[V8] How to bleed the brakes on a V8

[Kneale Brownson]

Audi's shop manuals call for pressure bleeding of brake systems.  I use an
Eezibleed   (scroll down the page here:
http://www.rdent.com/pages/tools.html  )  with about 15 pounds of air
pressure.  No need to touch the brake pedal.  I flush the systems annually
during the changeover from winter tires to summer tires on the four Audis
we drive to reduce the liklihood of moisture corroding the calipers.  The
problem with pumping up the brake pedal to bleed the system is that you
frequently get master cylinder piston travel outside the normal range seen
while operating the car.  This can result in the piston seals being exposed
to rough spots in the cylinder, probably caused by corrosion,  so the seals
stop sealing and the brakes get funky.   You also want to change really old
brake hoses (I'm doing mine now every five years unless there's signs of
earlier deterioration like cracks in the rubber).  If the hoses can bulge
any, that's reducing your braking power.  And a hose that can bulge might
burst.


At 09:33 PM 4/18/2006 -0700, Gunter Lorberg wrote:
>Could someone straighten me out and tell me how I should be bleeding the 
>brakes on my 1990 V8 with UFO's.
> 
>I had to replace the brake pads at all four corners.....which for my 
>purposes meant removing the rear calipers and temporarily disconnecting the 
>brake hoses from the calipers.  So I had to bleed the brakes.  I proceeded 
>in the same manner I have many times before on other cars without the 
>assistance of a vacuum pump tool, but with the help of someone depressing 
>and subsequently releasing the brake pedal on my command while I opened or 
>closed the brake caliper bleeder valve nipples in the order of farthest 
>wheel from the master cylinder to the closest.  The end result appears to be 
>satisfactory but it would be nice to do without as much brake pedal 
>sponginess as is possible.  Does any V8 owner actually have a truly firm 
>brake pedal???
> 
>My question to anyone is should I be employing a different technique?  If 
>so, how, and why?
> 
>This is the first car I've owned with ABS and I'm not certain that some 
>special technique is not required.
> 
>As an aside, the brake fluid was not filthy and the pistons, 'sliding pins', 
>and e-brake levers were all moving quite nicely.........always a good thing.
> 
>Anyone out there have a kit to part with to upgrade to even more beefy 
>brakes than the UFO's (Porche?).....without  breaking the bank?
> 
> 
>Thanks,
> 
>Gunter
>(2) 1990 'Canadian' V8's with automatics (and UFO's)
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