Been working on cars for years, so not my first brake job.

2006 MCS, about 25K miles.

I added tyrol sport brake bushings (for feel) and Hawk HPS pads. (For Dust). Did it in stages due to time - front first, a few weeks later, rears.

In between, I asked the dealer to flush the brake system (over two years old). Felt softer after that, but it was hard to tell, I was away from the car for a week.

Did the rears last weekend. Used the HF tool to rotate and compress the pistons. Had a very soft pedal this week, figured, no biggie, just bleed the brakes.

Just finished bleeding the brakes and it is no better, maybe worse. It is clear the dealer did NOT flush the system, fluid looked like an amber beer, not like coors light (blah) like fresh fluid.

Pulled around 3/4 of a bottle through it to get fresh fluid in the system.
Used vavoline syntec, have had good luck with this in the past. Used a helper on the pump, pump hold technique. Tried gravity bleed, don't have that kind of time on my hands. Fluid was coming out clear with no bubbles when we were done.

Is there anything that I have forgotten or over looked? I am very frustrated, the pedal goes right to the floor and the car does not feel safe to drive. It is still under warrantee, but I am frustrated after the dealer didn't take care of it the first time.

Open to any ideas or help - Thank you!

-jac

 

I'm not familiar with the Mini's system, but every other car and motorcycle I've bleed that had a mushy pedal and didn't show air at the calipers had air in the master cylinder.

 

Best bet is to take it back to the dealer and have them COMPLETELY power fllush the system including the ABS controller.
Or just have an independent Euro shop completely flush the system. You still have air in the system someplace.

 

thanks for the input guys. I was figuring it was air somewhere. I'll go have a chat with my SA in the morning....

-Jac

 

Yeah, +1 on the above. Find someone with a vacuum bleeder. As a seasoned car person, you know how much more quickly and thoroughly these bleed brakes. You could 4 wheels in half the time with compared to pumping the pedal or worse yet, gravity bleeding. Depending on how harshly the pedal was pumped, there could have been some cavitation in the MS causing tiny bubbles.

 

Personally I'd avoid any power bleeder system like the plague.

But yes I agree you have some air in there. I'd open up bleeders on one end (or both if I had four stands) and let that sucker flow. Keep the fluid flowing and keep the reservoir topped up and I bet in time you'll fine some nice Coors flowing from your (now fully purged) calipers.

 

Why would that be. Been using one for years w/o a problem. Neat and quick.

Guess the dealer is out then. You may have to bleed the ABs controller and you will need the dealer for that.

 

Personal preference is all Scott.

Since bleeding is not about pressure, it's about displacement, I don't care to use a product that would potentially induce an aeration to the fluid. Pressurizing the fluid into the system or drawing it through to quickly "could" in the hands of the inexperienced operator cause this to happen. I much prefer the simple gravity method where things happen at a slower and more manageable pace.

 

The pressure bleeders I have used have all been at max 15psi or less. Not much is needed and you don't have to worry about letting the res. get too low and getting air in the lines.

Best trick I have found when pressure bleeding is to get the cap on, pump it up, then let the cap loose to let the air out of the line and get fluid into the res. then proceed with the bleed. Works wonders and I can get to all 4 corners w/o having to check the res.

 

toddtce
I am not familiar with a gravity bleed. Am I correct in thinking that you can put the car up on four jackstands, loosen the bleeders on all four brakes, and just let it drip (being sure that the reservoir never gets too low)?
If that is correct would you get as good or better bleed as you would working with a partner?
Thanks, Steve

 

That pretty much sums it up Steve. Not near as sexy but it works just as well, albeit slower, than pressurizing the system.

You'll note that the calipers have bleeders on the top. That's to purge the air which rises to the top of the caliper. So long as there is fluid coming out; there's no air going in. Pumping or pressurizing is only doing the same thing quicker.

With a friend you can make it go faster if he pumps (lightly) and you squirt the bleeder. Most screw ups are usually a communication error between two people in my experience. If the pedal is let up prior to the nipple being close it will suck back. Whoops, I thought you said closed! or something like that....

A word on the rear parking brake caliper kit I offer while we're on topic here. It needs to be tilted a bit to purge the air. As does the rear kit on a Magnum for example. The reason is that if you mount a caliper beyond about 15 degrees the bleeder passage can be "over center". Think of a clock. Bleeder at 12. Tilt it and bleeder is at 2. Note that part of the circle that is now higher than the bleeer at 2?? That's trapped air.