bleeding brakes!!!!

[mph9171]

i've just changed the rear brake pads on my golf tdi (2002) and i had a little mishap, one of the pistons came out, losing all the fluid. i've got the pads in and all looking ok, but having tried to bleed the brakes to rid the system of air, the brake pedal gets firm for a few pumps but if its left for a few seconds the pedal goes to the floor with ease, there are no leaks in the system, is there something i'm missing???? any ideas anyone??
ps i knew i should have left it to the professionals!

[R32North]

How did you bleed the brakes? Two people, bottle of fluid, open-pump-close... up with pedal, open-pump-close... etc etc

Have the reservoir cap off to allow fluid to move thru the system?

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[mph9171]

hi, thanks for the reply, but tried that method, didn't work, so i tried a presure easi-bleeding kit, didn't work, have booked it in to vw garage tomorrow, and i thought i'd save myself some money, how wrong i was!!!!

[Skidmark]

Sounds like air trapped in the rear calliper.....take it off & bleed it on its side.

ie with the bleed nipple at the top & the pipe at the bottom.

hope that makes sense [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

cheers [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/169144-ok.gif[/img]

[chrisbas]

I know this is a while back but if this happens to anyone else and the car has ABS this will need bleeding too. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/169144-ok.gif[/img]

[mulkbear]

Did you bleed the master cylinder ?

Also bleed the system by starting will the o/s/r , n/s/r , n/s/f then o/s/f

[chrisbas]

no mate.

[BMP01]

BigBan,
Bleeding the ABS sounds like a good idea, so how do you (bleed the ABS)? Is is possible in a home garage?
I have fitted new pads all round, fresh brake fluid, bled the master cylinder and all four corners (with pressure bleeder) and am confident I have removed all the air that I can. Pedal is solid withoutthe servo assistance but as soon as the engine is running the pedal drops easily to half way. The car stops pretty well but I would like the pedal to be more reassuring - bleeding the ABS seems the next step.
Also, its a MK4 Golf.
Any help would be appreciated especially as this is first post (I mean - first post is a question which seems a bit impolite).

Thanks,

BMP01

[mulkbear]

Try bleedind the master cylinder first, (there is two bleed screws on thside of the master cylinder)

Very normal for vehicals that have had new pads and disc's to have soft brake pedel when engnie is running try doing a 100 mile if the pedel is still soft you may have problem but if you have used a pressure bleeder the ABS unit has been bled

[BMP01]

Mulkbear,
Thanks for the reply.
Yes I have done the master cylinder (and rechecked it ).
The only problem with doing the 100 miles is the lack of MOT and Tax [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]. (Car just bought from auction [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]). I don't know what the attitude of the MOT man is going to be - maybe I should just try it.
This evening just for the sake of trying something else I tried the two man brake bleeding with the engine running (so that ought to have compressed any bubbles of air). But I got nothing apart from clean brak fluid... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
I heard I might need to do a ABS cycling procedure with VAG-COM to reset the brake pedal .... have you heard of this?

Thanks in advance.