Brake help

[Lil-Red]

I dont have any brakes. I cracked the bleeder from the driver side and confirmed that there is fluid leaving. I did the same for the pass. side and pumped the pedal like crazy and no fluid came out. I do have enough fluid in the res.. I do have vac. at the booster. When I hit the pedal, it goes to the floor. When I hold it down the pedal slowly goes further to the floor. After a short bit, the idle does slow a bit and then comes back to normal. I am not fluent on brakes. What may be the cause, where do I go from here? At this point I have the car in the air. When I put it in gear, rotors spin. When I hit the brakes, the rotors do stop, briefly, and start up again while i am still in gear.


Thanks

B

[batstiva]

No obvious signs of brake fluid leakage at any of the wheels,at the master cylinder, or along the lines? So, the fronts, when you hit the brakes with the car in the air stop, and then move again. If you set the parking brake, can you turn the rear wheels? Also, may want to check this out.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22250

[Lil-Red]

I got the brakes to feel and work better. However there is still some travel after the pedal hits the floor. I have to pump the brakes to get the pedal to feel stiff again after i hit them once. I cannot see any obvious fluid leaking or any loss from the res. is it possible to have a leak in the valves leaking back ino the res.? I am sure i am bleeding them right. i had my wife pump the pedal until i got a steady stream of fluid, then held the pedal until i tightend the bleeder. Is this corect?

the master is from 1988, is it worth the money just to buy a new master and just be done with that? I thnk the booster is ok, i dont seem have any vac. loss. (not that it would have anything to do with me stopping)

[j-stauf7]

To bleed the brakes have her pump the pedal until it is hard, then with her applying steady pressure to brake pedal open bleeder screw then close bleeder before flow completly stops. Repeat until steady stream of fluid comes with bleeder open. I was not sure but it seemed as if you had the wife pumping the pedal with the bleeder open, and if this is the case every time she lifts her foot the car is sucking air back into system.

[worfdog]

My 88 festiva was doing the same thing last year. The master cylinder was bad. Fluid was leaking back by the rubber washers, back to the res. I just went and bought a new one at a parts store, two hours later i had good brakes again.

[miami man]

yep back in the 70s and early 80s when i worked at a full service gas station it was my job to pump up the brakes and hold down the pedal while the mechanic opened the bleaders then let it go down to the floor then he closed it then we repeated the process over and over again until the pedel felt high and hard.

[JoDan]

My 88 festiva was doing the same thing last year. The master cylinder was bad. Fluid was leaking back by the rubber washers, back to the res. I just went and bought a new one at a parts store, two hours later i had good brakes again.

I was going to mention this... my master cylinder when bad and I replaced it and it fixed all my brake problems... don't forget to bench bleed it if it turns out being the cylinder.

[jglutz]

The proper process:
Have someone press the bedal down at a rate that takes tow to three seconds they must pressit all the way down. Just after they srat pushing you open the bleeder screw and must close it before they get all the way down. Repeat until the stream of fluid is continuous. Repeat for all four wheels.

I tell my helper 'Down' and they say 'Down' when they are there...After I have the bleeder closed I say up and the relase the pedal and say "up when they are there. It's important that the keep their foot on the pedal to start pressing as soon as you say 'down'. Any mis-cue will allow air back in.

Your sympton....pedal gets stiff after pumping...is a sign of air in the circuit. Being the case...check for leaks everywhere. You probalbly should loosen the Master cylinder from the vacuum housing an pull away enoug to look inside for any wetness. A very common point of a hidden leak.

[Lil-Red]

I had the wife pump, pump and holddown, then i set the screw. I removed the master, and it did have some "moisture" behind the screws. I think i will replace the master. you guys will have to school me on bench bleeding. I am not familiar with that.

Thanks

B

[jglutz]

Make sure the new M/C comes with a bleed kit or ask for one.

The bleed kit you need with include teo small fittings...usually platic...that screw into the outlet ports...the other end of the fittings are liitle barbs the small hoses that slide over the barbs. The other ends of the hoses are place into the reservoir...touching botttom. next mont the reservoir in the car ot in a vice or hold it level on a work bench.

fill the reservoir to the max fill line. If mounted on the car have some one slowly pump the pedal...if in a vice or on the bench with a blunt object...phillips screw driver...press the piston in and out. Continue pumping until all of the air in the hoses disappear. LEave the bleed kit in place until you are ready to connect the lines in the car.

[Lil-Red]

Thank you!. I tried the gravity bleed and it only worked on the driver side. doesn't matter, i ill have a new m/c soon

Thanks

B