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Brake bleeding / blood letting 98 Outback


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                 SOOOOOOOOOOOO  ,,,,,

 

 

     I pulled this car in the garage.....  I don't know .... maybe two weeks ago...........  AND  things have certainly mushroomed.......

 

           WHich  happens...........

 

  

              Prior to this

                   I figured I had a leak in the brake system........Cuz I had to add fluid on two ocassions

 

       AND

 

              I mean brakes where ok..(was stopping ok)......  

 

       Though

                   the rear brakes where not squeezing like they should....... (indicated by rear discs not being shiny)

 

 

      SOOoooo,,

 

                          I replaced both brake lines in the rear(rear driver's side rotted out)   with the lovely  NICOPP stuff....... thanks for the tip.... nice stuff....

                      I replaced them right from the spot where both lines pop down through the rear floor on passenger side below rear seat.....

                      The existing brass junction,,, I was able to reuse.... ran the lines back from there to the Flexies......

 

 

          MY DEBACLE::::

 

                             I can't seem to get  a brake pedal........    I bled the air from all the wheels...........

                                              

                       QUESTION????

 

                                          What about this ABS unit........  Can I bleed this thing????????

 

                                          I haven't needed to in the past..... I put  calipers on.... did just a standard bleeding

 

 

                    OTHERWISE::::

 

                                               THen I feel the master cylinder is bad.....  (but, I drove it in the garage... It was ok)

 

 

                     Your thoughts

 

                                                        Thanks, Micky

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Double check your connections are tight. Passive bleeding procedure.  Fill master cly. Open the bleeder on the rt rear . Pour a cup of coffee ... sit down and wait. Fluid should start to flow ... close bleeder , let the same thing happen on the left rear. Check pedal . If necessary do the same in front. If you get fluid gravity flow at all wheels and still have no pedal and no leaks , suspect your master. 

Edited by montana tom
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Did you let the master cylinder leak dry when you had the brake lines apart? If you did, you'll have to start by bleeding the master cylinder, ABS pump, all the lines, etc.

 

Also make sure the bleeder screws in the calipers aren't plugged up. If they haven't had the condoms on them they fill up with crust and plug up. Remove the bleeder screws and clean them out with a piece of wire and brake cleaner.

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Apologies for the vague reply....

 

 

     Was on my phone.... couldn't type much more...

 

    I like the tool above and would consider something like that......  basically. looks like the tool, turns brake bleeding into a one person job.......

 

             I have been using the two person method..........  Has been ok...... though, the second party involved in the brake bleeding sometimes gets impatient and complains.

 

                  The rear lines where separated... system was open for several hours but, the brake reservoir cap was on....  Some fluid lead out....

                            not a ton of fluid leaked out???????   maybe two ounces or so..........

 

                              Anyway,

                                                  I don't really want to go and buy some aftermarket Brake Master Cylinder....(that has a predetermined expiration date, probably)

                                               (**** and I have never replaced a brake master ever in my life of driving Subies ---  This is the Sixth Subie  to own)

 

                                         Soooooooo   I have to   try and run more than a quart of fluid through the lines........... SOOOO I am off to buy more brak fluid.....

 

                                 NOW,

                                             The Subies I have owned are all  Old GENS.....  Do these OUTBACK Master Cylinders Go bad Is it a common problem Let Me know?

                                                                   I

                             Thanks, Micky

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They don't commonly fail. I wouldn't suspect it failed all of a sudden after brake line work, either.

It doesn't matter if the cap was on the reservoir, it can still leak out with the brake lines open.

 

Also check the bleeders to see if they are clogged ...

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Keep bleeding it. Make sure the bleeder screw base or hose you’re using aren’t sucking air back into the caliper during you’re procedure.

 

1. You just need to bleed the snot out of them. Whatever you did - do it 3 more times or more. I’ve had the same thing happen on old generation subarus too. If the entire system is emptied - large amounts of line or MC ran dry or system left dripping - they can take fooorrrreeeever to bleed and you swear something is wrong but it’s not. And then sometimes they don’t.

 

2. Newer generation are just like older gen with very few failures. Most replacements end up being misdiagnosis.

 

3. ABS means nothing, they bleed just like nonABS subarus although the FSM does indicate some obtuse process for activating ABS during the bleeding procedure.

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THanks for the feed back...........  I'll keep at it.....

 

  I picked up another quart of fluid......   I am in the process of gravity dripping it.... and then I will

 

  Have someone pump up the brakes and bleed it that way as well........  

 

I did replace three calipers about 3k ago..... only one is original (still had it's condom)

 

  We proceed onward :ph34r:;)

 

Micky

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Just did a two person bleed...

 

                  Did all four calipers,,,,,,,,,,  left rear  had a little nice audible sound of (jzzzzzsprkktttt!)  [air]

 

 

                             Got a pedal  , seems like it is a consistent pedal height while pressing..  BUT NOT SUPER HIGH (like I am used to, though) (what is other people's pedal height like?)

                              I am not used to having rear disc, not complaining......  Some change in life is good....

 

                             I will check the pedal height tomorrow....

 

                             It feels  as ok enough that I would now at least drive the vehicle to  see how it behaves on the road...

 

                            She is up on Jack stands at the moment with the wheels off.....

 

                               I am still in the process of winter preparations for mean ol' nasty "Mr.Salty" :angry:

 

 

                      Thanks, Micky

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Yeah, She is all good!

 

   Pedal felt really nice this morning....

 

 I will get back to  rust prevention now.......

 

 I should be able to wrap this up ..... Start using this car again...

 

 I would like to run the buffer on her..... and pop the interior door panels off and hit the inside joints on the doors with cavity wax... Stuff works wonders!

 

Peace, Micky

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