> We have bleed the brakes, but still no brakes. Could the master cyclinder be bad or the booster. Thanks, Lowell?

We have bleed the brakes, but still no brakes. Could the master cyclinder be bad or the booster. Thanks, Lowell?

Posted at: 2015-01-07 
Lowell, You likely only thought you actually bleed the brakes but really didn't. The brakes MUST be bleed from the passenger rear tire, to the drivers rear, to the passenger front and finally the drivers front. On top of this remember your pushing an air bubble (or more) all the way back to that rear most fitting! suppose it was an inch behind the master cylinder. how long should it take to push that bubble one half teaspoon per bleed of fluid to that wheel? I always have my assistant pump the brake 5 times and hold the pedal firm as possible as I open the bleeder. it has a tiny hose on the tip feeding into a bottle of fresh brake fluid to watch the bubbles as well as insure air cant re-enter the valve as I close it to do this again. As the person pumping the pedal some times I can tell you it works the leg well for that wheel. Finally remember you must keep the brake fluid nearly full at all times during bleeding process.

What caused you to lose your brakes in the first place? Are you doing it right? Make sure you have no fluid leaks and the master cylinder is full. Get someone to pump the brakes a few times and hold the pedal down while you open the bleeder valve. Do this until only brake fluid spurts out of the bleeder. Tighten it up, check the fluid in the master cylinder and repeat on the next closest wheel to the master cylinder. If you do this correctly you will have brakes. If you still don't have brakes then you have some other issue.

Booster helps you brake: think engine off, rolling car, hit the brake, its harder to do right, but the brakes still work. So not that.

Might I ask how you bled them? Hopefully didn't let the master run dry while bleeding... Otherwise probably a poor bleed

Wait "still no brakes", what happened the first time

assuming all is serviceable, and bleeding is the *only* issue,

need to know the vehicle yr/make/model/ and brake system options. such as ABS, propertioning valves or traction control.

the order of, and components that need to be bled, to be successful, is dependent on this info. since most vehicles now days employ at least one of those components/systems i mentioned, there is no standard order for bleeding.

w/o knowing the platform is Q, the Q regarding bleeing order cannot be answered we would also need to know what prompted the service. i.e-prior issues and corrective actions leading up to this point.

however, iffin the brakes are not rock hard, engine running, the booster is not likely in play. if the pedal goes to the floor, could be the masters in bypass internally. and or there's a massive leak somewhere. massive leaks are usually obvious. unless the leak is on the back side of the master cyl and the fluid is traveling along the input rod, into the cab/pedal area and is flowing into or behind the foot well carpet.

USAF trained hydrualic/pneumatic tech, 3 yrs auto/truck fleet service, and all around gear head since 1968.

Have you done it right?

You need a mechanic now.