Hi,
I have a 1995 Ford F150 4x4 with ABS. I had to remove a caliper to get some brake pads off and I have been trying to bleed my brakes because my pedal is soft. Now after bleeding my brakes a few times my brake and ABS lights come on.
The process I was going through to bleed these brakes were... I loosened the bleeder and had someone pump the brakes until I seen a steady stream come out. On their last pump I had them keep the pedal pressed in all the way and tightened the bleeder.
I started at the right rear... than left rear... than right front and finished with left front.
I have checked my diaphram on the master cylinder cover and it looks ok, resivor is full of fluid.

Any thoughts?


Thanks!!!!!!

 

The way you wrote that sounds like you may have done it wrong. You pump the pedal then hold it down. Open the bleeder and close it. Then release the pedal. If you're pumping the pedal with the bleeder open you will keep drawing in air.

 

Just Call Me Sean said it right. Put some plastic transpanent tube (like windshield washer one) on bleeder before opening it, and put it's other end to a small reservuar filled with brake fluid. It will help not to let the air in, and you will see if any air is coming out of the system.

 

Shot in the dark here, but I had the exact same problem.
Know what the cause was? LOL
The ignition has the metal tabs you use to turn the key over, mine's loose and I can spin it around and around if I wanted to. Well, If I get in a hurry to start the truck, it will actually "stick" just shy of kicking the starter back on... and it keeps the brake and ABS indicators illuminated until it's un-stuck.

Shot in the dark, but the similarities are damning.

 

Awesome guys... I will try that. Thanks!!!!!

 

Yep, agree with Sean - if this came about after the caliper was removed, chances are way better than average that there is still air in the system. Slow and steady pedal operation is the ticket - wailing on the pedal like you're trying to stomp out a runaway leaf fire may cause other problems.

While you're at it - may as well bleed until the fluid runs clear, then mark 'changing the brake fluid' off the list of periodic maintenance. You're going in the order that I've always used - RR, LR, RF, and LF.

Did have one incident in my younger days where I changed the calipers. Everything fit up nicely, and looked good - except could never get the system to bleed properly. Further head-scratching revealed that I had gotten the sides mixed up - and the bleed port was on the bottom of the calipers, instead of the top. D'Oh! Well - as they say, "Experience is the result of bad judgement", and "a 50/50 chance of being right means that there is a 90% chance of being wrong". :-)

 

Ok I bled them the correct way and it resolved the brake and ABS light. My pedal is still pretty soft.... if I do pump the brakes it gets much more firm. I bled each line 3 times. Any ideas? Still air in the line?

 

You may have to bench bleed the master cylinder because so much air got in there. That or you need a new one.

 

Thanks!
Could you tell me how to bench bleed the master cylinder? That is something I have never done before. I will give that a shot before I go buy a new master cylinder.



Thanks!!!!!