CGSColin

Hey,

I just flushed my brakes using a pressure bleeder and in the process on the driver's side line (the shortest) I accidentally let the reservoir run dry like an idiot

I immediately flushed the air out and checked the brakes and they feel fine to me but I'm being super paranoid so I'm hoping someone might be able to check something for me.

Basically the pedal doesn't sink if I apply normal pressure and hold my foot there but if I push hard the pedal will continue compressing and I'm not 100% sure if that's the way they behaved before. Wondering if someone can check and report back if that's normal or if I'm going to have to do a more thorough flush.

Thanks!

Atlas Grey

Sorry to tell you that you will have to start the process again as you introduced air into the system. I'm sure you know that start at the furthest wheel away then work your way in.

CGSColin

Just to be clear, the brakes feel/seem exactly as they were before I did the flush (firm, responsive). I'm just mostly trying to verify the normal brake pedal behaviour when pushing hard on the pedal out of a sense of paranoia more than anything.

I'm not opposed to re-bleeding, I'd just feel better if someone could confirm

Atlas Grey

Are you pressing brake with car on or car off. Let me know and I will check right now. Also what car. I happen to have both a 300 and a 350

CGSColin

I'm talking about with the car on with the brake booster running. If I push hard I can make the pedal go fairly far down but it feels firm. With the car off the pedal is basically impossible to press beyond a certain point.

Edit: it's a C300.

Atlas Grey

Ok sitting in wife's 300. With car off each time you press the brakes the pedal gets progressively shorter until all the air is out of the booster and it's solid. Keeping my foot on the brake turning the car on it immediately goes down and when I lift off and depress again it maybe goes down an inch and stays there. Does not sink further

CGSColin

Thanks for checking!

Atlas Grey

Cool. Good luck

Josh.A.Hussey

Colin, if you want to verify the feel of your brakes you're more than welcome to pop by and try the brakes on mine to compare. Let me know.

CGSColin

Just updating:

I had to buy another bottle of brake fluid to top up my reservoir so I figured I might as well flush the system again instead of wasting the leftover fluid. Got a small number of tiny air bubbles out of the passenger rear line but the other three lines were clear.

Brake response remains the same: no excessive travel and initial bite and stopping power seem exactly the same as they were before I did the initial flush. I can still compress the pedal if I push hard past the initial firmness when the brakes engage but it doesn't sink when I just hold the pedal with normal pressure.

My current thoughts: it could be the Akebono pads I have in the rear which are not as hard as OEM pads and they're yielding somewhat with increased pedal pressure or I have a small amount of air trapped in the ABS unit. Given that braking response is normal I'm not particularly concerned at this point.

Josh: Appreciate for the offer! I actually checked another W204 at the dealer and pedal feel seems the same up to the point of engagement but firmer beyond that. Again could be air, could be the pads.

In conclusion: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