I need some brembo brake bleeding help

RazorbackMustang

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I'm at my wits end. I installed the Ford Racing Brembo 4-piston brake upgrade kit that my wife got me for Christmas.

I followed the (marginal) directions to a T, not like it's complicated anyway. I did only one side at a time so as not to open the brake system a lot at one time. At first, I did not install the rear stainless lines that came in the kit, I only swapped the front stuff. After installation, I bled the brakes using a mighty vac hand bleeder kit (I was by myself). The reservoir never got even close to being low. After spending 1.5 hours bleeding, I never could get any pedal firmness and the car didn't stop worth a damn.

Next day, I enlisted my wife to help me bleed them in the normal way. Apply pedal pressure, crack bleeder, close bleeder, release pedal, etc. After seeing no air bubbles coming through the line and nice solid fluid coming out, we called it good. Still not pedal firmness and car still won't stop.

I let the car sit for a week at this point. Then, my brother and I went ahead and changed the rear lines out to the stainless ones. So, once we were done with this we proceeded to bleed all four corners. Starting with passenger side rear, then to driver side rear, then passenger side front, then driver side front. No bubbles, solid fluid from all six bleeders. Same result, no pedal firmness and the car won't stop.

Next day, removed Brembo calipers and shook them, tapped them with a rubber mallet. I didn't remove the lines so as not to open the system again. Re-bled the front calipers, no bubbles, nice solid fluid. No change in pedal firmness and the car won't stop.

I've bled the Brembo calipers using both methods, inner bleeder first then outer and outer bleeder first then inner.

I'm out of ideas. I don't see how air could have gotten into the master cylinder. The reservoir never got close to being low. I've gone through two quarts of DOT4 brake fluid. I can't get any more air out of the system.

When bleeding and the car is not running, the pedal gets firm AF. As soon as you start the engine, the pedal gets spongy as hell.

I've now reinstalled the stock brakes, bled, same result. Can't get any decent braking force.

It's been mentioned that air could have gotten into the ABS module. HOW THE FUCK? I can't find anyone else that's had this much trouble.

Help. I'm about to set the car on fire.
 

Gabe

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You have the calipers installed so the bleeder screws are on top, right?
 

Macman45

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Air in the ABS module, you might need Ford to bleed the entire system, ABS module etc on their bleeder system. They whined it's possible air gets into that module and you can't get it out unless you do a full flush through there.
 

RazorbackMustang

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Air in the ABS module, you might need Ford to bleed the entire system, ABS module etc on their bleeder system. They whined it's possible air gets into that module and you can't get it out unless you do a full flush through there.

I guess that's where it's heading. I just don't understand how that could have happened. I seem to be the only person that's ever had this problem.
 

casper gt

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might be a dumb question but when your bleeding the brakes with the engine off you do have the key on to power up the abs module, correct?
 

01yellerCobra

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Do you have any braking force all? I just went through something similar. I had decent braking, but it was mushy when first pushing on the pedal. We had some rain so I went down a side street while the roads were still damp and stomped on the brakes a few times. Came home and re-bled everything and it was good.
 

Macman45

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I guess that's where it's heading. I just don't understand how that could have happened. I seem to be the only person that's ever had this problem.

It happened to me as well. Air in the ABS module.

I had ford bleed them

Yeah it's kind of luck of the draw, if the exposure to air when you replaced calipers SOMEHOW let enough air in that it backtracked up to the module, you cannot get it out yourself. Conversely, if the air pocket was a few inches shy of the module, you could bleed it out.

Sounds like you may need to limp it over to Ford and have it Bench Bled
 

noldevin

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My car came with brembos and has been an absolute b**** to bleed every time I disconnect anything.
For whatever reason, it will only bleed properly while running. If the car is not running, I can bleed until I get a nice firm pedal and it sinks as soon as the car starts.

Even with the car running, it usually takes a few bottles of fluid to get it bled perfectly.
I have tried both the power bleeder and the old fashioned foot-on-pedal method. The power bleeder is good to get things started but I always have to finish up with the old fashioned method.
 

RazorbackMustang

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might be a dumb question but when your bleeding the brakes with the engine off you do have the key on to power up the abs module, correct?

No, key off. Didn't think the key on would do anything. However, I have bled them once with the car running. So no change there.

Do you have any braking force all? I just went through something similar. I had decent braking, but it was mushy when first pushing on the pedal. We had some rain so I went down a side street while the roads were still damp and stomped on the brakes a few times. Came home and re-bled everything and it was good.

It will stop...but not very well.

I'm guessing that's my issue. Air in the stupid ABS module which you fixed by activating the ABS.

Note to self, stick with stock brakes next time.
 

Sky Render

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Before you do that, take it to an open parking lot or empty road and stand on the brake pedal from 20 mph or so a few times to get it into ABS. Maybe that will work.
 

RazorbackMustang

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Before you do that, take it to an open parking lot or empty road and stand on the brake pedal from 20 mph or so a few times to get it into ABS. Maybe that will work.

Tried that. Can't get the ABS to activate with max pedal from 40 mph. There's that little braking force present.
 

oldVOR

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Get a tapered rubber plug from a hardware store that will fit into the reservoir cap opening. Drill a hole small to force install an 1/8" hard tube line through the rubber plug. Use a mighty-vac or similar to pull vacuum on the system. Let it sit on vacuum for a few minutes and then suddenly release the vacuum. The shock of the suddenly released vacuum will break-up large pockets of air and allow them to float upwards, it will also allow smaller air pockets that are stuck to release and float upwards.

Wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.....
 

RazorbackMustang

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Get a tapered rubber plug from a hardware store that will fit into the reservoir cap opening. Drill a hole small to force install an 1/8" hard tube line through the rubber plug. Use a mighty-vac or similar to pull vacuum on the system. Let it sit on vacuum for a few minutes and then suddenly release the vacuum. The shock of the suddenly released vacuum will break-up large pockets of air and allow them to float upwards, it will also allow smaller air pockets that are stuck to release and float upwards.

Wash, rinse, repeat as necessary.....

I'll try anything at this point. Thanks!
 

travelers

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Some of the large scanners like the SnapOn can bleed the ABS system. I've done it a few times.
 

trawoc

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for what it's worth, I had the same problem bleeding a pair of SSBC V8 8 piston big brakes that I put on. After countless containers of brake fluid running through the system and every bleeding process I could think of, I finally threw in the towel and took it to my local mechanic. He too had an issue until he hooked up a "Vacula" brake fluid vacuum that sucks (hence the name) the bubbles through the system rather than pushing pressure through the brake reservoir.

It looks like they are no longer on amazon but ebay has them under the brand name "Vacula 18-9961 Brake Fluid Vacuum Bleeder"

Hope that helps.

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