2003 4runner brake bleed trouble
 

Hey guys, So I figured since I have a few days off, I would do my brakes on my '03 4x4 limited v8 4runner. Well as usual, it has turned into a bigger job that I thought. It turns out my front caliper on the driver side had a frozen piston, so I had to order rebuilt calipers. I guess this is very common on 4th gens. My rig just hit 84,000 and I decided since I did the brakes, I may as well flush and bleed the brake lines. Well, I have a fsm that I got online and I followed the instructions. I did get air out of the front lines, but not much. Now the pedal just goes to the floor and I have no brakes. With the ignition switched on, I can pump up the pedal about 8 times when the ABS light comes on and starts beeping. With the ignition off, the pedal will pump up and get firm, then all of a sudden lose all pressure. I checked all of the brake lines and master cylinder and no leaks. I appreciate any help in advance!

Still no luck, I have flushed nearly three large bottles of break fluid through. At least the fluid is all new! Still no brake pedal. I read elsewhere to wrap on the calipers with a rubber hammer since that could release air bubbles from them. I'll have to try that in the morning. :barf:

Well still no good news. I thought I had it, but now it seems worse. The pedal goes all the way to the floor and no brakes. The odd thing is when the car is off, the brake pedal feels like its supposed to. while its running If I pump the brake pedal about ten times, the VSC and ABS light comes on and starts beeping. I am wondering if I got some air up in the abs module or something. If I would have known a simple brake job would turn into this, I wouldn't have bothered...

The only thing I can think of now is maybe the master cylinder got air in it when I had the calipers off. So next thing I'll try is bleeding the M/C and then start over with bleeding everything. I sure as hell hope this works! My fingers are crossed!:con:

have you tried to bleed the system with the engine running??? I work in a Toyota dealer and sometime I need to do it with the engine running because of the hydro booster

Boris

unless you have speed bleeders, you will need 2 people for a successful bleed. start with takin the lines off the master cylinder, and bleeding a couple off times. refill the tank, then do the lines starting with furthest from master cylinder. do each line a couple of times or as necessary. im not sure about your model, but i had to bleed my LSPV before i did the lines. if you have an LSPV, bleed it after you bleed the master cylinder. I just did mine last weekend and i had a lot of trouble until i did it in that order with my wife on the pedal pumping the brakes while i was cracking the bleeders. Good luck

Thanks for the replies guys! Speedbro, I didn't try it while it was running, but I did it with the ign. on as in the FSM.
Clyde, I did have help with the bleed, but I think I may have sucked air into the master cyl. when I sucked out some of the fluid from the resevoir. The lines have been bled a few times a piece and all I get is fluid.