Thinking the slide pins on my SRT6 brakes need lubrication, using a T45 Torx socket bit screw I took out a screw not the pin I was expecting. Seemingly it is different to the NA.
The sleeve stayed behind inside the rubber bushing. Not wanting to take the whole caliper out I put it all back together again. I'll wait for the new SS brake lines and the fluid change to do it. I cannot make up my mind whether to dump the Akebonos or not, they just seem noisy and harsh to my somewhat deaf ears

Am I missing something or is this a stupid effing design?

 

I got up this morning full of p!ss and vinegar and decided that the pins had to be lubricated today. With the front caliper off and not a bit of grease to be seen anywhere on the sleeves, pad seats or backs I was pleasantly surprised to see the St. Steel brake lines and brake fluid arrive from NeedsWings. I ordered these on Sunday and customs must have been on the job this week. USPS Priority Post though, I guess that helps.
I guess the Akebonos are staying at least for now. With no grease on the whole assembly, I'm hoping this was the cause of the low pedal and squeal at times. The pads were so tight the front disk was hard to turn, no obvious damage to the rotors though.

 

I don't grease the pins, but I put a little anti seize on them. A low pedal hmmm, worn pads? A soft pedal is caused by air.
Les

 

Trying to put the St.Stl. brake lines on and I cannot move the fitting at the end of the rigid line on the body, it is really tight where it threads into the flexible hose. I have a ring wrench that is slotted to go over the line as I figured an open ended wrench would just roll the nut over.

Anyone have any ideas, I applied a little heat but no help.

Edit
Done it, clamped a vise grip over the split ring wrench so it did not spring open and went for it.
Another three to go.

Lotta help you all are, too busy working or what?

 

Job done, no squeal, pads free thats the good news. Bad news is the pedal is still low. Somehow this is not what I expected, it is like my 300 though. I will have to see another SRT Xfire and compare. The na seemed different in my memory, different set up though.

Used nearly all of two liters on the fluid change and bleeding, maybe I'll bleed them again. I used vacuum initially on each wheel and finished with a gravity drain. Next time I'll get a buddy to pump the pedal and try that.

The vacuum sucked air through the nipple thread, thats why I did the gravity to finish it up.

 

Good job Dave!

Sorry I couldn't be of help. It's just that the thread title didn't attract me to it. Not familiar with the flex line on the crossie but what I usually do in most application when the steel line nut wont turn is I undo the flex clip and turn the flex line instead and install the new flex in reverse order and yes, the visegrips are handy for that. Good advice, too late!

 

I don't know but I'll take a guess. I believe it has to do with the ABS. I bleed my brakes constantly and I've had that soft pedal when I spread the calipers to change the pads. I had to bleed a pint out to get the pedal back to normal. Anyway, it's just a guess. If you find a definitive answer let me know.

Les

 

I just put the SRT brakes on my NA and had a soft pedal initially. While searching on google, I saw a post that recommends pumping the pedal until firm, then quickly crack and close each bleader starting at the one farthest away from the master cylinder and working to the closest. It is a two man job, but result was worth it. Good luck.
Mike

 

I have the exact same project to do on my NA. same pads,rotors, calipers, and SS lines. This air problem worries me. I think I'm going to buy some new rubber pieces( got paint on them). I think I will polish the slide pins( bolts) and lube with high temp brake grease when I do it.

 

I bled them again today with a buddy pushing the pedal as I cracked the nipple. Result - no change.
I have come to the conclusion that the master cylinder is leaking.

The strange thing is that with the car not started the pedal is firm and no leak down is noticed on the pedal. Start the car and the pedal goes down a lot. According to the manual the pedal should go down a little bit and then get firm when this is done.

I read another site about this problem and it said that the brake booster would be the fault.

