# Rear Right Caliper on MK4 GLI wont get brake fluid



## vdubluvinn (Jul 15, 2011)

Whatsup guys, this past weekend's project was replacing my rear wheel bearings. The caliper nuts were soooo beyond seized that I tried shocking them with impact tools. On the rear right caliper, I ever so lightly (as i describe it) hit the brake hard line, and cracked it. (it was quite rusted anyway.) minor setback and another headache, I went to a local shop and bought a used hardline, but one in good condition ( my boy wouldn't sell me crap let alone something that didn't even work) *Another local friend came over and put the newly purchased line in for me and connected it to all the clips and screwed it in *( not to the caliper, the back side that goes underneath the car) after finishing the rest of the bearing and hub replacements *I compressed both rear calipers and put both back on. After that I screwed in the new line to the rear right caliper. *After this me and a bud started to bleed the brake system. Attempted to bleed the rear right caliper nothing came out (i know how to bleed brakes, we bled the rest of the system)* The rear right caliper has no fluid flowing to it*, he pressed and pumped on the brakes and i was able to spin the rotor, nothing happens to the rear right caliper at all. checked for leaks of the new line and had more fluid pumped and was not able to find one. took off the rear right caliper, recompressed and re-installed the brake pads and placed the caliper back onto the rotor. still nothing. rescrewed the hard line into the caliper again, still nothing. 

BASICALLY, I am driving around with mushy brakes that i have to pump, and keep scratching my head as to why the rear right has no fluid going to it. any help would be much appreciated and any replies will receive free :beer:


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## germancarnut51 (Mar 23, 2008)

Try detaching the line from the brake caliper, and stepping on the brake pedal to verify that you have fluid flow through the replacement brake line.

On your can is the brake a hybrid with a metal section running from the front of the trailing arm and permanently attached to a skinny diameter rubber section which attaches to the brake caliper? If so, it's possible that the small diameter ribber hose has swelled internally, blocking off the fluid passage, or that the hose has clogged with debris in the brake fluid.

You can try clearing the hose or blockage by steeping on the brake pedal firmly, to try to blow it out. The only drawback to this is if the hose is weak, you could cause a blowout (of course if the hose has deteriorated that much you are better off knowing it), which would mean you will be looking for another replacement hose.

It's also possible that the bleed passage inside of the caliper has clogged up, or the bleed passage through the bleeder valve is plugged up. You can unscrew the bleeder valve and look through it, and clean the passage with a pin if it is blocked. If nothing comes out with the bleed valve removed, there's a stronger possibility that the passage in the caliper is clogged. You can try clearing it by stepping on the brake pedal firmly to try to blow it out. I have had to do this to clear brake calipers that I've bought at the salvage yard, and I can tell you from experience that this has worked for me every time.

The best time to bleed the brakes is BEFORE you compress the pistons to replace the brake pads. Gunk accumulates in the caliper piston chambers and when you bleed the brakes (replace the brake fluid) the gunk is flushed out. If you compressor the pistons without flushing the brakes first, it's possible that the pistons will jam, and the internal passageways of the caliper will get clogged with the gunk that was not flushed. It's also easier to flush the brake system before you compress the pistons because there is more room for fluid passage.

Your car should have ABS, and if you let the master cylinder run dry by accident, or air bubbles from the open brake line travel up to the ABS pump, you will need to bleed the ABS pump using VAG.COM or a trip to a VW Dealer for them to bleed the ABS for you.


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## vdubluvinn (Jul 15, 2011)

thanks man, my friend powerbled the line its all good now :thumbup: shipping adress for :beer: ?


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