Replacing Rear Calipers - Suggestions on Bleeding
06-09-2013, 08:35 AM
#11
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Don't call victory 
before you drive the car, IOW start the engine and press the brakes (*)
I've had this "welded to the car pedal" before after a gravity bleed only to find that while driving the pedal still feels softer then it should = air.
Especially when dealing with empty/cleaned/dry rear calipers, the e-brake arm-lever system is an ideal place for small air bubbles to hide.
Last time I ended up removing the caliper again and hold the bleeder really straight up while tapping the caliper housing with a small hammer.
Doing so I could see small bubbles escape through the clear hose.
After that the pedal feel was firm, even with the engine running.
Maybe the vacuum helped in your case, I hope so.
(*) this is the official Honda ESM procedure, actually.
After work on the rear calipers:
Loosen e-brake nut - you have to remove the center console for that - alternative is to remove cable from lever.
(downside to this is that it could be very hard to get that cable back on... if your e-brake is/was on the tight side)
Start engine and press brake to seat pistons against pads, IOW do NOT pull the e-brake before doing this.
Then adjust e-brake - or put cable back on - in this case make 100% sure that without e-brake the wheel turns absolutely free.
before you drive the car, IOW start the engine and press the brakes (*)I've had this "welded to the car pedal" before after a gravity bleed only to find that while driving the pedal still feels softer then it should = air.
Especially when dealing with empty/cleaned/dry rear calipers, the e-brake arm-lever system is an ideal place for small air bubbles to hide.
Last time I ended up removing the caliper again and hold the bleeder really straight up while tapping the caliper housing with a small hammer.
Doing so I could see small bubbles escape through the clear hose.
After that the pedal feel was firm, even with the engine running.
Maybe the vacuum helped in your case, I hope so.
(*) this is the official Honda ESM procedure, actually.
After work on the rear calipers:
Loosen e-brake nut - you have to remove the center console for that - alternative is to remove cable from lever.
(downside to this is that it could be very hard to get that cable back on... if your e-brake is/was on the tight side)
Start engine and press brake to seat pistons against pads, IOW do NOT pull the e-brake before doing this.
Then adjust e-brake - or put cable back on - in this case make 100% sure that without e-brake the wheel turns absolutely free.
06-09-2013, 04:16 PM
#12
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Actually the work was done on Thursday so I have about 100 miles of town driving on it with no issues so I think I am good. More specifics.
1. When using the Mity-Vac the caliper was loose so I was holding the bleeder at the high point and I did move it around a bit and then pull some more fluid out.
2. E-Brake cable was completely loosened at the beginning and was not re-tightened until after pressing the brakes several with the engine running. I verified that things weren't dragging before I tightened and after to verify that I hadn't gone to tight. I can see someone trying to skip loosening the cable as it is a pain but I didn't want to fight with them on the caliper end. With the cable loose they were easy to get off and on the e-brake arms on the caliper.
Oh yeah and be smarter than me. Don't forget to plug the top switch and the hazard light switch back in when you put the console back in. You will figure it out when the rain starts. Or at least that's when I did.
1. When using the Mity-Vac the caliper was loose so I was holding the bleeder at the high point and I did move it around a bit and then pull some more fluid out.
2. E-Brake cable was completely loosened at the beginning and was not re-tightened until after pressing the brakes several with the engine running. I verified that things weren't dragging before I tightened and after to verify that I hadn't gone to tight. I can see someone trying to skip loosening the cable as it is a pain but I didn't want to fight with them on the caliper end. With the cable loose they were easy to get off and on the e-brake arms on the caliper.
Oh yeah and be smarter than me. Don't forget to plug the top switch and the hazard light switch back in when you put the console back in. You will figure it out when the rain starts. Or at least that's when I did.
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