Brake Bleeding 99 explorer sport

I have a 1999 Ford Explorer Sport 4.0 SOHC.
I change the rotor, calipers, and pads on the front end.

When I went to bleed the brakes I got some fluid, then I got none.
I can hear fluid squishing around up near the master cylinder, but none coming to the caliper.

I see a bleeder screw on the master cylinder?

Before the car came to me the person had, had low fluid, but had brakes. Now the pedal just goes all the way to the floor with no effort.

Tommorrow I am going to try bleeding by cracking a line at the antilock brake brain.

Any ideas would be helpful.

:crying:

No there are no leaks or broken lines anywhere.

yes still sounds like air in system since you just done front you should only have to bleed front. if you have no air come out then theres air still in them unless you never put new seal washers they can give you big problem. only other thing i can think of is your rubber lines colapsing inside you may look and see if you blowed rear brake cyl. by the way you can try gravity bleeding front calipers. did you have someone hold on brake when bleeding? if so they may have let pedal up before you tightened bleeders or suck air in the caliper itself by loosening bleeders on master cyl.

I used a bleeding tool at first and fluid was coming out.

I went to drive off and realized I had no brakes.

I then bled by having someone step on the pedal while opened and closed the bleeder screw. No fluid would come out and I can hear swishing sound up above.

try this make sure mast cyl is full of fluid and the swishing sound your hearing is probably coming from master cyl. like cap isn't tight or the rubber is not in line of the cap. ok pumb it a coulple times then let up and have someone let it up has high as it will go and loosen bleeder then tighten it you may have to do this 2 or 3 times before fluid will start coming out. then when you get a peadal keep it there until it gose to the floor tighten bleeder each time until you have straight flood coming out. or if you loosened bletters on mast cyl your going to have to bleed to if you suck air into it. maybe even all four wheels.

At this point I have bled fronts and rears. Getting fluid no air. Pedal still goes to floor. Without car running can pump pedal enough that pedal gets hard. With car running pedal goes right to floor.

I am not leaking fluid out anywhere. When I compressed the pistons the master cylinder fluid container was full enough that fluid poured out of it.

Not sure how to tell if master cylinder went bad during job. Seems funny drove in ok.

The easiest of jobs always seem to go south!

try leaving car running and pump them up and bleed that way since your getting fluid now. but master cyl coud be your problem now. this is what i do open bleeders to get old fluid out did you do this or did you not loosen bleeders when you first started? if you have no leaks it's goda be master cyl now.

I have bled until its time for me to buy stock in brake fluid manufacturers!

When stepping on brake pedal I have rear brake action. When stepping on the pedal I have no front brake action.

Pedal goes to floor, I see no air during bleeding.

Is it possible for just the front part of the master cylinder to go bad? Owner did have the brake light come on for a few days. Went away when they added fluid to it. I didnt drive ot first to know how pedal felt.

No more weekend mechanic work helping friends.

Everyone thank you for any input!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have bled until its time for me to buy stock in brake fluid manufacturers!

When stepping on brake pedal I have rear brake action. When stepping on the pedal I have no front brake action.

Pedal goes to floor, I see no air during bleeding.

Is it possible for just the front part of the master cylinder to go bad? Owner did have the brake light come on for a few days. Went away when they added fluid to it. I didnt drive ot first to know how pedal felt.

No more weekend mechanic work helping friends.

Everyone thank you for any input!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes it is what happens is that it either leaks or it's not circulating. that's why most likley it is master cyl you got air in or it's bad master cyl.

Thank you to all who replied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now trying to buy a replacement master cylinder.

I dont understand how it went bad, if it was good when it drove in. Note to self always test drive vehicle first. Was supposed to be an easy front brake job, with all parts replaced.

I wll post when replaced and up and running, off to autozone!

I have the solution.

I bought and installed a new master cylinder. I bench bled it. Installed it. Bled the system through out.

Still no front brakes!

I sat looking at the new calipers. They were dual pistons with the bleeder on the low point!!!!!!!!!!!

I took calipers off vehicle and clamped open. I then rose bleeder to be the high point. Big burst of air came out of each side. I reassembled and I had brakes.

Ford made a bad idea putting the bleeder on the low point not possible to get all the air out.

Owner came and retrieved vehicle and I told dont call again!

Hopefully this helps someone else in ther struggles to save money.
thanks to all who responded with there thoughts and ideas!!!

It is possible to install the calipers upside down.....Ford designed them for the bleeders to be at the high point.

Yeah, I'd also suspect that calipers were installed on the wrong sides. My 2000 and 2004 Mountaineers both had the bleeders at the high points, front and rear.

-Rod

The way the calipers sit they can not be reversed. If they were swapped from side to side it happened a very long time ago. This person has owned the vehicle since it was one year old. If they got swapped it did only go to a professional shop once for a brake job. If someone has a 99 ford explorer and could check thiers would help. I may not be a certified mech, I only do one side at a time always.

I don't have the factory service manual (FSM) for 1999, but did take a look at the FSM for 1998 and 2000. The same image is in both FSMs showing the bleeder screw towards the top of the caliper.

From 1998 FSM:
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff342/raschmidt/Automotive/1998_Front_bleeding.jpg

From 2000 FSM:
http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff342/raschmidt/Automotive/2000_Front_bleeding.jpg

-Rod

if you ever run in to this again bleeders are always at the top if on the bottom you'll never get the air out of them. just a reminder.

It sounds like you may have let the master reservoir run empty and introduce air into the HCU (Hydraulic Control Unit). Bad news, see gory details at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35821