Reatta-Rogue Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 I'm new to this forum (and Reattas), so, I hope you folks can help me solve a puzzle. I'm just completing a trans-winter rebuild of my '90 'vert's suspension & brakes, and have run up on a real head scratcher. Last night, as I was trying to bleed the brake system (with the assistance of a pal on the pedal), I was baffled by a complete and total lack of brake fluid reaching the new rear calipers! All four calipers have been replaced. I started by trying to bleed the rear first, but, after nearly wearing out my Bud on the pedal, I switched to the front and was easily able to bleed the front. I went back to the rear, and, again, no fluid reaching the rear calipers!!! Does anybody have a clue as to what the heck is going on? Is there something quirky about Reatta brakes which I don't know about? :huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Welcome to the forum and Reatta Owners Journal! You will find this helpful: How To Flush & Bleed Brakes To bleed the front brakes have the key off and bleed in a conventional method. Have someone pump the pedal a few times and hold it down while the other person opens the front bleeders. The rear calipers on models equipped with the Teves system require a slightly different procedure to bleed the air from the system. Turn on the key and allow the system to pressurize Have an assistant slightly depress the pedal and hold it. Open each rear bleeder, one at a time, and hold open until clear fluid comes out. (The pump and motor will do the bleeding) Close the bleeder with sufficient force but do not over-tighten. When you're done check the high and low marks on the reservoir. After the system pump and motor has run and the lights are out the level should be at the low mark. When you have pumped the brakes with the key off 25 times the level will be at the high mark. Add or remove fluid if necessary to bring the fluid to the correct level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta-Rogue Posted March 9, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 Thanks, Ronnie, I will do that today. What a relief! Thank you for that necessary knowledge! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 You are welcome. Let us know if it works for you. Sorry for posting the procedure for the front breaks twice. I will correct that right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta-Rogue Posted March 11, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hey, Ronnie! Everything went well with the bleeding of the rear calipers. The pedal still seems to be a bit "soft", but, that may be because I haven't driven the car since last September. Another quick question: how would I go about adjusting up the emergency brake? I've had the car for two years, and it has NEVER held; still doesn't with the new calipers. Thanks in advance! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hey, Ronnie! Everything went well with the bleeding of the rear calipers. The pedal still seems to be a bit "soft", but, that may be because I haven't driven the car since last September. Another quick question: how would I go about adjusting up the emergency brake? I've had the car for two years, and it has NEVER held; still doesn't with the new calipers. Thanks in advance! Keith The adjustment is right underneath at the drivers door. It is where the front cable connects to the intermediate cable. There is a part there called an equalizer where you will find the adjusting nut. You may find the nut is a bit rusted. Soak it with penetrating oil before you start. I had to work mine back and forth a while but I got it to clean up and work nicely. By the way it is a "parking brake" not so much of an "emergency brake". Are you using the brake correctly? It is not just a "one push" engagement. You are supposed to pump the pedal to engage the parking brake. I think the book says it should pump one and a half to two and a half times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta-Rogue Posted March 11, 2017 Topic Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 Thanks Fordrodsteven! Thanks for the info, I'll get to work on that! And, yes, I know it is a PARKING rather than an EMERGENCY brake, and I do pump it up to attempt to use it. I guess "emergency brake" is just an old archaic term which is hard to shake-off in some circles! Thanks again for the info, and the correction on the nomenclature! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Lol! I wasn't really trying to correct you. I just wanted to make sure you understood the way it functioned. I remember once someone going on and on about how the brake didn't work and eventually it was found out he was just pushing it once and it didn't make his car stop. Then he went on about why is it called an emergency brake and someone pointed out to him that the manual calls it a parking brake. All my other vehicles are one push (or pull) and the brake is locked. I guess those would be considered emergency brakes. Lol. Just a note.... When I "worked" the nut back and forth on my adjustment rod I worked it off the end and disconnected it. Then it took me about an hour and I got it so it would screw all the way easily from one end of the thread to the other. If you have a way of "chasing" the threads (or a proper size thread die) it might make it go a little faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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