[spshultz]

I need some help. I've noticed recently that if I double pump my brakes I build up much more pressure making the brake pedal more firm and stopping just feels a hell of a lot better. The same goes for my wife's 1995 Nissan Quest.

If I don't double pump the brakes seem very squishy and the pedal travels a bit further to the floor.

On my 1999 2.5RS I have WRX rotors and brakes on the front, stockers on the rear and steel braided hoses at all four corners. Last year when I did the WRX change on the front I bled the brakes at all four wheels. There was no air in the lines but I still did it anyway.

After replacing the rotors and pads on my wifes mini-van I did the same thing (bled the brakes). One line had a little air but that's gone now. Her brake fluid is kind of "tea" colored.

Both vehicles exhibit the same thing so I think I'm doing something wrong. I've checked for leakage but there isn't any. Both vehicles are leak free.

When bleeding the brakes I have my wife press down on the pedal until it's on the floor then hold it there. I then open the little valve? at the caliper to the let the fluid out and then close it up. Then I tell my wife to let off the brake pedal. We do this a couple of times making sure that the master brake cylinder never gets to low and there is no air or bubbles in the line.

What am I doing wrong!!!? Maybe it's that the fluid is getting really old and has thinned out? My 2.5RS has 98,000 miles on it without ever having a total brake fluid change and her van has 107,000 miles on it and the same thing.

I want a nice firm pedal. I know the Subaru has a two stage booster but after a double pump it feels pretty damned firm.

ACK!!

 

[10th Warrior]

What am I doing wrong!!!? Maybe it's that the fluid is getting really old and has thinned out? My 2.5RS has 98,000 miles on it without ever having a total brake fluid change and her van has 107,000 miles on it and the same thing.

uh, this isn't so good. IIRC the manual calls for it to be changed every 30k. I changed mine with ATE at 24k and will probably do so again this spring (~37k). then again, i do race. still, 100k on the stock brake fluid is too much.

as for your bleeding technique, its pretty good. the only thing i would mention is that when pumping the brakes, do so evenly and moderately, don't go Conan on the brake pedal as this will basically cause any air bubbles in the fluid to get smaller and thus more difficult to see and harder to get out. just pump it a few times until it gets firm, then open the valve and then the pedal will go to the floor.

 

[Peaty]

You really need to change out all the fluid. The brown colour comes when it starts to take on water. With new ABS systems it's even more improtant than ever to change the fluid. I do mine yearly. Cheap insurance against any ABS problems.

This is the proper bleeding order on our systems since they are diagonal types:

For more details go here:

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=182

While you are messing with brake fluid you might as well do the clutch too if you have one, it's not exactly the same as doing the brakes look here:

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=491

 

[spshultz]

Bingo! Thanks for the replies. The weather has gotten much colder but when it warms up I'll do a full system flush on each of the vehicles.

So basically, (I want to make sure I understand this) when bleeding the brakes the fluid that comes out should be clean/clear when the system has been completely flushed?

I will probably siphon out the tea colored stuff from the main resevoir first with a turkey baster or something and then fill it up with the good stuff so that I add nothing but clear to clear when doing this.

 

[10th Warrior]

you want to replace all the fluid. after 100k miles, its all bad.

 

[ampsarus got owned by RS25.com]

There has been quite a bit of discussion which fluid is best to use on other threads, but....

One of the nice things about ATE fluid (among other things) is that it comes in blue and amber. This can help to make sure you have bled out all of the old fluid if you alternate colors on each change.

When I changed out my OEM fluid with ATE super blue at 45K, I noticed it has a much higher specific gravity, as the residual OEM fluid in the resivoir after flushing rose to the top and sat on the surface of the blue fluid. I was ale to dab it out with paper towels, no more OEM fluid! Cool!

BTW, even with Goodridge SS lines and the ATE, I still have a soft pedal and I have to pump it. I have bled the lines over and over, but it just stays squishy. Doesn't really bother me only because I had to pump my 240Z brakes so I am used to it. I'd probably pump the brakes even if I didn't have to due to habbit.

 

[5252]

go get a vacuum brake bleeder. it gets EVERY BUBBLE the first time. once around the car, and you're done. you can suck until fresh fluid flows through . just have the wife keep the reservoir full. napa; about 19.95.-29.95

 

[Peaty]

I have a vac bleeder and like it a lot. I've found though that I have to remove the bleeder and put a little teflon tape on the threads and put it back in. Otherwise, air goes around the threads and you get bubbles in the line. With the bubbles you don't know if they are from the line or the threads on the bleeder. Other than the teflon tape I don't know any way around doing this. I'm up for suggestons. It's not a big deal to do though.

Peaty