Question about bleeding brakes

[Nighthawk89]

I just finished bleeding my brakes and i went to start the car and press in the brake peddle. I don't feel like the peddle is immediately firm. Im unsure if the system is needing to be re-bleed or not. I did bleed the inner and then outter nipple in the proper order and released all air bubble that i could see. Is there any way to check if my system has been properly bled? What are your recommendations.

Thanks

[Nighthawk89]

Update, I just re-bleed them. No air bubbles but brake peddle doesn't feel Immediately "firm" it also doesn't drop right to the floor. Ive been using my motive speed bleeder at about 15psi on my own. Is it safe to take for a test drive?

[Nighthawk89]

New update, When the car is not on the brakes are firm. However when the car is running the brakes are not as firm. What causes this?

[mySSt]

I just bled mine the manual way (two people - pedal down/pedal up) and didn't experience what you describe. The pedal isn't immediately firm, but it is firm well before it's anywhere near fully depressed.

A couple of thoughts: If the pedal is 'mushy', it tells me I'm compressing vapor and not liquid. Any way the level in the reservoir is getting too low or sucking air during the bleed process (even with the Motive bleeder system)? How about bleeding your clutch too? I really wouldn't expect any air trapped in that line to make it to the brake lines through the reservoir, but ?

How was the brake pedal feel before you started this process? If it was good, then that should mean there isn't any problem with the hydraulic booster.

[Nighthawk89]

Originally Posted by mySSt

I just bled mine the manual way (two people - pedal down/pedal up) and didn't experience what you describe. The pedal isn't immediately firm, but it is firm well before it's anywhere near fully depressed.

A couple of thoughts: If the pedal is 'mushy', it tells me I'm compressing vapor and not liquid. Any way the level in the reservoir is getting too low or sucking air during the bleed process (even with the Motive bleeder system)? How about bleeding your clutch too? I really wouldn't expect any air trapped in that line to make it to the brake lines through the reservoir, but ?

How was the brake pedal feel before you started this process? If it was good, then that should mean there isn't any problem with the hydraulic booster.

I just re-bled my lines for the third time. What i did was connected the motive bleeder, pressurized it to 15psi, then went and pressed the peddle till it was very firm and went to the farthest caliper and bleed the inner nipple. After, i went back and pressed the peddle to double check if it was firm and pressure was being held. It was. Then i hit the outter nipple. I did this process all the way to the closest calipers outta nipple. When i say in the car and felt the peddle it was extremely firm. Upon turning on the car the peddle was firm but after a few pumps it would fully depress.

Can this be from the brake assist system?

[mySSt]

I'm not familiar with all the steps with the Motive system, but as long as you don't ever have a fluid level below the minimum mark in the car's reservoir during the process you shouldn't be introducing air into the brake lines. I've bled the brakes on my Camaros using the manual method numerous times and have never had the problem you are experiencing.

Sounds like there could be a component issue, but if you didn't have any problems before you started bleeding this time, that isn't likely. That said, you are past my troubleshooting level and hopefully someone with more knowledge will join in with better answers. Best of luck to you!

[rockrau]

Did you also replace the brake pads?

[Trip]

The pedal being firm when the car is off doesn't really mean anything. I accidentally got a bunch of air in my brake lines because I let the reservoir go dry and the brake pedal felt very firm with the car off, but with the car on it was VERY bad. So I deduced that with the car off, brake pedal firmness means nothing.

[Nighthawk89]

Originally Posted by Trip

The pedal being firm when the car is off doesn't really mean anything. I accidentally got a bunch of air in my brake lines because I let the reservoir go dry and the brake pedal felt very firm with the car off, but with the car on it was VERY bad. So I deduced that with the car off, brake pedal firmness means nothing.

I never allowed the res to go dry. I topped it off after every caliper. I just drove the car and the car seems to stop okay but with all these built up questions I will be having someone else i trust drive it for a second opinion. Wish me luck lol

[Nighthawk89]

Originally Posted by rockrau

Did you also replace the brake pads?

Nope. Just lightly sanded my original ones and cleaned my rotors

[JusticePete]

Make a couple of hard stops in a safe parking lot, hard enough to activate the abs. Let me know if the pedal firmed up.

[Nighthawk89]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Make a couple of hard stops in a safe parking lot, hard enough to activate the abs. Let me know if the pedal firmed up.

The peddle feels great after driving it. No sputtering or weird reactions from the brakes. Im going to keep an eye of it but my buddy who owns a shop said they feel great.

New issue somehow found its place into the mix tho. My left rear spring is squeaky at slower speed. I feel like im driving a low rider or something it so so damn squeaky its annoying. Unsure if its the lowering spring or maybe a bushing?

[mp51998]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Make a couple of hard stops in a safe parking lot, hard enough to activate the abs.

I was just going to say this. Activate that ABS a few times and then rebleed. Works best if you can find some small gravel or wet parking lot. Bet you get some bubbles. Afterward it should be good to go. I used a speed bleeder, not Motive, and could never ge the pedal feel I expected. Did it the old fashioned way and its solid.

[Red2014SS]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk89

I just re-bled my lines for the third time. What i did was connected the motive bleeder, pressurized it to 15psi, then went and pressed the peddle till it was very firm and went to the farthest caliper and bleed the inner nipple. After, i went back and pressed the peddle to double check if it was firm and pressure was being held. It was. Then i hit the outter nipple. I did this process all the way to the closest calipers outta nipple. When i say in the car and felt the peddle it was extremely firm. Upon turning on the car the peddle was firm but after a few pumps it would fully depress.

Can this be from the brake assist system?

Just a heads up for you - The next time you use the Motive bleeder, once you pressurize the system, do NOT press on the brake pedal. The directions that come with the system warn you not to exceed 15lbs pressure. Once you pressurize that system, your entire brake system is under pressure. Mashing the brake pedal adds more pressure and you run the risk of damaging your brake system. There is really no need to press the pedal when using the Motive system anyway. Just make sure you keep checking the pressure gauge and add pressure to the Motive pump as needed.