If you already bled them I would just wait a little and bleed them again. You should have no air bubbles left in the line when you are bleeding, I even got rid of the little ones. I really don't think the dealer will do more than you already are. With all the work you did to your brakes you will have a LOT of air in the lines.

Also keep in mind that while your brakes set in and the rears re-adjust themselves it will feel a little spongy, mine did, and then it went away in a day.

 

I have never seen this tool. In fact, I am not even sure it exists. Anywhere, not even with mechanics. They make vacuum tools, but they don't replace any fluid, they simply create a vacuum to pull the fluid from the master cylinder to the bleeder valve, eliminating the need for a second person to push the brakes, and there is absolutely no way you are pulling moisture from the brake fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, which is why you should never reuse it or use old opened bottles of it, because it has had a chance to absorb water and change its properties, such as freezing and boiling points.

 

dbilik,

Thanks for setting us straight. I was crossing my lines and mixing characteristics of the vacuum tools for a/c systems (pulling moisture out) and vacuum tools for the brakes. I thought that I saw one that also replaced the fluid (guess not).

 

what we did with the 4 pistons, we put all 4 of those blue hoses into a half gallon bucket (that we washed and cleaned), and did it that way. So that air got pushed out of the pistons, and fluid got pulled in from the vacuum.

 

So maybe I'm not crazy lol

 

If you have bled them correctly - farthest to nearest 3 or 4 times - & you still have air you may have a loose line somewhere in the system.

The dealers tell you that the proportion valve will catch bubbles so they have to use the power tool to make sure there are no bubbles. That is a bunch of bull.

I've bled brakes on 20 different ABS, disc/disc & disc/drum cars & trucks. Even done a complete system like you describe here.

Just be patient & make sure you keep the master cyl full or you will suck in an air bubble at the top of the system & will need to push it all the way through before you feel good pedal.

You say they are still spongy - are they to the floor & no stop spongy? or are the stop kind of OK but wish it were better spongy?

If they still go to the floor - you still have air & lots of it. If you can stop but want the pedal to be better it may be two things.

1. more air - but a small amount. Air compresses & hydrolic fluid does not. so when you step on the pedal the air compresses instead of the caliper.
2. You need to let the new calipers adjust out & brake in the new brake pads.

I just put a new caliper on my 04 dakota last weekend. Had good firm pedal when they bled. Nearly crashed backing out of the garage because the caliper had not extended out to the disc. I needed to pump the brakes 5 or 6 times to set the caliper (while rolling backwards - it was scary). Then I was all good.

Be patient - you can do this.

 

Been there, done that. Always the overlooked step.

 

I use the vacuum tool to pull the fluid into the caliper, but I always get somone to push the pedal and bleed the brakes with the bleeder valves, still the best and most reliable way to bleed, in my opinion and the opinion of many others.

I agree with Midget, there isn't any magical tool that will do anything more than what you can do at home. Just need to take your time and be patient, sometimes it seems like you are never going to stop bleeding, but eventually, you will get the air out.

Lol, I did the same thing backing up too, almost didn't stop backing up. Its that first test drive that will get ya.

 

thanks alot everyone for the advice, yesterday while doing the front differential i noticed a leak from one of my new fittings, that may be the cause of my troubles.

 

I have the 4 wheel ABS on my '97 also. When I changed caliper I put a piece of tubing on the bleeder screw and put it in a jar of fluid, so after the tube was full, it kept it from sucking air back in, just in case my helper let up on the pedal. Worked like a charm, had the brakes bled in no time. Only had to bleed the fronts.