Rear Disc Brakes

[JWS0777]

Does Anybody Know Why I Would Not Be Getting Any Fluid
To The Rear Wheels Of A Lumina With Disc Brakes. When I First
Took It Apart Everying Was Froze Up. I Put New Rotors, Calipers, & Brakes On, But I Cant No Fluid Out To Bleed Them.
The Brake Pedal Is Not Mushy And The Car Stops Fine, But
There Is No Back Brakes. The Brake & Anti Lock Brake Light Is On.
Any Help Would Be Great. My Next Step Is To See If The Rubber
Lines Are Bad That Connect To The Rear Calipers

[maxwedge]

Go to autozone.com/repairinfo and follow the bleed procedure there available by putting you car into the info and going to repair info for that car.

[jeffcoslacker]

You stepped on the brake without enough fluid in the lines, now the valving is stuck in a position that's isolating the rear from the system. On older cars, there was a button on the proportioning valve you could push and the ball check would reset and clear the brake warning light and allow fluid to the rear, but I doubt it's that simple with ABS.


First I'd try taking both bleeder screws out of the rear calipers. Open the master cylinder and fill, and watch the fluid level. Hopefully it will allow the fluid to run into the lines and purge some of the air.

It may take some time, but you have to get fluid through there. If it doesn't seem to be gravity feeding at all, try short, shallow slow pedal strokes. That will usually get it flowing. Keep topping off the master until fluid is coming out of the calipers real well and then put you bleeder screws back in and redo your regular bleeding procedure.

If it refuses to allow fluid back there, you may need to wind the pistons OUT a few turns on those rear calipers, fill with fluid through the bleeder hole with a syringe or whatever works, then close the screws and wind them back in to fully retracted again.

This will force fluid backwards through the system, and should reset the proportioning valve if it is stuck with the rear completely locked out. Do this only as a last resort, though. It's really not generally a good idea to push fluid back into the ABS system this way if you can avoid it (possibility of pushing contaminates into the valve system)

[JWS0777]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

You stepped on the brake without enough fluid in the lines, now the valving is stuck in a position that's isolating the rear from the system. On older cars, there was a button on the proportioning valve you could push and the ball check would reset and clear the brake warning light and allow fluid to the rear, but I doubt it's that simple with ABS.


First I'd try taking both bleeder screws out of the rear calipers. Open the master cylinder and fill, and watch the fluid level. Hopefully it will allow the fluid to run into the lines and purge some of the air.

It may take some time, but you have to get fluid through there. If it doesn't seem to be gravity feeding at all, try short, shallow slow pedal strokes. That will usually get it flowing. Keep topping off the master until fluid is coming out of the calipers real well and then put you bleeder screws back in and redo your regular bleeding procedure.

If it refuses to allow fluid back there, you may need to wind the pistons OUT a few turns on those rear calipers, fill with fluid through the bleeder hole with a syringe or whatever works, then close the screws and wind them back in to fully retracted again.

This will force fluid backwards through the system, and should reset the proportioning valve if it is stuck with the rear completely locked out. Do this only as a last resort, though. It's really not generally a good idea to push fluid back into the ABS system this way if you can avoid it (possibility of pushing contaminates into the valve system)

WHEN I REMOVED THE CALIPERS, I DID NOT EVEN GET ANY FLUID.
THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FULL. SO I DON'T THINK THAT I PUSHED
THE PEDAL WITHOUT FLUID IN THE LINES. I THINK WHATEVER THE PROBLEM IS IT HAPPENED BEFORE I REMOVED ALL THE BACK BRAKE
PARTS BECAUSE BOTH LIGHTS WERE ON BEFORE I STARTED. DOES IT
SOUND LOGICAL TO YOU THAT BOTH RUBBER HOSES THAT CONNECT
TO THE CALIPERS ARE CLOGGED. I HAVE READ THAT WHEN THESE W BODY REAR DISC BRAKES GO BAD THAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE
RUBBER HOSES ALSO. (THE CAR IS MY NIECES, AND SHE SAID THE
LIGHTS WERE ON FOR AT LEAST 3 MONTHS) I AM ASSUMING THE BACK
BRAKES FROZE UP AT THAT TIME. I WILL TRY TO DISCONNECT THE
RUBBER HOSES AND SEE IF I GET FLUID AT THE DISCONNECT. IF NOT
I WILL TRY YOUR BACK FEEDING IDEA.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

[jeffcoslacker]

Ahh...OK. I thought it had fluid before,my bad.

I'd take a hose off the line and see what you get then.

Was there any fluid in the calipers, or were they dry too when you pulled them off?

Were the warning lights on before you took it apart also?

[JWS0777]

yes, both lights were on before I disassembled.
there was some fluid in the old calipers, but not
much. I am going to try disconnecting the rubber
hoses some time this week. I will keep you informed
thanks for the help.

[JWS0777]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

Ahh...OK. I thought it had fluid before,my bad.

I'd take a hose off the line and see what you get then.

Was there any fluid in the calipers, or were they dry too when you pulled them off?

Were the warning lights on before you took it apart also?

yes, both lights were on before I disassembled.
there was some fluid in the old calipers, but not
much. I am going to try disconnecting the rubber
hoses some time this week. I will keep you informed
thanks for the help.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by JWS0777

yes, both lights were on before I disassembled.
there was some fluid in the old calipers, but not
much. I am going to try disconnecting the rubber
hoses some time this week. I will keep you informed
thanks for the help.

OK, make sure you flush the lines pretty good when you get it working...there's bound to be a lot of rust and moisture in them if they weren't full of fluid...