I just spent the weekend replacing the front end on the wife's S60, a major undertaking. I also replaced the brake rotors and pads both front and rear, this was suppose to me a minor undertaking. I was anxious to take it out for a test drive, but I couldn't get a solid brake pedal.

I have bleed the brakes both with the ignition off and the car running. I used the trusted method of placing a line into a plastic bottle. This was a solo undertaking so I couldn't inspect the rotors under pressure. I did get fluid flowing out of each of the calipers.

Is there a recommended order to bleeding the system? I usually start on the rear but I jumped around this time.

Last night I read a post somewhere that suggested applying the brakes to activate the ABS system. Any thoughts on this recommendation?

I am curies if I could of damaged the master cylinder? So standard practice for me has always been to push the brake pistons into the calipers without opening a bleeder. The excess comes dribbles out the top of the master cylinder reservoir.

Any help troubleshooting my dilemma would be appreciated?

 

I attempted to activate the ABS system but the car was reluctant to stop let alone lock up. I decided to abandon what was turning into a suicide mission.

So my next step was to spent a couple of hours bleeding the brake system with a friend pumping away at the pedal, followed by gravity bleeding.

Results same as before- the pedal firms up but once the engine is started its sponge city! The pedal will pump a bit firmer then drop to the floor.
I don't see any fluid on the ground.

Next step is to shell out $250 for a lousy master cylinder-Yikes. I just dont get it. The brakes worked fine prior to the pad/rotor replacement. And I never opened the system.

So I am still open to suggestion on getting my pedal back!
Thanks

 

Did you install the retaining clips on the brake pads correct?

I think you have the same problem as in this thread.
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=96125


How the retaining clips should be installed
http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showpo...96&postcount=9



I hope this helps


Magnus

 

Magnus,
I do believe I have installed the clips correctly but I wont hesitate to recheck them tomorrow. I was having trouble with the rear clips until I looked up front. I would bet that at least three of my clips are installed as pictured in the link below. At this point I would love to find out my problem was due to a retaining clip.

I ordered a master cylinder today and it is a couple day out so I have some time. Today a mechanic friend suggested that back pressure from driving the pistons back into the calipers could have damage the ABS unit. Now that was some great news!

Thanks for the reply.
Gary
How the retaining clips should be installed
http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=97196&postcount=9

 

Magnus,
So the good news is the S60 on the road and rolling again. After numerous hours researching and looking at forums, two maybe three days of pumping and bleeding, changing out the master not just once but twice it came down to a basic oversight. Yes, I did have one of the caliper spring installed wrong. A real mechanic friend came over and he spotted it on the first wheel he looked at

So I had the flat on the inside rather than the outside. I then assumed I had them all improperly installed, but it was only one. I don't know how I missed it. I even printed out photos of properly installed springs. One of these day I'll post a photo so the next fifty guys who have the same problem will understand what an improperly installed spring looks like.

I want to thank you for your help. Ron White is right, " You Just Can't Fix Stupid!

 

Good that your brake problem is now solved, I think there is many who would appreciate a picture of how you had installed the spring and how it should be installed correctly to avoid same problem.
I know that you are not the first with this problem so thats why i suggested that solution to check the springs first of all.

 

Early on I was having trouble lining up one of the rear springs so it would drop in the holes. I had it installed incorrectly but in a different manor that my big problem.
My problem spring was aligned properly and sitting behind the caliper face. At a glance it looked correct. But I did more than just glance at that spring an I still accepted that it was installed properly, when it was not.
I will post some photos.
Thanks again!

 

That's total B.S.!!

Also if you're going to bleed the brakes, can't recommned enough using a pressure bleeder. In modern ABS brake systems it's only way to know for sure that you got ALL the air out the system. Plus it makes it a one-man job too.

The Motive one is decent:
http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...+Brake+Bleeder

BTW: Working on your own brakes is not rocket science, but it is safety critical! Don't take it lightly.

 

Oh yah! Two solid days I'll never get back, but at least the brake problem is solved. The other good news is the front end is once agian tight!

I agree with the power bleeding tip. I actually made my own for less than $20 and an hour of my time. It worked like a champ and no need to entice a friend over to pump on the brakes! You can see I don't put much value in my time!