Brakes not working. Help!

[akbyrner92]

Alright, yesterday I set out on a mission with my dad to get my car running right before I left for college. We changed the oil, changed out my headlights (my old ones were shot) and we changed the brakes. Everything was going smoothly until we get to the back brakes. We were used to just compressing the pistons, so that's what we did. We tried for at least 2 hours before I went online and realized that we were retarded...long story short, we got the brakes back on. Since we took the calipers off I realized we had to then bleed the entire system, no wanting to take any chances, we went ahead and did all four calipers. After bleeding them I got to pump my brakes, and nothing. My brake pedal hit the floor. I'm almost positive that it's something in the back brakes, but I did everything right. I turned the allen bolt until the pad was snug against the rotor and I back off a half turn. I've tried everything and I just want my car to be working right. Any suggestions?

 

[deadstock]

Assuming after you bled the brakes, you tightened the bleeder valves on all calipers? After you found out that your brakes don't work have you checked for any leaks around each caliper? If there weren't, there could still be air in the brake lines or the master cylinder could be toast?

 

[akbyrner92]

If my master cylinder was fried, wouldn't my clutch also not work? I was under the impression that the clutch and brakes fed off the same fluid.

 

[akbyrner92]

Oh yeah, and my e-brake doesn't work. I tightened the bolt all the way down and I could still pull the lever all the way up almost effortlessly.

 

[akbyrner92]

Anyone....please?

 

[dacquesta1]

well if your ebrake doesnt work...check the back again. it obviously has something to do with that. ebrake is cable not hydraulic so brake pedal is irrelevant to the ebrake issue which leads back to the rear brakes.

 

[slavrenz]

Are you sure you're not leaking any brake fluid at the calipers? As far as the rears not working, it sounds like maybe you damaged the pistons when you tried to force them into the calipers. Maybe you ruptured the piston seal and brake fluid is simply leaking past your caliper pistons when you press the pedal?

 

[dacquesta1]

^ possible..that's why I use a c-clamp and go turn by turn

 

[slavrenz]

^ possible..that's why I use a c-clamp and go turn by turn

That's exactly the point though - you cannot use a c-clamp on the rear pistons of cars with disc brakes and an integrated parking brake (a surprisingly large amount of people don't know this). The OP tried to do this, instead of rotating the piston back into the caliper, and this is how I think the damage occurred.

 

[dacquesta1]

Well I just learned something. I have drums in the rear so that's good to know. Thanks for the knowledge

 

[slavrenz]

Well I just learned something. I have drums in the rear so that's good to know. Thanks for the knowledge

That's why many economy cars still use drums. It's much easier to incorporate the parking brake than it is with disc brakes.

 

[akbyrner92]

I'm about 95% sure I'm not leaking anything. It's been sitting for two days, so i'm gonna go work on it today and see if I find any more fluid.