brake bleeding problem any thoughts
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brake bleeding problem any thoughts
Hi guys ,
I needed to replace a front brake hose on my 1994 ranger after it blew on the way home . I replaced the hose and went to bleed the brakes only to find out that the rear wheel cylinders should be replaced because the bleeders were froze and the brake lines leading to them were not too great so I replaced them also . Now I can't get a good pedal , I have bled the brakes 3 times and seem to be getting plenty of fluid out when the bleeders are opened but I still have a spongy pedal ( goes almost to the floor ). I have checked my fittins and can't find any leaks . I have run out of ideas anyone have any thoughts ? Thanks
I needed to replace a front brake hose on my 1994 ranger after it blew on the way home . I replaced the hose and went to bleed the brakes only to find out that the rear wheel cylinders should be replaced because the bleeders were froze and the brake lines leading to them were not too great so I replaced them also . Now I can't get a good pedal , I have bled the brakes 3 times and seem to be getting plenty of fluid out when the bleeders are opened but I still have a spongy pedal ( goes almost to the floor ). I have checked my fittins and can't find any leaks . I have run out of ideas anyone have any thoughts ? Thanks
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From: El cajon
do you have 4 wheel abs , or just rear abs?
if you have 4 wheel abs you may need to bleed the abs unit.
also double check your wheel cylinder, take a peak under the boots, to make sure you didnt get a bad one...
next thought, master cylinder...........
if you have 4 wheel abs you may need to bleed the abs unit.
also double check your wheel cylinder, take a peak under the boots, to make sure you didnt get a bad one...
next thought, master cylinder...........
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Thanks for getting back to me . I'm not sure about the abs deal is there a way to tell .(I'm kind of new around this abs stuff ). The master cylinder looks like a standard type master cylinder with power brakes and it stays full if I fill it and leave it over night . I'm going to go back out to the garage sometime today and pull the rear wheels off and check the wheel cylinders . The only thing that I'm really not sure of is the front brake hose . I replaced the one on the passenger side and the bleeder on that side was fine but the drivers side was froze solid so I had to bleed the brake on that side by loosening the brake hose and in doing so I bought a couple of new copper washers and installed them after I was pretty sure that there was no air coming out of the line . I put one on the side facing the caliper side and one on the side of the brake hose that has the bolt head could this be where the problem is?
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From: SW Va
You may have more than one problem, but for sure you can't properly bleed a wheel cylinder by loosening a caliper or wheel cylinder brake line to it, so right now you need to get the divers side front caliper properly bled, or replaced & see how it goes.
If the pedal is still soft & as has been said, if you've gotten air into the ABS motor, your likely going to have to take it to a shop that can put a vacuum on the system, while they use a special scantool to actuate the ABS motors to pump/bleed the air out.
You can tell a 2W/4W ABS system thats mounted on the drivers side inner fender, by it's size & the number of lines running to & from it. If it's large & has 4 sets of lines coming out, it's 4WABS.
In any case, Don't let the master cyl fluid level get low during bleeding, such that you pump air into the system & get it into the ABS motor, or you'll end up at a Dealer, or shop, having them vacuum bleed the system.
Let us know how it goes.
If the pedal is still soft & as has been said, if you've gotten air into the ABS motor, your likely going to have to take it to a shop that can put a vacuum on the system, while they use a special scantool to actuate the ABS motors to pump/bleed the air out.
You can tell a 2W/4W ABS system thats mounted on the drivers side inner fender, by it's size & the number of lines running to & from it. If it's large & has 4 sets of lines coming out, it's 4WABS.
In any case, Don't let the master cyl fluid level get low during bleeding, such that you pump air into the system & get it into the ABS motor, or you'll end up at a Dealer, or shop, having them vacuum bleed the system.
Let us know how it goes.
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well this thing has me stumped , i pulled the rear drums off both sides and the wheel cylinders are dry so no leaking there. i figured what the heck i'm into it this far so i replaced the master cylinder also this morning . and still can't get a pedal . when i bleed them without the truck running it seems to have a hard pedal but as soon as you start it up the pedal goes almost to the floor . the only thing that i haven't replaced is the drivers side front caliper ,thats the only one that i can't use the bleeder because it's froze up . as for the abs i don't think it has that set up because there are only two lines coming out of the master cylinder and one heads to the rear of the truck and the other goes down under the front and thats it nothing as far as a control unit that i can find . this truck was made 1/94 if that helps and its a 2wd .
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From: SW Va
If the brake booster is working properly, it's normal for the brake pedal to drop when you start the engine.
Once the engine is running, the pedal height & firmness should return after a brake pedal pump, or two.
Did you "bench bleed" the master cylinder before connecting the brake lines????
Once the engine is running, the pedal height & firmness should return after a brake pedal pump, or two.
Did you "bench bleed" the master cylinder before connecting the brake lines????
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hi again , yes i bled the master cylinder . what i did was mount to the booster and filled the res. then put the platic inserts into the cylinder ran the hose from one insert to the other and hooked up the wiring and had the wife slowly pump the brake pedal until i did see anymore air coming into the clear hose that was provided with the new master cylinder . and then i removed the plastic inserts and reinstalled the brake lines and the proceeded to bleed the brakes again starting with the pass . side rear the the drivers side rear then to the pass front . i didn't try the drivers front because of the bleeder is froze . but i still have no pedal to speak of and there is no improvement even after doing all this . i'm pretty much at wits end here . i should be seeing some type of pedal by now but nothing ??
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From: SW Va
Well I suspect the drivers side front caliper cylinder has some air trapped in it, as loosening the brake hose to it won't properly bleed the caliper.
So your going to have to try to get that bleedr screw loose.
Try some good rust penetrant with some heat & vibration, so see if you can pop it free.
Be sure to use a good quality box end wrench on the caliper bleed screw, so you don't round it off.
So your going to have to try to get that bleedr screw loose.
Try some good rust penetrant with some heat & vibration, so see if you can pop it free.
Be sure to use a good quality box end wrench on the caliper bleed screw, so you don't round it off.
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i just came back in from the garage . i finally got the bleeder to free up on the drivers side front . i just went back through the entire system pass . rear , drivers rear .etc and i'm getting good streams of fluid from all the bleeders ( front ones will shoot a stream at least 2 ft lol . ) the back drivers side gets fluid through it but doesn't seem to have the force that the other side does . now that i have all the bleeders free where exactly is the abs motor ? it seems that is the only thing left . i always had good brakes on the truck before the front hose let loose .
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From: Dexter, MI
All Rangers have some kind of abs system - rear wheel (RABS) or four wheel. The RABS electro-hydraulic valve is mounted on the inside of the driver's side frame rail. There is a bleeder fitting on the RABS Valve to bleed it. Use the same procedure as you use on the wheel cylinders with a tube on the bleeder and the other end submerged in a container that has clean brake fluid in it. Open the bleeder 3/4 turn. Then bleed each of the rear brake cylinders. Good luck.
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i am finally getting a little pedal ,so i'm gaining on it . i have a pedal at about 2 to 3 inches off the floor . so it must still have air somewhere as it is still a little spongy . i have to give up on it now but i will give it a go sometime this week . i will let you know what i come up with . thanks for the help everyone .
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