Made it to 100,000 miles of my 2002 Protege5 and the brakes finally needed to be changed (4-wheel disc ABS, manual transmission). The ABS/Brake light were on. The fronts were cake - new NAPA ceramic pads in, pushed the cylinder back in with a 6" C-clamp - no problems. Tested them, and they work great. However, the ABS/Brake light was still on.

Next did the rear brakes. Enter my problems. At first, I couldn't figure out why the c-clamp wasn't drawing the cylinder in. After reading here and finding the service manual (thank you!), figured out how to use the screw plug. Well, this was after I think I got a ton of air in the line by extruding the cylinder on the left rear brake out too far (duh).

So today I disassembled the caliper and removed the brake line to reset the cylinder (no doubt not getting all the air out). Put it all together and tightened the cylinder using the screw plug to firm and then backing off 1/3 rotation. Reattached the brake line (lost about 50 mL of brake fluid). Pumped the brakes and did not get totally firm. Went for a test drive, and the ABS/Brake lights went off (yay!), but the brakes are mushy. After some hard braking, the front brakes rotors were hot, the right rear brake was hot, but the left rear brake (the one I dissambled) was just warm.

So my computer says everything is fine, just mechically I have something off. Oh, and to boot - since I had to remove the parking brake lines to get the calipers back, the parking park no longer works. It's totally loose and useless.

1) My guess is - based on what I've read in these forums - I have air in my brake line. Sound right? How do I "bleed my brakelines" on this 02 Protege5?
2) How do I tighten the parking brake up? Just the nut by the handle or do I need to do something back by the brakes?

Thanks!

 

Hi..

1. Bleending the brakes. Get a jar, put brake fluid in it. Loosen the bleed screw, place a piece of tubing the fits snugly over the bleed screw, the other end of the tube in the bottom of the fluid. Have a friend gently pump the brake while holding the jar. Repeat until no bubbles appear in jar. The jar trick means no air will be sucked in on return of the master cylinder.

2. Check to make sure you are getting full travel of both the caliper and the park brake cables. Check that the park brake cables are not crimped anywhere. You are 5 years old now, it's probably time to change the brake cables.

 

first of all.... why did you get your brakes get this "crappy"????? second....

1. Front brakes..... if you replaced the brake pads and the piston as not "out", you do not need to bleed the front brakwes of your car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2.inspect the rear brake calipers... tey are tough to deal with!!!!!!!!!!! you need a special tool to rotate the caiper piston while "pushing" them in the caliperpiston "housing". If you did not "rotate" the caliperpiston while pushjing it in, you messed ups the caliper seal, and eventually your parking brakesystem...... if you did not do what I told you before... get NEW rear calipers, then bleed the system and try again.......

3. go to a certifies ASE mechanic shop and gfet you car cheked, becuase you suck as a mechanic....sorry.......but get a pro....

 

MazdaES, that was the help I needed! Between that and thinking about it, I got some DOT3 brake fluid and bleed the rear brake lines. The stuff that came out looked quite old as well since (I assume) brake fluid is hygroscopic. After that, tightening the screw plug down to "hold" the rotor in place and then backing it off 1/3 turn according to the service manual caused all my brakes to feel nice and tight. I also tightened the parking brake bolt by the handle and the parking brakes hold very tight.

So thank you MazdaES for your excellent help in setting me on the right road.


Oh, and Protege02 - less exclamation points, some better grammar and perhaps people can take your advise seriously.