# Bled Brakes and still no...



## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

So I just got done changing all my rotors and rear calipers (mk4 conversion from MJM) and bled my brakes today (rear passenger first, rear driver, front passenger then ended with driver front) and im still getting not getting any breaks or even pressure in the pedal, any ideas of what it could be?:banghead:

(everything worked prior to me replacing the back calipers)


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## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

Did the reservoir go dry at any point? If so, you have air in the master cylinder. What method are you using to bleed the brakes? Pressure bleeder?


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

The reservoir had fluid the whole time. I pumped the brakes for about 40 times then while my foot was down I had a bud break open the bleeder (did this about 4 times to each caliper, started with passenger rear then driver rear, passenger front, driver front)


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## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

Four times isn't enough. Anyone looking for bubbles? Can you borrow a pressure bleeder from someone?


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## ohyeaitsagti (Apr 28, 2008)

did you blow the master cylinder out pumping the medal to hard?


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## Little Golf Mklll (Nov 27, 2007)

Did you put a block under the brake pedal so the master cylinder wouldn't bottom out? I've seen a lot of older masters destroyed.


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

Little Golf Mklll said:


> Did you put a block under the brake pedal so the master cylinder wouldn't bottom out? I've seen a lot of older masters destroyed.


is that so the pedal doesnt go to the floor?


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## greyhare (Dec 24, 2003)

Yes.

On MC's that have been in service for a while there can be a buildup of sludge/debris near the end of the peddle stroke. When the seals move past this point they may be damaged causing internal leaks.


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

greyhare said:


> Yes.
> 
> On MC's that have been in service for a while there can be a buildup of sludge/debris near the end of the peddle stroke. When the seals move past this point they may be damaged causing internal leaks.


I'm a little shady about picking up master cylinder from the junkyard anything visually I can look at to make sure it'll do


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## TheBossQ (Aug 15, 2009)

membersonly said:


> I'm a little shady about picking up master cylinder from the junkyard anything visually I can look at to make sure it'll do


Don't get your MC from a junkyard. Anything other than new, or at worst, a donor MC known by you to be fully functional is the only way to go. Brakes are nothing to try to save a buck on.

DBC has it for $32. GAP is closer to you and has it for $39.


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

TheBossQ said:


> Don't get your MC from a junkyard. Anything other than new, or at worst, a donor MC known by you to be fully functional is the only way to go. Brakes are nothing to try to save a buck on.
> 
> DBC has it for $32. GAP is closer to you and has it for $39.


Sorry whats DBC and GAP


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## rajuncajun37 (Apr 25, 2008)

membersonly said:


> Sorry whats DBC and GAP


here you geaux, noob:
http://www.dbcperformance.com/


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

thanks


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

And, GAP:
http://www.germanautoparts.com/
And, they're in NY. Nice & close for you, makes for fast shipping.  

A couple of thoughts on your bleeding issues, too:
- a power bleeder is your friend. Makes the job a lot easier, faster, and more reliable. _Anyone_ you know you can borrow one from?
- Rear calipers are mounted 'inverted' (bleeder screws pointing down) there, yes? If so, you need to have the calipers hanging (and, blocked with a peice of wood, or a brake-spreader tool, C-clamp, etc.) in order to bleed them. Angle-of-dangle matters, too - the bleeder needs to be the highest point, and above the hose inlet. Any other position will make bleeding them impossible.


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## HeartOfGold (Nov 26, 2006)

cuppie said:


> - Rear calipers are mounted 'inverted' (bleeder screws pointing down) there, yes? If so, you need to have the calipers hanging (and, blocked with a peice of wood, or a brake-spreader tool, C-clamp, etc.) in order to bleed them. Angle-of-dangle matters, too - the bleeder needs to be the highest point, and above the hose inlet. Any other position will make bleeding them impossible.


News to me. Is this for when you've done a major repair/upgrade, or just general day to day brake bleed?


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

cuppie said:


> And, GAP:
> http://www.germanautoparts.com/
> And, they're in NY. Nice & close for you, makes for fast shipping.
> 
> ...


This is re to me as well I did rverse mount them


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

Bleed-screws-down? Then, yeah - you have to remove them & flip them right-side-up to bleed the brakes.
(Unless you monkey with the brake pipes, and managed to find the Super Double Secret 'long' brake cables (if you want parking brakes), this applies to all MkI cars, and (IIRC) 'early' (at least thru '88) MkII cars, when installing the MkIV rear calipers on them.)
Can't bleed a brake, when the bleed screw is at the bottom of said brake. Air wants to rise, ya know....

@ HeartOfGold:
If the rears are mounted upside-down, you *might* be able to get away with not removing them to do a maintenance brake fluid change (pressure bleeder would be highly recommended); but, you still might manage to pull some air into the caliper. Not hard to take them off & block them....  
If you're doing an actual brake bleed (read: you had something upstream of the rear calipers disconnected), then you'd absolutely need to pull & flip the things.


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

I guess that's where all the mess I learned in high school physics was suppose to kick in


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## dkvw92 (Feb 21, 2002)

Didn't see anyone mention that in order to get more brake fluid pressure to the rear calipers the rear suspension needs to be loaded to raise the pressure the proportioning valve will let by.


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## bassep (Apr 11, 2010)

Dragging this thread back with a quick question.
I have a 02 GTI - can the VW rear brakes be bled using a vacuum type bleeder (like a mityvac pump) attached to the bleed nipple as opposed to using a Motiv pressure bleeder style. Are there any problems in the VW caliper design for this type of bleeder or should I just invest in a pressure bleeder? 
I already have the vacuum pump style and don't want to spend money on a pressure bleeder if I don't have to.


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## membersonly (May 29, 2005)

bassep said:


> Dragging this thread back with a quick question.
> I have a 02 GTI - can the VW rear brakes be bled using a vacuum type bleeder (like a mityvac pump) attached to the bleed nipple as opposed to using a Motiv pressure bleeder style. Are there any problems in the VW caliper design for this type of bleeder or should I just invest in a pressure bleeder?
> I already have the vacuum pump style and don't want to spend money on a pressure bleeder if I don't have to.


Harbor Freight sells one for cheap, but DO NOT buy their pump mine broke without even getting a single pump out of the bleeder


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## bassep (Apr 11, 2010)

So, I take it that means that you can use a vacuum style pump on the rear brakes on the mk4 GTI/Jetta ?


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