I am hoping someone out there can help with this, as I am at a total loss. Have replaced the front pads, back shoes, front and back brake lines, and master cylinder on my 96 Corolla. Bled the master cylinder, and went to bleed the brakes, but no fluid. Blew out the brake lines with compressed air to make sure no leaks in the metal lines, no problems there. Still hardly (if any) fluid when I bleed the brakes. Thought it could need new calipers, but am not sure it is going to work when I go to bleed them again. Am I missing a step?
Have the brake lines pressure bled.
Basically, a pump is installed on the master cylinder reservoir, and pressurizes the brake fluid. When you open a bleeder valve on one of the wheels, it will displace the air in the brake line with the new brake fluid.
You should be able to buy one of these at your local auto parts store.
If you decide to try to use a vacuum bleeder (where you attach a hand pump to the bleeder), you don’t need to have someone step on the brake, as that defeats the purpose. Just make sure the top is off of the master cylinder reservoir.
BC.
Have done that as well as vacuum bleeding with the top of the reservoir off. Could it just be a hole in the caliper that is causing no pressure for brake fluid?
There is a pushrod from the brake pedal linkage to the master cylinder. Some are adjustable. If the pushrod is too long the master cylinder plunger never gets to fully retract when you take your foot off the pedal, then fluid can’t flow from the reservoir into the MC. Check a service manual on how to set this up.
Checked that too, works fine. Replaced the calipers last night, and now can get fluid only on RF and RR. No fluid and barely any air on left side. There has got to be something I am missing!