Today/tonight I've spent several hours bleeding my brakes but the pedal still goes to the floor with just my hand and I can't find a single leak. Here's the story:

Been working on her since November. Installed a junkyard dana 30 and chry 8.25. Rebuilt the rear drums with new hardware and new shoes. Still has the old slave cylinders. New (remanufactured) master cylinder installed.

Tonight I tried bleeding using two different methods. First I tried the vacuum method but there was always a lot of bubbles coming out at each wheel. I did some reading and found a post that said some of the rear drum slave cylinders allow air to creep in when using the vacuum method. So I changed to the traditional method. I had my son sit in the jeep and pump the brakes three times holding the pedal down on the last pump, then I would crack the bleed valve and allow the air and fluid to escape, tighten the bleed valve, repeat. I did this until no more air came out, for 3 bleed cycles at each wheel. After all four wheels were done, I did it again to all four wheels. I'm SUPREMELY confident that there is fresh fluid and no air throughout my brake lines.

I can still push the pedal to the floor using just my hand. This ain't right. I thought about it and thought maybe some air was trapped in the master cylinder so I had my son pump 3 and hold then I cracked the forward line on the master cylinder. Tighten the front line, pump 3, crack rear line, tighten. I did this 3 times.

Right now I can STILL push the pedal to the floor!!!! I've already gone through 48oz of new brake fluid. What am I missing????

 

What order did you bleed them?

Rear passenger, rear driver, front passenger, front driver?

Did you bench bleed the master?

 

Yes the order.

Bench bleed??? That's a big no....

 

Are the drums adjusted? If those are set too loose the pedal will drop like a rock until it's pumped up.

 

Oh damn..... nope. I was waiting until I got the extension installed for my e-brake linkage. Makes sense. Thanks.

 

Front caliper bleeder screws need to be on top. If not the calipers are on the wrong side.

 

LOL! This was random, and obviously a common problem!!! I guess I'll be switching my calipers tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow's list of things to do:

1. Finish installing e-brake linkages.
2. Adjust rear brake shoes.
3. Swap calipers
4. Bench bleed master cylinder
5. Bleed brakes again!

Thanks guys. I may be on the road by Saturday afternoon after-all!