Brake bleeding problem on my 1996 legacy outback wagon standard

[5subies]

I have a 1996 legacy outback wagon with a 2.2L I have been trying to bleed the brakes and when I first bleed them the peddle stiffens up but as soon as I tighten the bleed screw back up I have to pump the brakes 3 to 5 times to get any tension in the peddle and it still goes to the floor.

I have searched and I have not found any leaks that are visible any way can some one give me an idea of what could be wrong.

[lmdew]

First, put a 2x4 on the floor under the brake pedal so it does not go to the floor in an area of the master cylinder where it has not been going.  It can take out the seal.

 

1) With a hose on the bleeder going into some brake fluid pump until you have a firm brake

2) With light pressure on the brake, loosen the nut to let the old fluid come out

3) Repeat steps 1&2 until you have clean air free fluid coming out of the brake.

 

Make sure you don't run the master cylinder out of fluid.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Motive-Products-101-System-Bleeder/dp/B00CJ5DWKO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1454529257&sr=8-5&keywords=motive+products+brake+bleeder

 

Worth every penny.

[porcupine73]

Right I'd say first make sure you're bleeding them correctly, it sort of sounds like you're almost saying you're loosening the bleed screw then pumping the brakes a few times then tightening it. If the bleed procedure is correct you could do the booster check that's pretty easy, it's basically with the engine running you step on the brake and then turn the engine off and the pedal shouldn't drop, then you pump the pedal about 3 times, each time it should get harder and harder to press. Then with your foot on the brake you start the engine and the pedal should drop. (It shouldn't drop to the floor in any of these cases, and if it has while you've been working on it, it's possible the master is damaged if as lmdew mentioned a seal or cup got damaged by being forced into a rusty area of the cylinder.

[5subies]

No I know how to bleed brakes I am pumping then holding the brake while some one cracks the bleeder screw for me.

I have checked all the seals and most of the stuff is new except for the master cylinder so I will have to check that.

Thank you imdew for the suggestion I will keep posting with my progress.

Thank you for the help

[idosubaru]

subaru master cylidner failure is extremely rare.  i've never seen it and the ones i replaced ended up not fixing the original issue i was tracking (same symptoms are yours). 

 

hard to bleed issues are often rusty brake lines on top of the gas tank.  since they aren't accessible/visible you can't see the area to look for a leak. 

once enough fluid collects on top of the tank then the gas will flow over the top/edges of the tank and be seen dribbling down the side. 

 

crawl under there and smell for gas (if you have a good sense of smell).

otherwise you just keep trying to fix it until finally it blows out and really leaks hard enough to see it.

 

access the lines under the rear seat - splice in new line and snake it through and under the car - not too bad.

if you're not comfortable making the flared fittings you can always bend the line in place - and drive the car to a mechanic to finish the connecting portion of the job. 

i'm not recommending this because you'll wreck and die but what I do is drive by downshift/parking brake at 2am/low traffic time. 

[gbhrps]

5subies,

 

I'm going to share a problem I found on a friend's vehicle 10 years ago during a brake bleed. He removed the calipers from the car to clean and lube the slide pins, etc., but upon reattaching them to the car, he ended up swapping the calipers side to side. Consequently his bleed screws were on the bottom of the calipers and the trapped air could not escape when he opened the screws. Is it possible that you've done the same thing?

[rabbidrabbit]

What fluid are you using? I bought some Autozone fluid for my 70 Beetle and it was bad. Switched to something else(Prestone?) and they finally pumped up. I had just replaced everything from the master to the wheel cylinders, lines hard and soft included.

[Bushwick]

I gotta agree with Gary. You most likely have a pinhole on a rusted section, somewhere else on the car, and it's slowly undoing what you've bled.

 

 

I have a 95' Legacy Wagon I've had for roughly 2 years now, or Oct of the year I joined here. I bought the car with a completely rotted rear crossmember (car would move in driveway, but rear was just free-floating AND a rear brake line was shot).

 

I replaced rear crossmember, and that brake line section. I pumped the brakes, then wedged a long snow scraper onto the still-pressed brake pedal and wedged other end off seat track. Got out, and starting with the furthest away bleeder, cracked it loose until air escaped, then closed. Went back and pumped brakes again, rinse/repeat for all bleeders until air stopped exiting and only fluid exited, then topped of reservoir in between as needed.

 

Last year, I had an idiot plow truck back right out in front of me from a driveway, forcing me to stand on the brakes, which caused another leak, up near the passenger-front caliper, where the metal line bends hard to feed into the body hole of engine compartment, and snakes up to the ABS pump. Was able to limp car to DR. appt., then drove it (barely) to a local AZ where I swapped the line in the parking lot, and got enough pedal to get me home.

 

Once again, bled brakes same as before, and they've held since. If your fluid level is dropping AFTER you've "bled" the system, you still have a leak somewhere. I suggest pulling up on DRY pavement (hopefully underside of car is dry too as water can mask leaks) and try pumping it more, then look under car, above rear crossmember, in engine compartment where lines feed out of ABS pump, etc.

 

Also, while not overly powerful, brake fluid DOES have an odor. It's not as strong as coolant leaking, but if you are close to the leak, you'll smell it. Keep it OFF painted surfaces as it'll remove paint like chemical stripper does.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Bushwick