake bias valve connected to the rear control arm would have greatly reduced the pressure to the rear brakes.

The second one is easy to defeat just by putting a bottle jack or something under the left rear spindle and jacking it up to about normal ride height relative to the chassis. If that doesn't restore fluid flow to the rear, then the rubber lines in the rear likely need to be replaced.

 

[93rev2sev]

You might get away with removing the brackets from the rear lines.

Those brackets rust. The rusty inside diameter of the bracket is squeezing your line closed. Once the bracket is carefully cut off with a grinder, the line expands to it's original, open state.

Before spending $50 on new lines, try cutting the old ones free of the rust vise. A couple of zip ties can be used to secure the line to the strut since your bracket is "no longer".

 

[Phoenix]

You might get away with removing the brackets from the rear lines.

Those brackets rust. The rusty inside diameter of the bracket is squeezing your line closed. Once the bracket is carefully cut off with a grinder, the line expands to it's original, open state.

Before spending $50 on new lines, try cutting the old ones free of the rust vise. A couple of zip ties can be used to secure the line to the strut since your bracket is "no longer".

Rockauto 12-15$ each.

 

[93rev2sev]

So thats $30...Plus shipping/handling...plus a weeks wait.

It's definately not a bad idea to replace the hoses, but if you are having trouble bleeding the rears, removing the bracket from the line will allow you to do that. This way you can make sure the calipers are in usable condition before placing your order for the hoses. If you need calipers ... you can save a bit on shipping by ordering them when you order the hoses/rotors/pads...etc..

 

[St Louis SHO]

The other thing I've found is start the car while bleeding the rears. It helped on an old slo I did at work a couple of weeks ago.

 

[jruss1601]

Maybe i should have said that i had to replace the rear brake lines cause they blew out. I don't know if that matters.

So i don't need a tool or mess with that thing below the air filter? The reservious looks empty and i believe its connected to the master cylinder.

 

[Bob Gervais]

The thing below the air filter is the ABS pump. If its reservoir is empty, so is your master. It may just appear empty though, it is a little tough to see.

You don't NEED to bleed the ABS pump unless you've had it open or want to do a full system flush. An easy way to do it without the tool is to bleed the rest of the system, then take the car out on a gravel or other loose surface and hammer the brakes, making the ABS pump cycle. Then bleed the regular brakes again. Unless you've had the lines off the pump though, you shouldn't need to bleed it.

I would second the suggestion of making sure the left rear tire is supported while bleeding so that the bias valve is wide open.

 

[Bob Gervais]

So thats $30...Plus shipping/handling...plus a weeks wait.

It's definately not a bad idea to replace the hoses, but if you are having trouble bleeding the rears, removing the bracket from the line will allow you to do that. This way you can make sure the calipers are in usable condition before placing your order for the hoses. If you need calipers ... you can save a bit on shipping by ordering them when you order the hoses/rotors/pads...etc..

Yeah, much better idea to cheap out and cut a rusty bracket off of an insignifigant part like a brake hose.

FWIW, if the bracket is that rusty that it crushed the hose enough to stop the flow, it's also weakened the hose in that area. Removing the bracket will merely expose a weak point for the hose to blow out.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

I had the same problem getting the rears to bleed on my SHO, even using the speed bleeders, until I started the engine. Then they bled like a stuck-pig!

The other thing I've found is start the car while bleeding the rears. It helped on an old slo I did at work a couple of weeks ago.

 

[St Louis SHO]

Yeah, much better idea to cheap out and cut a rusty bracket off of an insignifigant part like a brake hose.

FWIW, if the bracket is that rusty that it crushed the hose enough to stop the flow, it's also weakened the hose in that area. Removing the bracket will merely expose a weak point for the hose to blow out.

 

[Shoaz]

Yeah, much better idea to cheap out and cut a rusty bracket off of an insignifigant part like a brake hose.

FWIW, if the bracket is that rusty that it crushed the hose enough to stop the flow, it's also weakened the hose in that area. Removing the bracket will merely expose a weak point for the hose to blow out.

Thanks, I couldn't think of a diplomatic way to say it.