Bleeding Brakes

[MowatGTI]

I've recently chanaged the following:

Rigid pipes to both rear brakes
Both front calipers
All pads front and back
All flexi hoses front and back

I'm now trying to bleed the brakes.

Bought a gunson eezi-bleeder and have bled them twice.

The pedal isn't as solid as I want tho.

Does it matter if the ignition is on when bleeding or not?

I found that I bled them and the pedal was solid, but i then turned on the igntion and it went soft again.

I'm sure I have no external leaks.

Not sure if i'm doing something wrong, or possibly my naster cylinder is goosed.

Any ideas?

Cheers

[mar_k]

i have the engine running when i bleed my brakes,
i know some people wont agree with this method but i find its what works best for me.

you also need to start with the furthest wheel away from the master cyclinder

[Wayne]

No need to have the engine running.

[MowatGTI]

Yeah - i'm doing them in the correct order.

Can you have any possible explanations why is isn't as solid when the igntion is on?

Also, in the haynes book, it says never to touch the bleed point on the master cylinder, anyone know why?

Cheers

[AudiA8Quattro]

The pedal will sink further when the engine is running because the servo is operating.
Has you car got a rear pressure regulator fitted? (pre-1995 only i think)
If one is fitted, clamp it before bleeding the rears.

[MowatGTI]

Not sure mate - but it's a '94 16v.

Bled them AGAIN today using the two man method (with jar)

Again, no air coming out, but the fluid comes out at a hell of a slow rate.

Not sure if i need to keep bleeding them or if something else is goosed.

After i bled them, the pedal wasn't soft, but hardly solid.  I decided to take it off stands and see what it was like.

The brakes worked, but only just.  No way would i consider driving on the road with them.

Another thing i noticed.  I pumped the pedal as hard as it would go, then started the engine which caused the pedal to sink a bit more, this shows the servo is working correctly according to haynes anyway.

Not sure if my master cylinder is leaking internally or what.

Has anyone bled a master cylinder before?

Cheers

[boneybradley]

well that will have the pressure regulator....and can be a swine to bleed (same rear callipers as the mk2 with the badly located bleed screws!! an easi bleed should sort them)

[MowatGTI]

Ok cheers.

I did notice today that my two rear calipers aren't the same......

Tried the gunson easi-bleed the other day.

Will give it another crack.

I'm getting right pissed off now! 

[AudiA8Quattro]

Clamp the rear pressure regulator, it sits by the rear axle.

[javalin]

have you got ABS?