jasonwrxowner

Yesterday I changed the 2 pot calipers on my 94 WRX to shiny new 4 pot calipers, new discs and new pads.After fitting both sides I bled the whole system. My problem is that without the engine running the brakes are there but still spongy. When I start the engine the pedal goes straight to the floor. I can pump some pressure into it but nowhere near enough. I have now bled 1.5 litres of fluid through the system both with the engine running and without but I cannot get the brakes to work.

Have I missed something here? Can anyone advise me what I need to do now???

You can phone me on and I'll call you back to save your bill. I need to get to work tomorrow and at the moment it looks like I will have to walk the 15 miles!

PLEASE HELP.

gossythevaleter

1st question whilst bleedin the brakes did the pedal go to the floor
EG did you push the pedal very hard to the floorif you did the chances are that you have Knackered the master cylinder cause if it aint got oil in there is no lubrication so it knackers the seals so it sounds to me like this is what you have done unfortunatly if you have no pedal with the engine running this would be the prob

jasonwrxowner

Do you mean that I needed to have the engine running when I first bled the brakes as I did not. If this has blown the master cylinder seal as you mentioned, can I get a new seal and how easy is it to fit?. I gather that the master cylinder is what the resevoir sits on?

gossythevaleter

IMHO u should have had the engine running however i could be wrong
Ys the resevior is what sits on the master dont know if you can replace the seal

jasonwrxowner

Cheers Gossy, I'll make a few phone calls tomorrow and see what unfolds.

gossythevaleter

Pleasure mate where you based as it dont say in your profile

jasonwrxowner

Aldershot near Guildford.

gossythevaleter

do you have subaru assistance if so u could blag it say your brakes just gave up lol

wrxrob

it could have torn the seals it is rare but happens now and again,normally due to wear in normall use the piston only moves about a quarter to half an inch in travel because there is fluid under pressure in the system and does not need to go any further as you can imagine after a fair amount of years service it wears a grove in the inside of the cylinder ,then someone bleeds the brakes and pushes the pedal to the floor resulting in the rudder seals having to ride over the wear area resultig in tearing the seals,new master cylinder req,you dont have to have the engine running.
you may want to try bleeding the brakes properly using a one way valve available from any diy store or a pressure bleeder if you can get one the way that you are sposed to bleed brakes on modern vehicles are all four wheels on the ground so no brake componsator is closed then bleed the brakes one at a time from the furthest point of the master cylinder and work your way back so if your m/cylinder was on the osf of the vehicle as it is on scoobs if i remember correctly you would do nrs,osr,nsf,osf,then tighten up and pump up brake pedal should go solid then start up vehicle with foot hard on pedal and pedal should sink slowely an inch or so as the servo builds up pressure hope this help rob.

jasonwrxowner

Guys, thanks very much for the advice. A member called Dyney found the problem for me. Ready for this.....I put the calipers on upside doen with the bleed nipples at the bottom..DOH!

I feel suitably embarrased....I have just got back in from swapping them over and they are perfect now..(Deep relief)

Again, thanks for you help and advise.

MARK MORRIS

i was just about to ask did you have the calipers the wrong way around, as i did the same thing years ago on my opel manta
mark

wrxrob

divs thats y us mechanics charge the earth to repair cars dont you lot ever complain again.