Trouble bleeding brakes

[poke0224]

I have a 2001 infiniti I30. I changed the brakes and rotors today. Problem is I've bleed the brakes several times, several different ways, but they still fill mushy. I've tried with the car running and off. I've started at the drivers side back tire working my way around to the front driver side tire, using the two person apply break, open bleeder, close bleeder, and release brake. Once at the start I thought the breaks felt firm, but there was a brake indicator light that came on. According to the manual this means there is something wrong with the brakes leading to the repeat bleeding and mushy brakes. Does anyone know what it could be?

[srpowered240sx]

is there a pad sensor that needs to be changed? otherwise i would have a shop bleed the brakes, obviously somethings not working right.

[Joe]

youre bleeding it incorrectly

do this, jack the car up and make it as level as possible, remove all 4 wheels:

1) open the bleeder farthest away from your brake master (pass rear) then the 2nd farthest (drivers rear) etc etc till all 4 bleeders are open

2) open the cap on your brake master cylinder

3) let fluid drain. it make take a significant amount of time for all the air to come out but this is a surefire way to bleed brakes, its called gravity bleeding. takes all the BS of opening and closing the bleeder and pumping the brakes out of it if youre unfamiliar with the process.

[PoorManQ45]

youre bleeding it incorrectly

do this, jack the car up and make it as level as possible, remove all 4 wheels:

1) open the bleeder farthest away from your brake master (pass rear) then the 2nd farthest (drivers rear) etc etc till all 4 bleeders are open

2) open the cap on your brake master cylinder

3) let fluid drain. it make take a significant amount of time for all the air to come out but this is a surefire way to bleed brakes, its called gravity bleeding. takes all the BS of opening and closing the bleeder and pumping the brakes out of it if youre unfamiliar with the process.

That's exactly how I learned to do it. I've always had trouble with the two people pump method.

a Vacuum bleeder speeds up the process a lot if you're in a hurry. They're only like $10 and very useful!

If none of this works I'd consider swapping the master cylinder.

[Dattebayo]

3) let fluid drain. it make take a significant amount of time for all the air to come out but this is a surefire way to bleed brakes, its called gravity bleeding. takes all the BS of opening and closing the bleeder and pumping the brakes out of it if youre unfamiliar with the process.

Gravity bleeding really only works well with dry pipes. I can say it does work sometimes, but the only way to be sure is to empty everything out first.

Maybe you have different experience, but I can name at least 10 professionals who say it's the best way.

[Joe]

yea ive never had issues gravity bleeding both in a technician role and in my personal life on my racecar

[PoorManQ45]

3) let fluid drain. it make take a significant amount of time for all the air to come out but this is a surefire way to bleed brakes, its called gravity bleeding. takes all the BS of opening and closing the bleeder and pumping the brakes out of it if youre unfamiliar with the process.

Gravity bleeding really only works well with dry pipes. I can say it does work sometimes, but the only way to be sure is to empty everything out first.

Maybe you have different experience, but I can name at least 10 professionals who say it's the best way.

What kind of issues have you have with gravity bleeding?

I just gravity bled some brakes on a liberty. One of the drums wasn't flowing. So I started it with a single pump of the pedal by another person. After that it was fine.

[flohtingPoint]

youre bleeding it incorrectly

do this, jack the car up and make it as level as possible, remove all 4 wheels:

1) open the bleeder farthest away from your brake master (pass rear) then the 2nd farthest (drivers rear) etc etc till all 4 bleeders are open

2) open the cap on your brake master cylinder

3) let fluid drain. it make take a significant amount of time for all the air to come out but this is a surefire way to bleed brakes, its called gravity bleeding. takes all the BS of opening and closing the bleeder and pumping the brakes out of it if youre unfamiliar with the process.

I've never done brakes this way, just pressure and vac, so I'm intrigued. The Corolla is being extremely tempermental regarding its brakes right now and I'm just about to shelve the car for the rest of the year because of it (already replaced master cyl and bench bled the hell out of it). Gravity bleeding may be the answer I'm looking for.

Now, do you hook up hoses to the bleeders and have bottles of fluid at the bottom so no air can get in?

How are you checking each bleeder for air?

Which order do you close the bleeders, or does it matter?

[PoorManQ45]

Not that you're asking me, but honestly, I gravity bleed one at a time. I've never had issues just letting the fluid run down the caliper when I don't have a hose handy.

The only time I'd think air would be an issue is if the bleeder weren't at the top of the caliper(never even seen that!).

What type of issue are you having with the Corolla? Maybe we can help.

[Rev_D21]

If the master went dry it will need to be bench bled as well. I have done this while still on the truck and it worked well, takes two people though.

[Encryptshun]

Does your car have bleeders on the ABS module as well?

[poke0224]

Thanks for the reply. But I have one question. Do I do the gravity bleed with the car running or off. I ask because when I did the pumping method with the car off the brakes got firmer, but as soon as I turned the car on they went soft.

[PoorManQ45]

Wait, did you have two people when you did the pumping method? Because you can't do it yourself.

[Dattebayo]

Yeah, if you have ABS, you should just take the car to a shop. They will need to powerbleed it if that is so.

[PoorManQ45]

Yeah, if you have ABS, you should just take the car to a shop. They will need to powerbleed it if that is so.

Yep. I hate when you get a little air in the ABS circuit! The system just acts weird!

[poke0224]

Yes i had two people doing the pumping method.

[AppleBonker]

Yes i had two people doing the pumping method.

[PoorManQ45]

Yes i had two people doing the pumping method.

[poke0224]

Alright so I had to give up last night trouble shooting these brakes due to lack of light. Went out this morning to move the car to a more level spot so I could try this gravity bleeding. To my surprise brakes are great nice and firm and no break light. Drove around my apartment complex for 45min. testing them out and no problems.

Thanks for all your help.

Was looking forward to trying the gravity method. I'll keep it mind for the next time.