Brake help ASAP

[kafanylovesme]

Hey zilvia, figured I'd ask you guys since I've searched and can't really find anything else.

So, problem is that my brake pedal on my S13 is soft up until the 3rd or 4th time i pump it. It used to go all the way down so obviously it has gotten better. I've bled the brakes for hours, but the problem doesn't seem to go away. It got a little better yesterday where it would get hard by the 2nd pump, but went bad again by today.

I installed a new BMC, don't have ANY leaks anywhere, brake booster is good and I've bled for hours. I'm really not sure what could be the problem or what to check anymore so if you can help, please chime in. :love:

[DreamN]

Did you get the calipers off Al?

[kafanylovesme]

Yup and still the same old thing. It got a little better with his calipers, but still not where I would like my brakes to be.

[HYPNOTIK]

You either got a leak or it needs bled. There's not a whole lot to the brake system, it's pretty simple.

Do you have ABS?

[kafanylovesme]

You think I should just keep on bleeding it Hypnotik? That's what's frustrating me that there isn't much to this problem but yet it still exists.

And no, my car does not have ABS.

[Felipe]

i think my car did that at one point... car stoped good, but was soft the few pumps. i did every thing right. in a couple a days (a week i think) it went back to normal.

[kafanylovesme]

Lol it went back to normal like nothing?

[I10cruiser]

is the fluid clear/clean?...maybe a clog of some sort?

[kafanylovesme]

Hmmm thinking about that. Most of the times I bleed, I get fluid a little darker than it is out the bottle. How can I tell if there is a clog?

[MrChow]

Not to be mean but how did you bleed it? Are you doing it with someone else or do you have a speed bleeder?
I when through a lot of brake fluid before my stuff was all clean. IMO keep bleeding.

Also you said you installed a new MBC. Did you clean off all of the lines when you put the new one back on?

[I10cruiser]

vacuum pump i guess. . .i just used a vacuum pump thing to do my brakes and its 10 times better then when i bleed it normally with another person. ..i dont know how to check for clogs though

[kafanylovesme]

Not to be mean but how did you bleed it? Are you doing it with someone else or do you have a speed bleeder?
I when through a lot of brake fluid before my stuff was all clean. IMO keep bleeding.

Also you said you installed a new MBC. Did you clean off all of the lines when you put the new one back on?

Yes, I bled them with someone else. And yup I cleaned all the lines and bench bled the BMC as well. I think I'll keep bleeding like you said until all the fluid is clean and clear. I'm trying to look for a place around me where I can go pick up those speed bleeders but no luck so far.

vacuum pump i guess. . .i just used a vacuum pump thing to do my brakes and its 10 times better then when i bleed it normally with another person. ..i dont know how to check for clogs though

Hmm alright I'll look into getting a vacuum pump.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.

[Felipe]

yeah it was from god or some thing... i was about to start busting out with the tech bull. when it just went back to normal. never had a prob. again after that. call me lucky i guess.

[MrChow]

Yes, I bled them with someone else. And yup I cleaned all the lines and bench bled the BMC as well. I think I'll keep bleeding like you said until all the fluid is clean and clear. I'm trying to look for a place around me where I can go pick up those speed bleeders but no luck so far.
Thanks for all the help so far guys.
I when change out all of my lines for new SS. I had to bleed it my brakes with a HUGE air bubble in my lines now that was gay.
I when through a whole bottle and a half to bleed all 4 of my lines till they were clean and had no air in them. Order speed bleeders or get a vacuum pump. It'll make your life easier.

[DreamN]

Peter, take your bleeder screw to autozone and see if it matches any of the ones they have. Try Empire Hardware (Devonshire and Sepulveda Next to Bank of a America) You could also just buy them off of Kuah (SPL Parts). Dude ships pretty fast to CA.

I'll ask around for local spots that might carry them for sure.

[nightsauce]

this happened to me before when i was doing the z32 brake upgrade. The stock brake MC blew out when I put the new brakes in. I put in my new brake MC and it worked fine.

[kafanylovesme]

I when change out all of my lines for new SS. I had to bleed it my brakes with a HUGE air bubble in my lines now that was gay.
I when through a whole bottle and a half to bleed all 4 of my lines till they were clean and had no air in them. Order speed bleeders or get a vacuum pump. It'll make your life easier.

That first part was a little tough to read lol, but I got it. Yeah I went and bought a vacuum pump today. Went at the brakes for about an hour. Going back and forth to each caliper. Still not much of a difference =/. It's perfect and how it should be when the car is off, but when I turn it on and pump the brake, it grabs up until about the 2nd pump. Also, the fluid is coming out clean now as well.

Sorry for being a noob lol, but how am I sure when the air is out using the vacuum pump? Is it as simple as me not seeing the bubbles anymore?

Thanks Jimmy, I'll definitely look into that.

Do you guys think that if I drove the car around a bit the brakes would get a little better like what was said above?

Thanks for all the help guys!

[rancid240]

Maybe check the vacuum hose to the brake booster?

[kafanylovesme]

Already checked all hoses and lines rancid.