Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Miggy24 on 10 February 2009, 12:26:12
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Hi all just fitted some new front brake pads.i took the brake fliuld cap off so when i pushed the piston/s in it wouldnt make to much pressure.Anyway after fitting them i started the car up and pumped the brake pedal it got hard but it went down to the floor.I then took out some brake fluild and the brakes got alot harder and better but still went to the floor.Do you think iv got some air in ther brakes
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Hi all just fitted some new front brake pads.i took the brake fliuld cap off so when i pushed the piston/s in it wouldnt make to much pressure.Anyway after fitting them i started the car up and pumped the brake pedal it got hard but it went down to the floor.I then took out some brake fluild and the brakes got alot harder and better but still went to the floor.Do you think iv got some air in ther brakes
How much fluid was in the tank?
You did not need to open it really, just lift the caliper up, and push it in with a large G-Clamp or something, then pop the new pads in.
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well it over filled thats why i took some fluilded out but like i said it did made the brakes alot better but pedal still goes to the floor so i think theres air in the brakes
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I've not heard of this happening on an Omega, but have on Astras and Vectras ........
There's a possibility here that you've 'flipped' the seals in the master cylinder, when you retracted the brake caliper piston to fit the new pads. Caused by reversing the flow of the fluid against the seals, and will mean a new master cylinder!
However, try a good bleeding first and see what happens.
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A new master cylinder :o i hope not.I`ll try with bleeding it first
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Hi all just fitted some new front brake pads.i took the brake fliuld cap off so when i pushed the piston/s in it wouldnt make to much pressure.Anyway after fitting them i started the car up and pumped the brake pedal it got hard but it went down to the floor.I then took out some brake fluild and the brakes got alot harder and better but still went to the floor.Do you think iv got some air in ther brakes
How much fluid was in the tank?
You did not need to open it really just lift the caliper up, and push it in with a large G-Clamp or something, then pop the new pads in.
Disagree, by doing that you are forcing fluid backwards, I would open the bleed nipple, attach a pipe then push the piston back which would expel the old fluid in the caliper out rather than backwards.
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So do you think its just abit of air.the brakes are good and hard and stop the car quick like they did before just if i push the brake hard it slowly goes to the floor
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Did you bleed them? if so make sure the nipples are tight is they are try bleeding them again mate
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No i havent tryed to bleed them yet as im all by myself and no one to lend a hand.well take it to my mates in the next day or 2
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So do you think its just abit of air.the brakes are good and hard and stop the car quick like they did before just if i push the brake hard it slowly goes to the floor
If the pedal is not spongy but gradually sinks to the floor under prolonged pressure the fluid is leaking past a seal somewhere. Check each of the calipers as you will see fluid leaking from these. If nothing evident it's probably the master cylinder.
I agree it's good practice to open the bleed nipple when retracting the cylinder. The fluid in the cylinder will be manky so may as well get rid of it. I normally flush a bit of fresh fluid through the system using a pressure bleeder whenever I've worked on the brakes both to bleed it and to effect a partial fluid change.
Kevin
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If the pedal is not spongy but gradually sinks to the floor under prolonged pressure the fluid is leaking past a seal somewhere. Check each of the calipers as you will see fluid leaking from these. If nothing evident it's probably the master cylinder.
Thats how the brake pedal feels.Shall i still try giving it a bleed or just get a new master cylinder
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Right....a litle trick from Astra/Corsa's.
Get a rubber mallet and press the brake pedal right to the floor.
Let go of the brake pedal and as you do, get somebody to wallop the end of the master cylinder with the mallet.
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:-? what would that do
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:-? what would that do
It corrects inverted seals!
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Ohhh i see well i`ll give that a try thanks for that mate :y
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So with me having the brake fluid cap off would that couse so air getting in
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So with me having the brake fluid cap off would that couse so air getting in
Nope. The cap has a breather hole in it anyway to allow air in. :y
Air will only get in if the level is allowed to get very low, or part of the system downstream of the reservoir is disconnected. Air results in a spongy pedal at all times so the fact that you have a hard pedal (albeit creeping a bit) rules out air in the system.
Kevin
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So with me having the brake fluid cap off would that couse so air getting in
no providing the fluid level was maintained in the resevoir
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So it looks like i have a leak somewhere
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So it looks like i have a leak somewhere
I would try Mark's master cylinder seal trick. :y Assuming there are no obvious fluid leaks.
Kevin
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Bleed the brakes first matey....
Is the fluid clean or slightly black??
This can happen to the pedal sometimes on a pad change, it happened on mine, i changed the fluid and bled the system, then all was well again.
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its does look abit old and blackish.I`ll try bleeding them first with new fluid and try what mark said but at the same time i`ll have a look at the brake hoses before i do anything
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If it is the master cylinder do i have to replace the whole lot or just the black o-ring
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If it is the master cylinder do i have to replace the whole lot or just the black o-ring
'O' ring????? Never played with the Omega brakes but I'd change complete master cylinder. I have even read in the past, that it's best to change master cylinders complete with the servo, that way you're distubing as little as of the hydraulics as possible. :-/ :y
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Did Mark's master cylinder seal trick and it made the brake alot better but still not 100 per cent.Iv checked the brake hoses and there fine too so i think i might be looking at a new master cylinder or do you think i should still try bleeding them
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when you say alot better do you mean it still goes to the bottom but slower or does it just feel spongy now?
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it doesnt go to the bottom now but still goes down more then it should
Oh and its not spongy
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Ok, then before you go off buying new parts I'd drive it (carefully) for a couple days. Chances are the pads just need bedding in and the pedal will probably return to normal after a few days
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Ok mate i`ll give that ago :y lets hope it does sort its self out
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Fingers crossed :y
I've had a similar problem in the past and it took about 60 - 70 miles before they returned back to normal.
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It's normal for the pedal to feel a little "odd" when the brakes are still bedding in. At this stage I'd go with the "drive it carefully for a few days" advice as long as you feel it's safe to drive.
Kevin
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Hi guys
Would it be a good idea to have the car running as to operate the abs pump when bleeding the brakes :-?
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no, always bleed the brakes with engine off :y
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it doesnt go to the bottom now but still goes down more then it should
Oh and its not spongy
If its not going to the floor thn teh master cylinder is fine :y
Replace the fluid and it should improve more
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I agree that it would be a very good idea to change the fuid, it should be changed every 2 years as part of the service schedule.
If you are on your own it is really worth investing in a Gunsons Easibleed kit, I have been using one for several years now and it is excellent, flushes all the old muck out in no time!
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Devonboy, any improvement yet?
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Hi there yes seems all fine now did a 400 mile trip on friday so all good now :y
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told ya :y