My 96 thunderbird had a rear caliper shot. I changed the caliper, the rotor, and the brake pads then bled all the brakes. The three I didn’t touch bled perfectly when someone in the car pressed the brake, I let fluid flow, then tightened the nut. The wheel with all the new parts I get zero fluid out of. I removed the brake line completely and pumped the brakes and still no fluid. It has no pedal and three of the four brakes have been bled. My only guess is there is air in the line but why wouldn’t any fluid come out if I continually pump the brake pedal with only that one line open?
Does the vehicle have anti-lock brakes?
Tester
If it doesn’t have abs, I guess you just have to keep working your way back towards the brake master cylinder. Eventually fluid will come out somewhere, assuming the MC is full. With ABS, there may be some special ABS-bleeding procedure involved.
Before doing all that, suggest a visual inspection to make sure the brake pedal is actually pushing on the push rod like it should. And double check that the new caliper is the one for that side. Some posters here after many hours of brake bleeding problems have discovered they’d installed a new caliper that was actually the one for the other side. The bleeder screws should be on the top of the caliper and pointing upward.
George has made a good suggestion. The bleeder MUST be pointing up for the air to bleed.
You might also spend a few extra bucks on a manual bleeder. That should enable you to pull the air out at the caliper until you get pure fluid.
Damaged brake hose on that corner, maybe?
Did you check the banjo fitting bolt for the brake hose to caliper to make sure the holes weren’t filled with dirt?
Disconnect the rubber brake hose at that corner and see if fluid flows out the hard line, then blow through the brake hose to make sure it is clear. If all that is OK, it is something in the caliper itself, like bleed screw location (up, please) or a clog in the bleed screw itself.
Don’t you people read these posts?
The OP states “I removed the brake line completely and pumped the brakes and still no fluid”.
So why are you focusing on the caliper?
Tester
Did you have a suggestion to add or did you just want to insult us?
You failed, by the way.
If the vehicle has ABS, here’s the procedure to bleed the brakes.
And here’s the tool mentioned in the article that’s required to bleed the ABS. Along with a breakout box.
Tester
How do you expect to help someone if you don’t listen to what they’re telling you?
Tester