AMG3.2

Hey guys,

I just flushed my break system with new fluid - ATE Super Blue Dot 4.

Here is my question. I just read that you have to have your car hooked up to some STAR machine to get it done. Is this true? Also, what is this DOT4+ rating about. ATE Super Blue is among the best fluids so it should work right?

The breaks stop on a dime, but still feel a little squishy. My friend and I bled all 4 breaks in the proper order and completely flushed the system until the new blue fluid came out without bubbles.

Thanks for the help

lkfoster

I've bled ABS brakes since 1988 and have never needed to exercise the ABS block. As long as you don't run the reservoir dry you should be OK. If in doubt take the car down a gravel road and trigger the ABS a few times and then bleed again.

Rahulio1975280C

I believe squishy brake pedal feel is a sign that there is still air somewhere in the lines.

So far as I remember, the STAR system is only needed on cars with the SBC braking system. On SBC equipped cars, you must deactivate the system with the Star terminal before working on the brakes or you could get killed from the automatic activation of high pressure brake components. Cars like the S, CL, E, etc had this system for some time. I do not know if MBZ still equips their cars with such a system.

As far as I know the C class of cars never got this system, so no need for a C class to be connected to a Star system for the purpose of working on the brakes.

AMG3.2

So what your saying is that I need to hit ABS in order to fill the reservoir? There has to be absolutely ko air on the line. My friend and I throughly bled every wheel. We almost used up the entire liter of ATE fluid.

Rahulio1975280C

Here is an article on some causes of squishy brake pedal feel:
http://www.ehow.com/list_7342719_cau...kes-cars_.html

AMG3.2

Thanks, but I don't see any of those to be my problem. Unless somehow, some way there is air in my brake lines... It's just nearly impossible. We were SO tedious when we did it.

We did however, run the whole system dry. Is this the issue? After this though, we poured the fluid in, and bled it until pure fluid came out. We then preceded to do the rest until all wheels were done, and pure fluid (of same color) was coming out.

Dasauto

I suspect there is still some (probably very little) air in your system causing that peddle feel. If you can help it you never want to run the system dry.......take your time, bleed......fill res........bleed, fill res. You don't want the res to go below the level where air gets into the system. Sounds like that's what happened if you ran it dry. I would bleed again after you get a few miles on it and get any last air out.

Viper98912

If you ran it dry you may have air in the MC or inside the pistons themselves. Nightmare to resolve; you're gonna need Star to cycle the ABS unit pistons. I made that mistake once.

AMG3.2

Yeah, I will probably bleed once more in a day or two.

Why don't I just slam on the brakes and engage ABS myself? Then bleed them after that?

Viper98912

Because it still might go back in; you really need to open the bleeders and then cycle so you can get flow moving

AMG3.2

Alright, I'm going to drive it around today and see how they feel. I haven't driven on them outside of my neighborhood. They stop incredible well though. - Is this possible even with air in the lines?

mtrevelino

Isn't that what IKFOSTER told you yesterday? As others have said, never, never run the brake system dry. My guess is the the master cylinder has a air pocket in it. It should eventually pass the air pocket, but it may take some time.
Mike T.

Viper98912

My mistake was that I did this in an MC that had no bleeder valves on the body; I was basically screwed and not happy about it.

BenzoBoi

Squishy brake pedal is most likely air in the lines.

I've used Super blue in the past and they worked well until I did a few track days. My brakes started fading after a few laps in each session. I have been and currently run Porterfield pads. I've moved to Castrol SRF and absolutely NO brake fade after multiple laps and sessions. Down side it's pretty dayam expensive.

AMG3.2

Alright guys, so I just did the whole ABS stopping thing. The pedal actually got slightly harder. I'm noticing though, that when I press the brake pedal the first 1/4 of the travel does little to nothing. Even at idle speed going into my garage. Is this normal? I never even thought to compare before and after...

maverik259

their may be a way to reset your brake pedal...i know on my 350z you could do that...its similar to resetting the gas pedal but this is just mechanics and nothing more than changing where the pedal travel actually causes system to engage

503C43 ////AMG

Indeed there must be air in the lines. I switched to ATE super blue and had a similar experience (although I didn't run the reservoir dry). I was positive I had all of the air out of the system (used a mityvac brake bleeder http://www.motosport.com/dirtbike/pr...segment=badger) but still had the squishy brake pedal. I finally just took it to my indy who bled the brakes using a machine and the brakes were SOLID after that.

I contemplated using the Castrol SRF but the hygroscopic nature of the fluid turned me off. Not interested in flushing/bleeding fluid every year