I am getting some pretty poor performance on my brakes. The pedal is really stiff. I have been talking to some people and they said that I should bleed the brakes for increased pedal sensitivity. I would like to try this before I go out and buy anything.
How do I go about bleeding my brakes?
What parts (if any) do I need to buy to complete this process?
A second person to pump the pedal (or a bleeder kit with a valve to stop air from returning through the bleeder screw)
Wrench (I believe it’s either 8 or 10mm on the OEM brakes)
DOT 4 Brake Fluid - pick up a bottle at Canadian Tire…
Process:
I’m going to assume your current brake fluid hasn’t been changed in a while, so I recommend you start off with a gravity bleed for the sake of flushing out some of the old/dirty fluid.
First, jack all 4 corners of the car up and put it on stands, as close to level as possible…
Remove the wheels.
Open the top of the reservoir for the Brake Master Cylinder. (Driver side of the engine bay, right up against the firewall, next to the smaller Clutch Master Cylinder)
Pour some DOT 4 brake fluid into the reservoir and fill it all the way to the top, until it’s almost overflowing.
Starting with the rear passenger-side wheel: You will find a screw on the top of the brake caliper which resembles a grease nipple. Place a tray, oil pan, bowl, or whatever beneath this bleeder screw to catch the fluid.
Open the screw – being careful not to strip it – 2 full turns.
Allow the fluid to drain, while watching the fluid reservoir in the engine bay. Once it reaches the “Minimum” level, top the fluid up again and close the bleeder screw firmly.
Now you will perform a pump bleed/pedal bleed. Get your handy second person to sit in the driver seat while you go back to the rear, passenger-side brake and prepare to open the bleeder screw. DON’T OPEN IT YET!
Have your helper depress the brake pedal almost all the way (Approx. 1in or so from the floor. This is just a precaution.) and hold it there.
Open the bleeder screw and let the air/fluid come out. Once there is nothing coming out, close the bleeder screw and have your friend release the pedal.
Repeat steps 8-9 at least 5 or 6 times, or however long it takes for dirty fluid/air to stop coming out and clean fluid to flow through. (Be sure to keep topping up your reservoir regularly so you don’t take on air, or you will have just wasted a whole lot of time!)
Repeat steps 3-10 for the Rear Driver-Side brake.
Repeat steps 3-10 for the Front Passenger-Side brake.
Repeat steps 3-10 for the Front Driver-Side brake.
Fill the fluid reservoir to the “Maximum” level and replace the cap. Be sure that all of the bleeder screws are cranked down tight (no need to go crazy here). Return the wheels and take the car off the jack stands.
Get in the car, start it and let it warm up. Pump the pedal 5 or 6 times with the engine running, then take it for a test drive!
I came home from work last night to find my dad bleeding his brakes
on his trick with my brother at the brake. My dad had this other method
of bleeding the brakes he said its much more affective than the pump
pump hold method. What he does is opens the bleeder valve, gets my
brother to depress the pedal fully. While holding down the pedal he closes
the valve my brother then releases the pedal. Then once again he opens
the valve my brother fully depresses the pedal and while holding down
the pedal he closes the valve and does this about 3 - 5 times. By doing
this you are completely draining all the old fluid along with the air in the
lines out the bleeder valve to be replaced with new brake fluid.
Yes, air compresses while liquid does not. While this is true, old fluid can often cause the lines to go stiffer as the fluid actually solidifies over time and becomes contaminated with particles of metal and dust. Bleeding the brakes in this case is doing more than just relieving the system of air, but actually removing old fluid (why I suggested he do the gravity bleed first).
