Trying to bleed brakes but no fluid comes out

[cxzsaq]

Just redid the front lines, connected everything added brake fluid and opened the bleed screw. Nothing. Pumped the pedal for 100 times, nothing. Fluid does not seem to be going down to brakes (front or back) and nothing going to the clutch!

All lines have smooth bends.

When I press the brake - the booster makes a whoopie cushion sound - from the small hole. I have the booster mounted hole up - is that an issue? Brakes just feel very loose.

What am I doing wrong? I removed all bleed screws overnight and nothing still comes out.

When i unscrew the small 10mm screw on top of the brake slave, fluids comes out of there - so i think there is fluid going into the master, just not into the lines.

Same with the clutch!

[stultis]

1. Did you try all the bleeder screws.

2. A little trick I have done in the same situation, is to open bleeder screw and stick a paper clip into the opening. Use the paper clip like a poker. It will pop any air bubble or free up any debris that is clogged.

[bmcallister]

I just went through this myself. Tried vacuum bleeding, pumping the pedal, nothing seemed to work.

What ultimately worked was gravity bleeding and patience. I started with passenger rear (farthest from the master cylinder). I simply put a small bottle of brake fluid upside down into the top of the reservoir, loosened up the bleeder valve, and let it sit for over an hour. Don't expect fluid to flow out of the bleeder on its own (at least not on the rear). But after a little over an hour fluid would flow out when I pumped the pedal. Repeat for each wheel in decreasing order of distance from the master.

If you have 4 piston calipers there will be three bleeder valves on each caliper. Bleed the inside valve, followed by the outer lower valve, then the upper.

When I gravity bled the fronts, fluid would slowly pour out of the two lower bleeder valves with no pumping of the brakes. But I had my wife pump the brakes to bleed for each one anyway just to watch the stream of fluid and ensure there were no bubbles.

For whatever reason, bleeding the '02 seems to take longer than any car I've done before, but the gravity bleeding did the trick.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Bryan

[c.d.iesel]

remove the metal lines at the brake MASTER cylinder,

wrap the master cylinder in rags,

gently press the brake pedal and bleed the master

by placing fingers over all the holes like a flute,

and making sure fluid flows at all holes

NOW reconnect yer metal lines and go to town bleeding the four corners and clutch.

you should have hand "bench" bled the master before

mounting it on the car.

Using a PRESSURE BLEEDER would have eliminated

the agro.

[Guest Anonymous]

and this may be obvious, but you do know that you have to open a bleeder screw, push the brake pedal down, and then close the screw before you let the pedal back up, right?

[M5wanaB]

You may have some luck using a vaccum pump at the bleeder's as well. I have found it works great on some cars and not at all on others.

[esty]

the easiest & most effective way that i've found to bleed brakes on any car is gravity bleeding them....

i attach a small clear tube to the bleeder, stick in the other end in a bottle 1/2 full of brake fluid and open the bleeder...you can see the fluid & air flowing...when you have a solid stream, close the valve and move to the next bleeder...it's somewhat slow but sure

if you want to rush it, stick the tube from the bleeder in a bottle of brake fluid and pump the brakes a couple of times...on the return, instead of pulling air into the system, you'll pull brake fluid back up the tube

[cxzsaq]

Thank you all for comments and suggestions.

I have left my bleed screw-less brakes (all 4 sides) tonight and will see whats happening in a few days.

If nothing, I will take off the mc and bench-bleed as suggested.

Its diffidently NOT the lines and I made sure they were all obstruction-free.

[cxzsaq]

remove the metal lines at the brake MASTER cylinder,

wrap the master cylinder in rags,

gently press the brake pedal and bleed the master

by placing fingers over all the holes like a flute,

and making sure fluid flows at all holes

NOW reconnect yer metal lines and go to town bleeding the four corners and clutch.

you should have hand "bench" bled the master before

mounting it on the car.

Using a PRESSURE BLEEDER would have eliminated

the agro.

Does the booster hole need to be a certain way - up or down?

[c.d.iesel]

booster hole has nothing to do with hydraulic bleeding

[esty]

I have left my bleed screw-less brakes (all 4 sides) tonight and will see whats happening in a few days.

don't let the reservoir run out of fluid...you have to keep fluid in it....otherwise, air's gonna get back in the system