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Need Help, 2000 Outback Brakes


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2000 Outback 2.5L, 163k mi

 

My brakes have been going soft. Replaced the master cylinder, blead system (BL, FR, BR, FL)..still soft. One morning the pedal goes to the floor when pushed slowly, will stop when pushed fast and hard. If held the pedal eventually looses pressure and goes to floor. Figured out that my front right caliper wasn't applying pressure(rusty pads), made the front left caliper nice and hot (not smoking). Front brake lines are empty. Replaced both front calipers and went to blead the system and can't. With both the front rubber brake lines off the caliper I push the break pedal and get a drip of fluid out of the front right and nothing out of the left. With a one-man bleader jar I can push small amount of air bubbles from the front left but never get fluid. When I close the system the pedal never gets firm.

 

I'm in desperate need of help on this one....scratching my head. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

 

-Dan

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i'm a bit confused about the lines not being connected. i would connect those lines. bolt everything up like it's supposed to be and then bleed the system from the caliper bleed screws.

 

bolt everything up.

 

bleed all 4 calipers

bleed them again (if you have to)!

 

what method you use to bleed will be important too, make sure you know how to bleed properly or air will remain.

 

you replaced both calipers? make sure you put the correct one on the correct side. swapping sides is easy to do on many since they look the same, but puts the bleeder screw at the bottom, making it impossible to get all the air out (guess how i know!?).

 

and yes you should have primed the master cylinder.

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once you know that the master cylinder is ready..one method is to open up all 4 bleeder screws at once and let the brake fluid gravity feed out the bleeders (saves on extra pumping, hand or foot)..then close them and start to bleed each side separately..a good book would be handy..

Edited by Petersubaru
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Thanks for the responses.

 

1.) how do you prime the master cylinder? The new ones don't have any bleed valves on them.

 

2.) the brake lines are original but bled just fine a week ago when I replaced the master cylinder. My technique "one man" is to partially fill a jar with brake fluid, run a hose into the fluid and pump until I don't see bubbles in the hose and see clean fluid. I had all four calipers hooked up and tried to bleed one at a time, but couldn't pump fluid out of any corner this time around.

 

3.) What's a good way to check the brake booster? If there were a vac leak would the ecu be able to correct for it?

 

4.) Swell shut? This fluid was one of my SMRT moves...needed a container and spare fluid for a trip, so I put brake fluid in an empty tranny fluid container and labeled it with a pen. Smelled and looked like brake fluid but maybe there was enough of the old stuff on the inside off the container....hmmm I would like SS lines.

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But I get such an evil look when I force the wife to pump the brakes for me! Budy at work is letting me try his vac bleeder, hopefully that helps.

 

Double checked, bleed valve is on top for both calipers. I had everything bolted up like suggested, but when fluid didn't come out I started to back track. Thought maybe the rubber lines had gotten clogged/melted. I left the front left metal brake line to the wheel open all day...no fluid dripping out.:banghead: I'll give the vac bleeder a shot. Hopefully I didn't f myself with old mistaken fluid.

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Checked the vac hose/check valve to booster, it works. I bench tested the old MC...squireted fluid from the hose I attached. Did the same for the one in the car....no fluid.

 

I think my really old/slightly contaminated fluid did the rubber in. If memory serves (twins and a toddler ruin that, btw) I made that emergency bottle of brake fluid 7 years ago. Will look for a rebuild kit locally. I love screwing myself! :banana:

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