Real problems with my brakes :( going to go mad!

[m3jappa]

Right, I'm going to go crazy here, I haven't driven my car for a good few weeks now , pissed off because its Tvr time of year

So, I thought I'd flush out the brake fluid and replace.

I broke a bleed nipple initially, but I drilled it out and replaced it, along with all the bleed nipples. The thread was not damaged.

So I replaced the fluid, bled the brakes, bled the clutch and guess what, I get in and the pedals gone from being firm to really spongy, I bled the brakes about 10 times, using the conventional method and also the easi bleed. No success just a spongy pedal.
Really pissedoff at this stage as I want to go and test a gopro I was given for my birthday

Car goes to straight 6', they service it and he can't bleed the brakes either, they replace the master cylinder. Everything is now ok, apart from the handbrake cable is catching???. It was weak before but not catching so I'm not sure what's happened there.

I get the car back, pull off the drive and nearly straight into,a neighbours car! No fking brakes still! It's like there's air in there somewhere.
None of the bleed nipples are leaking either so rule out damage done by replacing the bleed screws.

If you pump the pedal a few times you get some brakes but no where near right.

I speak to straight 6 and they say its to do with the handbrake cable catching so I need to push up a little spring thing on the rear caliper quadrant? Which I do and makes no difference. I then totally disconnect the handbrake and push little thingy up.
Still no brakes, I'm really annoyed as I want to use the car, str8 6 said it had been test driven which I've no doubt they did, and this little quadrant thing did the trick but its not working now,

So what the hells going on? What do I now do, the cars been bought back and I don't know when they could have it back now I just want to go out in it

[phazed]

Shirley straight 6 should have it back at a drop of a hat?

If not its because they don't want the hassle I should imagine.

They have a good reputation?

As to the problem, it might be worth clamping off the hose to the calliper with the dodgy nipple and bleeding again, if all is fine you've found your problem, if not, look elsewhere.

[RFC1]

Oh boy, what a sad tale. I take it you have actually mentioned this to str8 six??

[m3jappa]

Just to clarify here I'm not bashing str8 6!

They do know and are trying to help me out. And they will collect the car but its not possible for a few days at least

They test drove the car before returning it and the brakes were ok, it's somehow something to do with this handbrake causing the problem. It owns weak before but I'm not sure what's happened.

I'm just trying to sort it myself because I want to go out in it.

[EGB]

Any air and or brake fluid leakes any where? Any fluid pools on drive way (paving)over night?

[m3jappa]

There's no obvious leaks anywhere, with regard to air it's hard to tell, all I know is when the system is bled you clearly extract all the air and clear fluid comes through.

It's sunny out there today and I can hear the bikes

[GasMunkey]

Have you bled the master cylinder?

[m3jappa]

GasMunkey said:

Have you bled the master cylinder?

I'm not sure how you would do that but I can only assume so as str8 6 fitted a new one as Jason said it was the first port of call and secondly there's not much more it could be.

[m4tti]

You could try reverse bleeding. I've done that on clutches before, and is effective.

[phazed]

Some master cylinders have a bleed nipple, worth checking first.

[fausTVR]

m4tti said:

You could try reverse bleeding. I've done that on clutches before, and is effective.

Is that when you pull fluid through using a syringe and tube at each caliper?

[m4tti]

Yep. Take some fluid from the master cylinder to bring the level down. Then push fresh fluid back up with a syringe. I wouldn't usually recommend it as you could be pushing roasted fluid further up the system. But in this instance it sounds like jaspers already pushed the majority out.

[fausTVR]

That's thrown me. Pushing fluid in rather that pulling it out would surely not remove the air you're trying to remove?

[m4tti]

fausTVR said:

That's thrown me. Pushing fluid in rather that pulling it out would surely not remove the air you're trying to remove?

It would push any air bubbles up to the reservoir.

[nawarne]

I take it M3/OP, that you've bled from the clutch slave cylinder?
That's the braided pipe with bleed nipple that is visible with airbox removed at back of engine? The brakes and clutch share same reservoir.

Just a thought. Oh, and another, have you checked the servo for soundness? (behind pedal box cover)?

Nick

[Basil Brush]

Are they any more solid with the handbrake engaged?

[m3jappa]

Thankyou all for your replies

Before the car went off I bled the clutch and that's working properly.

With regard to the handbrake it's apparant that because I pulled the handbrake that's what's done this? Something to do with the cable catching the quadrant? I released the little spring and have removed the cable to no avail.

It's so sunny too, you only own these cars for days like today.

[Basil Brush]

Only similar thing I've had was a damaged flexi. It held fine when bleeding brakes but expanded under pedal pressure making the brakes spongy.

[Julesprivate]

I always reverse bleed my brakes, it is so much easier (although to be fair an Eezi-bleed kit is almost as good).

Considering the brakes are supposed to be dual circuit I'd have thought that even if the rear brakes had a problem the fronts should still be OK - isn't that the point of dual circuits?

If the master cylinder has been changed the only other "common" component I can think of would be the servo..

[Jhonno]

Servo wouldn't cause his symptoms though.. Must still be air in there!