# Brake bleeding problem Eurovan!!!



## shawn198912 (Jul 10, 2015)

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum and I desperately need a helping hand with advice!!! I decided to help out a friend with a '97 Eurovan, 2.4 diesel, as he reported a brake problem, I noticed the brake pedal would only build pressure up to a certain extent (not fully firm still spongy) but when you hold it ,it gradually sinks down to the floor. My first thought was to check all over for brake fluid and there was no leaks. Master cylinder fluid was at the same level, so suspected immediately the master cylinder to be faulty as I've had a similar problem in the past. Ordered a new master cylinder (correct bore diameter 23mm) out with the old in with the new installed my pressure bleeder tool and pumped it to 10 psi. Checked all over master cylinder and no leaks were found so, went on with bleeding. Started at rear right, opened the bleeder let the fluid out, massive bubbles and shut it once it was nice color and free of bubbles. Passed on to rear left and fluid flow was weak, and after a while it was getting weaker and weaker until nothing would drip out. Thought there would be air trapped somewhere so proceeded with bleeding the fronts (front right then left). Retried the same procedure and still nothing out of rear left. Tried opposite procedure (closest to furtherest) and still nothing out of rear left . I know I have to bleed clutch slave cylinder also but couldn't do it yet since it was awkwardly positioned and going back again tommorow with more tools to gain access to it, but still I doubt it would cause a fluid blocage. Anyways, took my pressure bleeder off, and tried to pump the brake pedal a few times to try to clear the blocage but it didn't do anything at all and the pedal was soft as hell. I tried removing the bleeder screw, no fluid, went up to the flex line closest to the rear proportioning valve and still no fluid. My suspicion is that the prop. valve on the rear left circuit is clogged, but I can't confirm it because I wasn't able to remove the input line of that side [email protected]#$/! rusted and seized up good!! Tried removing the union under driver door area and (picked wrong line first and fluid was flowing (obviously was rear right)) but rear left union was still too hard to remove as I started to strip off the hex from the union (in case you ask, yes I use flare wrenchs). Now I'm up to a point I don't know what to do anymore. I do realize I might of made a mistake by not bench bleeding the M/C first but I told myself it wasn't a necessity since I'm pressure bleeding and not jerking fluid back and forth with the old pedal method. I red somewhere I should remove bleeder screw (or loosen it) remove appropriate M/C line (in my opinion remove all 4 just to be sure) and apply compressed air to the clogged brake line. Now I have no experience in introducing compressed air in a brake line and I cannot confirm where fluid flows or not on driver door area union or brake proportioning valve since rust is my enemy. I do have experience with brakes, done tons of pad rotor replacements and rebuild recently all 4 calipers on my 525i e34. But this " no fluid " deal is got me stumped!!! I thought about just bypassing the prop. valve with hard lines but would make the rear lock up faster than front and won't be safe for my buddy. That is if it isn't as dumb as trapped air.

Anyways, would appreciate any advice, of course surrender is not an option, I hate to give up on something I started.


----------

