Bleeding brakes - HELP!!!!!!!

[Uglygreenxj]

I replaced the rotors, calipers, & pads on my 93' XJ today. The installation went beautifully. My son and I have bled the system about seven times now and can't seem to get all the air out and the pedal wont come up.

Starting at the furthest wheel (from the master cylinder), I put a small rubber hose on the bleeder and the other end in a jar of brake fluid. I then open the bleeder and have my son slowly depress the brake pedal and hold it down. When the air/ fluid stops coming out I close the bleeder. We repeat this till I only get fluid. Every time I go back to the furthest one, it has just as much air in it as the first time.

It takes about three to four pumps of the pedal to get the Jeep to stop decently. Once when I returned from a test ride down the block, upon opening the hood I found fluid all over the underside of the hood above the master cylinder and all over the booster. I cleaned it all off and had my son pump the pedal but could find no leaks. Can't seem to find any other leaks either.

Someone please help! I'm about ready to light her up and let the kids roast marshmallows!

Thanks,

Dave

 

[WILDHORSE]

You say you open the bleeder screw before your son pushes the pedal? You need to have him pumps up the brakes and hold good pressure and then you open the the bleeder. Do this and close the bleeder before the pedal will bottom out this will ensure you dont get any air back in the system. Go right rear, left rear, right front, left front. You probably know the sequence but anyways. I once tried to get my mom to help me bleed my XJ's brakes and she would pump them up when I said to but would then take her foot of the pedal and I couldnt figure out why I couldnt get any good fluid out. We carried on with this for about an hour before I finally asked her if she was putting pressure on the pedal . Hope you get everything figured out. As far as the leak its hard to diagnose without seeing it. Good Luck
Brakes suck!

WILDHORSE

 

[Eagle]

David --

Do you by any chance have ABS?

 

[Uglygreenxj]

In the past I have always pumped the pedal three times and then held it down on the third, then open the bleeder to release the air/ fluid, then I close the bleeder, and finally let off the pedal.

That's how I was taught and thats how we did it today. But when it wasn't working I looked in my looked it up in my Chilton's manual and the other way is how it said to do it. So we tried that and it didn't work either.

I have since discovered a VERY small leak where the master cylinder mates to the booster. I guess I will pick up a new master cylinder tomorrow and try that.

Dave


P.S.
Brakes do suck!!!

 

[Uglygreenxj]

Nope, no ABS for me!

 

[AussieXJ]

NAPA sell a brake bleeder kit that has a check valve in the plastic line. If you use a hose clamp to attach the line to the bleeder screw then you can bleed the brakes by yourself without worrying about sucking air back into the lines.