Tear in brake piston boot!

[07stangcs]

Noticed my brakes were getting mushy and checked and found my brake fluid low. Filled it up and it was decently stiff for about 2 days and during those 2 days I smelt brake fluid. Found my rear driverside caliper leaking alittle. So after looking at everything I've found the piston boot/seal has a little slice in it. What's the easiest way to fix it and what would cause it?

 

[JeremyH]

New caliper. If the boot is torn dont even bother trying to fix it. Most auto stores offer a core refund, get a new caliper and turn yours in to save $.

 

[07stangcs]

Dammit! Wonder what it will be with exchange.

 

[JeremyH]

$40-50, just call around and get some price quotes. The core refund is usualy half the full cost.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Lol...we know all about that! Have fun bleeding the brakes!

 

[07stangcs]

Dammit x2!! Everything is closed and Tom. is Sunday!! Lmao at the rate it's going they will bleed themselves leaking. Made it worst when I was inspecting it. Put everything back together and pumped the brakes with the car running and watched it shoot out my rim.

 

[JeremyH]

Be careful man, dont drain the master cylinder!

 

[07stangcs]

Parked it in the garage and put the rear on stands. Don't think it will leak that much without running.

 

[JeremyH]

No it shouldnt, it may seep or drip a little, its when braking where you can really dump alot of fluid.

 

[07stangcs]

New problem. Got everything swapped over. Brakes feel stiff at first but at about 50% on the pedal it goes back to mush and feels like no power brakes.

 

[wdkingery]

New problem. Got everything swapped over. Brakes feel stiff at first but at about 50% on the pedal it goes back to mush and feels like no power brakes.

little confusing.
no power brakes = VERY stiff pedal (imagine back 80 years ago when you got head in the car in a parkin lot and you kept pushin the brake pedal and it eventually got real hard right? that's lack of power brakes)

i might even vote you just have air in the line but ..

tell me you didn't go to your local AutoZone or similar and buy the made-in-china bullshit they are hustling ...

 

[07stangcs]

Nah. Advanced auto and it was refurb OEM. I figured it was air but took the cap off and pumped them alot. Yea it's stiff then mush then back to real hard like no power brakes. What's the easiest way to get the air out besides pulling the cap and pumping??

 

[wdkingery]

Nah. Advanced auto and it was refurb OEM. I figured it was air but took the cap off and pumped them alot. Yea it's stiff then mush then back to real hard like no power brakes. What's the easiest way to get the air out besides pulling the cap and pumping??

ok that's likely not gonna get any air out.

normally takes 2 people. one pumps pedal, one cracks the bleeder on the caliper to let the air out.. it's a bit of a small process, complete with communication. i'll let google explain from here. normally best to do all four wheels, if you can.

i'm a bit worried about how your pedal goes hard mush hard. verify the air situation, then return the caliper and complain

 

[JeremyH]

You need to bleed the brakes properly. You cant just open the bleeder and pump. (after every pump the bleeder is going to suck air back in this way) You need some one to pump the pedal till it gets stiff, and then hold pressure. Then you can open the bleeder as the pedal goes to the floor. Then close the bleeder quickly so no air goes back in, rinse lather repeat. Once you have done that side decently, go around the car and do all 4 corners starting furthest from the mc. Should use a full big bottle of fluid to properly bleed the brakes. Then a few days later after any small bubles move and settle, bleed all the corners again.

Most brake shops have a vac they can apply to the mc to pull the air out as well.

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Spoken like a man with a lot of experience in bleeding brakes!