master cylinder

I am having brake problems. I just changed a strut on the rear of my 91 corolla and i had to take the metal brake line from the back of the plate. I put it back on right but now I don't have brakes. I tried to bleed them but I can't build enough pressure. I pumped itup and it built pressure for a second and went back down. After that I couldn't get to that point without starting the car and shutting it off. Can the master cylinder pump brake fluid still if its no longer working properly? Answers are greatly appreciated.

when you say that you tried to bleed and cant build up enough pressure did you check to make sure that you have fluid at the resivior. have your bleeder valve closed and pump...I'd go half strokes because you can tear up seals in the mater cylinder (shaft somtime pits due to corosion and neglect). while someone is holding the pressure open the valve and retighten and repeate until you have better brake feel. are you doing all 4 or just the one you had to open up? Id do all 4 and replace as much of the old fluid as I can since you are at it already. I assume no AbS.

i would recommend a gravity bled and then do it the regular way
you do this by simply opening the bleeder and removing the master cylinder cap and let it drip but do not let the master get low
hope it helps

when you say that you tried to bleed and cant build up enough pressure did you check to make sure that you have fluid at the resivior. have your bleeder valve closed and pump...I'd go half strokes because you can tear up seals in the mater cylinder (shaft somtime pits due to corosion and neglect). while someone is holding the pressure open the valve and retighten and repeate until you have better brake feel. are you doing all 4 or just the one you had to open up? Id do all 4 and replace as much of the old fluid as I can since you are at it already. I assume no AbS.



I have bled all four, starting with the rear corner farthest from the master cylinder. Each time I bleed one, I refill the resevoir. I dont have a second person so what I have done was had a piece of rubber hose tightened around each bleeder valve and slowly push on the brake pedal. I know I'm sucking fluid back in but as I do that the jar that the hose goes to becomes more full so I'm pretty sure that more fluid is being pushed out then sucked back in. The first few pushes on the brake pedal pushes out some bubbles but after that there is nothing. Can the master cylinder pump fluid if its dead?

hey man ,get you enough tubing preferrably clear.oxygen tubing is great for this.get enough to where you can put it in a jar ,plastic or glass and clear enough to see through and can see the jar from the drivers seat..cut or punch two holes in the lid or top just big enough for the tubing to go in. let the end of the tubing be 1/2" from the bottom. fill the master cylinder go to the furtherest bleeder open it just a little maybe 1/4 turn. now get the jar where you can see it and pump short pumps until you see the fluid go into the jar. check the master cylinder as you don't want it getting empty.if you have to put more brake fluid in .pump until you see no air bubbles in the jar.empty the fluid from the jar in m/c. and tighten bleeder and move to the otherside on the back and do the same thing. then on to the front.just don't open the bleeder too much as i think was your problem.but just keep fluid in the m/c and hose in a little fluid in the jar so it can't suck air back and this should get you brakes unless the seals are gone in the m/c.i have used this many a time as one person can bleed instead of two. good luck and holler how it went