Hi there, I am having a issue with my 2001 RAM. I have changed brakes most of my life, familiar enough that I manage to get it done, and I am working my way through a issue during a recent brake upgrade.
Until the other day my brakes were working. I had poor pads on front, and the rotors were not the best. I decided to get a set of power stop slotted drilled rotors from Rock Auto, and a set of high performance pads, since I do mountains all the time. I figured it would be a quick job, well not really.
I decide to put in two new calipers from Napa, and during the install they were set up on the spring housing, hoses did not get twisted etc.
So I put them in, and bled them, and all seemed good, but no pedal, I can stop a little, but it is really far down to the floor to get stopped.
During the bleeding process, I had my partner pump and I noticed she was basically hitting the floor on bleed, and she thinking she was helping, had leg extended and really forced it down, well what can I say.
So, I then went to bleed the rears, to make sure no air, and they were a mess. I thought I would put on a new master cylinder, since for $50 it is great insurance, cause I am going down mountains with a cargo and trailer on, so did that first. This made no difference.
So I went to put new wheel cylinders on rear, cause they were badly rusted, and could not open up bleeders, and well of course ended up with a broken line. End of story, got them back together, new springs on the passenger and drivers drum now, fixed line, no other apparent leaks.
Everything seemed to bleed fine, I use a self bleeder bottle but she actually pumped the pedal. No apparent air, and I took a full bottle out of each side on this bleed.
This did not correct the problem, in any way.
So my attention is turning to the Booster, and check valve. Vacuum is there at the booster, when I remove the check valve it hisses. When I press 4 times on the pedal, it is rock hard. Then when I start the engine, it goes right down to floor then. I took of the check valve and checked for vacuum while running, and all is good.
Now I noticed that there might be a new, sort of sucking noise when I press the pedal down now, and I do not think it was there prior to this.
So tomorrow I will go to the junk yard, and grab a booster and a check valve to test, but I am kind of at a loss what to check next.
The only thing I can think of, is that there is a mechanism or a abs function I am not aware of. I did not think I had abs, never felt it pulsate, but I do see a box next to the proportioning valve in front, and not sure what that is yet.
As a note I bled everything again, went to all four tires, and no change.
So right now, first of all, maybe I am bleeding wrong, and have gone senile. Second, maybe there is something else to bleed and I have abs and am not aware, which would surprise me. However I do have a proportioning block, And finally, I think it is check valve or booster related.
So if anyone has any idea, can you tell me anything else I can check, to save me the hassle of switching out the booster.
I am honestly surprised at this whole thing, I can only assume that it happened during the first bleed.
Until the other day my brakes were working. I had poor pads on front, and the rotors were not the best. I decided to get a set of power stop slotted drilled rotors from Rock Auto, and a set of high performance pads, since I do mountains all the time. I figured it would be a quick job, well not really.
I decide to put in two new calipers from Napa, and during the install they were set up on the spring housing, hoses did not get twisted etc.
So I put them in, and bled them, and all seemed good, but no pedal, I can stop a little, but it is really far down to the floor to get stopped.
During the bleeding process, I had my partner pump and I noticed she was basically hitting the floor on bleed, and she thinking she was helping, had leg extended and really forced it down, well what can I say.
So, I then went to bleed the rears, to make sure no air, and they were a mess. I thought I would put on a new master cylinder, since for $50 it is great insurance, cause I am going down mountains with a cargo and trailer on, so did that first. This made no difference.
So I went to put new wheel cylinders on rear, cause they were badly rusted, and could not open up bleeders, and well of course ended up with a broken line. End of story, got them back together, new springs on the passenger and drivers drum now, fixed line, no other apparent leaks.
Everything seemed to bleed fine, I use a self bleeder bottle but she actually pumped the pedal. No apparent air, and I took a full bottle out of each side on this bleed.
This did not correct the problem, in any way.
So my attention is turning to the Booster, and check valve. Vacuum is there at the booster, when I remove the check valve it hisses. When I press 4 times on the pedal, it is rock hard. Then when I start the engine, it goes right down to floor then. I took of the check valve and checked for vacuum while running, and all is good.
Now I noticed that there might be a new, sort of sucking noise when I press the pedal down now, and I do not think it was there prior to this.
So tomorrow I will go to the junk yard, and grab a booster and a check valve to test, but I am kind of at a loss what to check next.
The only thing I can think of, is that there is a mechanism or a abs function I am not aware of. I did not think I had abs, never felt it pulsate, but I do see a box next to the proportioning valve in front, and not sure what that is yet.
As a note I bled everything again, went to all four tires, and no change.
So right now, first of all, maybe I am bleeding wrong, and have gone senile. Second, maybe there is something else to bleed and I have abs and am not aware, which would surprise me. However I do have a proportioning block, And finally, I think it is check valve or booster related.
So if anyone has any idea, can you tell me anything else I can check, to save me the hassle of switching out the booster.
I am honestly surprised at this whole thing, I can only assume that it happened during the first bleed.