The old air in the brakes problem..... tried everything!

[whom]

Hi guys,

So I was changing my brake fluid and SLLLUURRRPPPPP the reservoir ran dry... bugger. This was when doing one of the rear corners, I think it was the off side rear.

Finished all corners and yep, the pedal went all the way to the floor with the engine running. Bled it again, didn't fix it.

Drove it, got lots of ABS action, bled it - pedal method

Drove it, got lots of ABS action, bled it - pressure system at 32psi (my tyre pressure)

Drove it, got lots of ABS action, bled it - pedal method

And not a bubble of air has come through. Each time I bleed a corner I pump almost the entire reservoir through it.

I've read about the ignition needing to be on and it was on a couple of tries (though I can't see how it would help)

I read about getting the ABS to kick in helping so that is why I have done that lots and lots.

I've read that you need to be persistent and flush lots of fluid through, I feel I have done that.


What else can I try? It would hurt my pride and wallet to have to get it done by Renault or a specialist!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Adam.]

Air might be trapped in a caliper if it has ran dry.

 

[whom]

I think it would have come out of the calipers by now, but I hear terrible tales of air trapped in the ABS unit....

 

[mark123]

Renault have a procedure to activate the abs pump while bleeding to get the air out of it you might need to find someone with a clip to do that.

 

[easym5]

Had this problem a few weeks ago it takes ages to get it out of the abs i bled it the usual way the first day furthest away rears first then front ones,had to drive it home and the pedal worked but right at the bottom felt really unsafe Next day someone told me to try bleeding this way, rear drivers,front passenger,rear passenge,front drivers and it seemed to work nice pedal now,but i had to put a lot of fluid through

 

[whom]

Easym5, how much fluid are we talking here?

 

[whom]

Ran another 500ml ish through each corner. Nothing!

This is getting increasingly frustrating.

Easym5, did you use a pressure one man system or get someone to stomp on the pedal?

Mark123, I am trying to avoid taking it to a dealer if I can but that would seem to be the last resort.

 

[mr.pink87]

RSTuner with ABS/ESP module and job done. Visiting your nearest dealer is another option.

 

[whom]

I'm getting very tempted by the idea of an rstuner. I want the 98ron map but I don't want to lose the cold low rev limit.

Perhaps all my ABS action has been on the pair of wheels that haven't got air in them.... I imagine they'd be easiest to lock up.

 

[whom]

Another evening, still no success.

Went out to trigger the ABS again, used a gravel car park and went nuts. Got home, jacked it up again on the opposite side to before. Ran a good 500ml through each corner pushed through at 30psi and nothing!

I'm thinking perhaps a vacuum system may be more effective. At the moment I am compressing the air bubble with 30psi, or around 2bar/atmospheres. Using a vacuum would increase the bubble size.

OR I find someone with CLIP or RStuner + ABS module. Can anyone around the Warwick area loan me one of those for an evening?

 

[easym5]

Hi yes i used a one man pressure system using 30psi spare tyre, and used approx 2 500ml dot 4 in total,on the last set of bleedings i did get a friend to push the pedal down slowly a couple of times before locking off nipple,did you try the back, front ,back, front method? as i believe these cars have a 2 way braking system good luck with it anyway