Brake Bleeding
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Brake Bleeding
Ok, so ive got an 01 f350 powerstroke diesel, I just got done replacing the front rotors,pads,calipers and lines. When i try bleeding the brakes i get good fluid out of the back calipers, but when i do the front, the fluid that comes out is a milky looking fluid, it smells like brake fluid but its just really milky looking, almost like a mountain dew color gone bad. So, i bled for a while, then i took the truck down the road, and the front brakes are wanting to lock up, just rolling down the road you can feel the front brakes start to grab without pressing the peddle. Is there still a bunch of air in the front calipers or is there something else messed up? Any and all help is appreciated,i need to get this truck moving again as my other vehicle blew the engine.
01F350pwrstk
01F350pwrstk
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Joined: Feb 2006
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I'm guessing you did not load the front calipers with oil before install?
If I were you, I would suck out all of the fluid from the reservoir and start over with new clean synthetic brake fluid. Open the lines at the front calipers and drain the calipers from the bleed screw, and then close it and fill it up right there on the truck. Let the hoses drain before putting them back on the calipers. Then fill the reservoir with clean fluid, put the line back on, and bleed. You can't bleed too much, but try.
If I were you, I would suck out all of the fluid from the reservoir and start over with new clean synthetic brake fluid. Open the lines at the front calipers and drain the calipers from the bleed screw, and then close it and fill it up right there on the truck. Let the hoses drain before putting them back on the calipers. Then fill the reservoir with clean fluid, put the line back on, and bleed. You can't bleed too much, but try.
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Well i think i finally figured out the cause of my problems. I went to try and bleed the passenger rear caliper and the bleeder broke off, so i then started to take the caliepr off and the pistons literally fell apart when i took the caliper off, put a new caliper on and new pads, had the wife sit there and pump the brakes, and the new rear caliper shot out a little bit of air, then i bled it a few more times and nothing but good fluid came out. So i started working my way up to the front and began bleeding the passenger front caliper, the nasty looking stuff was no longer coming out and it was shooting out nice clean fluid, so then i bled the drivers side, same thing, no air just nice clean fluid. Took it up and down the road a couple timesand seemed to no longer try and lock the brakes up, and i even stopped and stuck my head in between the wheel and fender to see if i could smell or see the smoke from the brakes like i did before and did not see any smoke and didnt smell anything so i think its fixed, thank god. i was beginning to get aggrevated with the truck because if i couldnt get it going down the road i cant haul my quad/dirt bike or anything for that matter since last friday i blew the motor in my jacked up ranger.
Thanks for the reply tho 2000ford2000.
Thanks for the reply tho 2000ford2000.
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i guess i didnt find the problem, brakes started sticking really bad again the next day. I also decided to bled the brakes with the truck running, i ghot nothing but fluid out of every caliper, i did not get any air. I have no idea what it could be. I did however check the powersteering fluid and when i took the cap off there were little air bubbles at the surface, could that be my problem?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
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With your truck being a F350HD I assume you have the hydraboost power brakes, right?
I wonder if you have a leak in the booster. Undo the nuts holding the master cylinder to the booster and ease the master cyl forward and see if there any signs of fluid there.
Also make sure the pedal return spring is fully returning the brake pedal.
I wonder if you have a leak in the booster. Undo the nuts holding the master cylinder to the booster and ease the master cyl forward and see if there any signs of fluid there.
Also make sure the pedal return spring is fully returning the brake pedal.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: NE Texas
A pressure bleeder would most likely solve your problem. There are some very good units that work out very well for DIY use and are very inexpensive. The Motive Products unit costs about $60.
Having a pressure bleeder of some sort is a very good item to have around. It makes brake bleeding and flushing quick and easy which will make it more feasible to flush your entire brake system with fresh fluid every year or two. If you will do this, the odds of ever having any hydraulic related problems with your brakes during the life of the vehicle goes to near nothing.
Having a pressure bleeder of some sort is a very good item to have around. It makes brake bleeding and flushing quick and easy which will make it more feasible to flush your entire brake system with fresh fluid every year or two. If you will do this, the odds of ever having any hydraulic related problems with your brakes during the life of the vehicle goes to near nothing.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
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From: Joliet, Illinois
It can't be good if the pistons were falling apart!
I'm thinking there is something more that you are either not describing or can't tell by your experience.
I have had numerous customers try to explain something only to finde it was something all together different.
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From: Pittsburgh
I am having a similiar problem with my 03 F450. I put a new caliper on the right rear and installed a new master cyl. Now I cannot get the pedal to bleed up. everytime i bleed I get nothing but fluid. Any Ideas?
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From: Joliet, Illinois
There is also the anti lock brake assembly that might be holding some air in it.
I do not have access to the info on bleeding it and never had to deal with it.
This concerns me greatly as I am draining all the fluid out of my 91 brake system and flushing it out with denatured alcohol in preparation of using DOT 5 fluid.
I'm rebuilding the calipers, replacing the master and wheel cylinders so the ABS parts need to be flushed out and have new fluid in there as well and I'm unsure of that aspect of it.
Also, I have been searching the forums and they say that a puller is needed to remove the full floating hub on the Ford 10.25 rear end?
I don't remember ever having to use one.
The drivers side is leaking badly and needs to be changed, so to be sure I don't have to do the other one later, they both will be swapped out.
Not something I wanted to do as the semi float axle seals are only $5 each and the full floater seals are $29 each and that's after shopping around.
The highest I saw was $35!!!!!!
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