I just did the brakes on an '05 DGC; new calipers, pads and rotors. Used the new copper washers that came in the box of calipers. One washer on either side of the brake line block. This is the first time I've ever had this issue but BOTH sides will NOT seal. I've pulled the bolt several times to inspect the surface of the bolt head, caliper sealing surface and block at the end of the brake line. All surfaces appear normal and clean. Reassemble and bleed and they start to drip.

This is on BOTH sides, not just one. I thought I finally had it sealed toward the end of the day yesterday but I inspected them today and both show signs of drippage.

any ideas???

 

I did a front brake job on my '03 a few weeks ago, and had bought pads and rotors, planning to not replace the calipers. But then a bad caliper piston showed up, and I didn't want to mess around with rebuilding it, so I went to Autozone and picked up a Duralast reman caliper. Turns out the washers that were included with the caliper were just slightly too large. The difference in size was very little, but the new washers were just large enough to not be able to drop into the recess of the caliper brake line fitting. I figured that reusing the old ones would probably be ok, and with no leaks, that appears to be true.
I know for certain that those replacement washers would have leaked. So could this also have happened to you? Did you compare the old washers to the new ones?

 

New washers appeared to be the same size as the old ones. In fact after pulling the brake line for the 4th time I decided to clean up the old ones and reuse them thinking it was a size thing also. Still leaked.

Today I will buy new copper washers and new banjo bolts and see if that fixes anything. Other than that I'm at a loss...

 

Well, that is hard to figure. I tightened to spec using a torque wrench - did you also? I'm no mechanic, and figure it's better to go by the book spec than just guess how tight to go. But since you probably tried tightening it up some more after it leaked, that's probably not the reason either.

 

I am having the same problem on my 02 Grand Caravan.

I have replaced all the calipers and hoses, and after getting everything put in, after sitting for a few hours there was a puddle of brake fluid on the floor under the right rear wheel. It turned out to be leaking between the BRAND NEW hose and the BRAND NEW (reman) caliper, both Wearever from Advance Auto Parts. It is a banjo bolt fitting with two copper washers that bolts a block on the end of the hose to the caliper. I pulled it apart to make sure both washers were in place. They were, but I changed them anyway and made sure the bolt was torqued to 35 ft-lbs as spec'd in the service manual. The leak stopped under normal pressure, but when I asked my friend to depress the brake pedal it still leaked.


I can take the parts back and demand new ones but that is a lot of work and I will have to wait for them to order the parts - do you have any other suggestions? The leak appears to be between the block at the end of the hose and the caliper, not between the head of the banjo bolt and the hose block. I thought about doubling the washer in case there is too much space machined into the depression where the washer goes on the end of the hose - what do you think about that idea? Or perhaps thicker washers are available?

 

This .... Many times I've had to reuse the factory ones until I could get new factory ones. Aftermarket kinda sucks anymore really.

 

this thread is familiar, have to use the old one's, the new ones are slightly too large.

 

Followup - it turned out the reman'd caliper had a quality issue. The seating surface for the Cu washer should have been machined but had not been. I took the caliper back and got another one and the problem disappeared. Vehicle is back on the road.