What I need is someone out there to pump up the brake and then start the car with their foot on the pedal and let me know how far the pedal goes down, it should be just a little, maybe an inch. Also, when the car is switched off count how many times the vacuum is still there to provide power assist to the brakes, it should be at least two pedal pumps before the vacuum has been depleted.

 

Bump.
Amazing, I have only ever asked a few questions and most have never been answered.
I'll keep the answer to myself when I solve it.

 

Still working on this problem. I have found nothing that answers my problem though after searching high and low on Google.

When I do a test outlined in the Crossfire Repair Manual I get a result that they do not give an answer for.
That is when I pump the pedal when car is off it gets rock hard, and does not leak down, then with the foot still holding the pedal down and starting the car the pedal quickly drops to the floor. They say that the pedal should only drop a little, they do not say what is wrong with my situation and neither does anyone else.
One person I found asked the same question but never got a reply. WTF.

I have an idea what is wrong but I do not want to put it into someone else's head. So any ideas?

The car still brakes fine but the pedal is low all the time, really low.

 

I just went out and did that test. Only took 2 or 3 pumps to get the brakes solid and then when I start it up the pedal goes down about an inch.

I have a Motive brake bleeder that you put fluid in and then pump up to ~15# or so. This keeps the cylinder full and under pressure while bleeding. Then I go open one bleeder at a time and pump the breaks until all the air is out, or the new color fluid starts coming out clear. This has worked excellent for me the last two times plus on my truck and on my daughters Mazda.

 

Thanks Mike, that's the way it should work. Mine just goes practically to the floor.
If you deplete the vacuum and the pedal goes down while the engine is off and then start the car the pedal should rise. Again, not in my car.

I have read anything I can on this and should know more about the power brake system than I ever needed or wanted to know but it has got me completely confused instead. Some of the comments I read on other forums was completely wrong and I knew enough to ignore it, trouble is I may ignore the wrong bit of advice when it comes along.

The thing that confuses me is why the pedal pumps up and does not drop with a lot of pressure on it, presumably proving the master cylinder is OK and then falling like a ton of bricks when the engine is started with just a low pressure on the pedal.

My thoughts are that a cylinder is sticking or the master fails with the vacuum assist power. Frankly I find both to be unlikely.
The lines have been bled three times now. The first times by vacuum and gravity and the last by careful pedal pumping with a buddy. The last time the nipples were closed in mid pedal stroke.

 

180, you didn't put any thoughts in my head, and I too was interested enough to read up on this.
My conclusion ?
1. rock hard with engine off = nothing wrong with master, lines or calipers.
2. Pedal drops to floor when engine is started leads me to believe the the ABS is bleeding off the pressure.

But then, I could be wrong ........

 

I knew someone would point out the most expensive part.
I was keeping that dark thought at the very back, back, back of my mind. Waaaay waaaaay back.

The oil goes in there but until it is activated it should not interfere by opening it's valves. It should not need to be bled as it remains sealed unless the valves are opened. But this car was like this when I got it, so I do not know the history. No lights are evident, no codes set. But I am sure you could loose a lot of oil in there if it was empty.

 

Maybe this ABS system has had a problem all along and has air trapped in it. Maybe a good run on a very wide road and actually engage the ABS. It should purge itself and the fluid would either be low and/or foamy. Either case I would bleed and refill, oh are you sure you are using the correct brake fluid?

 

Correct Fluid - Motul 600.
This should not be drained under normal circumstances though as it should remain sealed, but as you say who knows. I should check out the system with a few locks ups though.

 

I had a 99 GM midsize car that every time you started up the car, the ABS system would cycle. Is there a proceedure that would recycle the ABS solinoids a few cycles to 'purge' the ABS module? And, just how could a brake job even mess up those lines anyway? I have been following this thread but during my pad swap I had no issues with the pedal, just a momentary deep pedal until the pads set up.

 

I cannot find what is wrong to cause my low pedal, next stop the dreaded stealership or an independant Euro car specialist.
Good news is the brakes work smoothly and stop the car.