DIY: Brake Pad Replacement DIY

[WarrantyTracker]

I'm not having any luck this weekend. I just swapped my standard pads back into all four corners, because I wasn't crazy about the low-dust pads I was trying as an experiment.

Pushed the pistons back in using Kaiv's method of levering the caliper against the carrier. I had forgotten to open the master cyl cap, but they went back in fine anyway.

After, I added a few ounces of fluid to the master cyl res to top it up.

Now I have a soft pedal that goes to the floor before the brakes engage.

Any thoughts? I know how to bleed the system if I have to, but what a PITA. I can't imagine how I might have gotten air in it changing the pads.

[r53s65e90]

Originally Posted by WarrantyTracker

I'm not having any luck this weekend. I just swapped my standard pads back into all four corners, because I wasn't crazy about the low-dust pads I was trying as an experiment.

Pushed the pistons back in using Kaiv's method of levering the caliper against the carrier. I had forgotten to open the master cyl cap, but they went back in fine anyway.

After, I added a few ounces of fluid to the master cyl res to top it up.

Now I have a soft pedal that goes to the floor before the brakes engage.

Any thoughts? I know how to bleed the system if I have to, but what a PITA. I can't imagine how I might have gotten air in it changing the pads.

It will go to the floor the first 2-3 times per corner you press until the pistons go back in place. The thinner the pads the more times the pedal will go to the floor. Before you start driving you are supposed to pump the brakes until pedal is hard again.

How many times have you pumped your brakes?

[WarrantyTracker]

Originally Posted by r53s65e90

It will go to the floor the first 2-3 times per corner you press until the pistons go back in place. The thinner the pads the more times the pedal will go to the floor. Before you start driving you are supposed to pump the brakes until pedal is hard again.

How many times have you pumped your brakes?

Good tip, thanks. Unfortunately, this is not just the soft-pedal from re-positioning the pads. It's beyond that.

[Majin Buu]

how low was the fluid in the master cylinder? you might have introduced air at the reservoir level. Anytime you push a caliper piston in, you should pump the pedal to get the fluid back down into the caliper before moving on to the next caliper

[WarrantyTracker]

Originally Posted by Majin Buu

how low was the fluid in the master cylinder? you might have introduced air at the reservoir level. Anytime you push a caliper piston in, you should pump the pedal to get the fluid back down into the caliper before moving on to the next caliper

Fluid in the res was about 2/3, so there was headroom. Good tip about snugging up the pads at each corner as I go. Will make it easier to bolt 'em back anyway.

Solution to my problem above: new vaccum pump. By coincidence, unrelated to the pad swap, it died. Took it to the dealer a couple weeks ago and they fixed me up.