Urgent brake question!!!

yavorssj · Sep 24, 2013

2000 Excursion, 7.3, 4x4

Here is the short story ---> I replaced all four calipers with the best NAPA had. New rear brake lines (not the center one). New green Hawk pads all the way around. Frozen Rotors up front with a set of Brembos in the back. New master cylinder. I bled the system...

Now the brakes are locking up. Pressure is not relieving off any of the calipers. To confirm this, I jacked up the front and rear, and the wheels will NOT turn.

In retrospect, I realize I made a BIG mistake... I did not bench bleed the new master cylinder. :fustrate: Now I have this problem and am not sure how to fix it.

The pedal stays rock hard for about ten minutes, or until I bleed pressure off the system at one of the calipers.

What do I need to do so I can fix my "temporary moment of stupid..."?

Thanks

:shrug:

lincolnlocker · Sep 24, 2013

gravity bleed the entire system

live life full throttle

yavorssj · Sep 24, 2013

So just crack all four of the bleed valves and keep adding fluid?

PSDEng · Sep 24, 2013

Don't crack them all at the same time. Do the passenger rear, drivers rear, passenger front, and drivers front. Also the ABS module I believe has a bleeder screw on it

jaybuller · Sep 24, 2013

Almost sounds like your master is getting pushed by your hydro booster.... Make sure there is no corrosion between the master and hydro booster..

yavorssj · Sep 24, 2013

PSDEng said:
Don't crack them all at the same time. Do the passenger rear, drivers rear, passenger front, and drivers front. Also the ABS module I believe has a bleeder screw on it

I went ahead and pulled the master cylinder and did a bench bleed. I also have the left rear caliper bleed cracked and am re-flushing the system. I am just going to work my way around until all calipers are fully bled and report back.

Also, What is this ABS module bleeder screw you speak of?

TyCorr · Sep 24, 2013

I gravity bleed my brake systems all the time. Like every weekend if Im not at work. I just go out and crackthe bleeders and keep adding fluid. About an hour, a pint or two will dribble out and you top it off, done. Saves alot of bs problems with brakes. Does for me anyway.

lincolnlocker · Sep 24, 2013

TyCorr said:
I gravity bleed my brake systems all the time. Like every weekend if Im not at work. I just go out and crackthe bleeders and keep adding fluid. About an hour, a pint or two will dribble out and you top it off, done. Saves alot of bs problems with brakes. Does for me anyway.

your that bored that you do it every weekend?

live life full throttle

yavorssj · Sep 24, 2013

OK, I pulled the master cylinder and bench bled it. Re-bled the lines at all four corners with my mityvac. After that, I pumped the brakes until I got pressure, confirmed that pressure was relieved off the pedal, and started up the truck and pulled onto a straight stretch of my (gravel) driveway. I got up to about 20 MPH and floored the brake pedal... Brakes locked up and I had to relieve the pressure at the calipers to get them to unlock.

:fustrate:

Is there an ABS module between the master cylinder and the calipers?

yavorssj · Sep 25, 2013

Well, I just found out I am royally screwed.

The gallon jug of DOT 4 brake fluid my mechanic buddy gave me is actually power steering fluid.

%$@#$#@^%^%$@#&%@#&@&%$#%&$@^*%$@#&#%@& %$&^@

yavorssj · Sep 25, 2013

Anyone know where I can get an ABS hydraulic module?

Son of a @$:#&

Andrew · Sep 25, 2013

Next time don't use brake fluid that you didn't personally break the seal on..

TyCorr · Sep 25, 2013

lincolnlocker said:
your that bored that you do it every weekend?

live life full throttle

Yea. So. Im usually outside anyway. Grab a wrench and let er bleed. Then at 9am when everyone else actually begins to move brakes are bled, tires aired, and all the fluids are.checked. Im behind the scenes Jake,lol!

lincolnlocker · Sep 25, 2013

TyCorr said:
Yea. So. Im usually outside anyway. Grab a wrench and let er bleed. Then at 9am when everyone else actually begins to move brakes are bled, tires aired, and all the fluids are.checked. Im behind the scenes Jake,lol!

lol. im just messin with ya man!

live life full throttle

yavorssj · Sep 25, 2013

Andrew said:
Next time don't use brake fluid that you didn't personally break the seal on..

Oh yeah... Lesson learned there. The thing is that, when I was "flushing" the system, I was wondering why the fluid was so thick and tough to pull through with the mittyvac.

I just found an*ABS*pump locally for $250. Also, I am going to talk to NAPA about the calipers and MC since they were new and have that warranty thing. I am not going to try and pull a fast one on them, but am just going to explain my stupidity and see what happens.

Damn, this sucks.

yavorssj · Sep 26, 2013

Ok, $700 later, the truck is now fixed.

I had to replace EVERYTHING!!! All four calipers, all five brake hoses, the ABS pump, and the master cylinder.

Before I continue, I want to say thanks to Travis down at MPH Enterprises in Foster(middle of nowhere) Ky. He is the guy who hooked me up with a replacement ABS unit. It was used, but it works and he sold it to me for a song...

Some people were skeptical about the need to replace everything, but let me tell you, it was necessary. I took one of the new rear brake hoses off and cut it in half to inspect it's inner surface... It resembled putty more than rubber. As to the calipers... Using a scribe, I was able to push through the piston boot with minimal effort. Again, the inside of the boot was like putty. I think it would have only been a short matter of time before the entire boot turned to gel. Remember, this resulted after less than twelve hours of me pulling a stupid and flushing the (brand new) system with PS fluid... I fear the consequences for my family or myself if I had not bit the bullet and done a wholesale replacement. The caliper boots looked fine from the outside, but as I said above...

One thing I also did after I had removed all the components was to spray all the hard lines with brake cleaner and dry them out with compressed air. This way I ensured there were no residual hydro-carbons of death left alive to attack my newly born stopping power...

Anyway, folks, learn from my mistake ---> Then some good might come from this fiasco...