Normally they say that Mazda 3's have a cross connected braking system, so that the brake flush / bleed procedure for the car is the following order ( at least per the Mazda3 forums / flatlander937 Feb2012 post on how to bleed a Mazda3 brakes etc)
RR ( right rear) -> LF (left front) -> LR (left rear) -> RF ( right front)
Mistakenly I started with the opposite order. I did the LF & RF section first. I had no problem bleeding till I got clean fluid out.. nor bubbles etc.Brake pedal felt great.
I then started the opposite section. What I noticed when I cracked the bleeder screw that hardly any fluid came out at all... maybe an oz. or so of old fluid.
With my son working the pedal and myself cracking open and closing the bleeder we worked almost 50 cycles... no more fluid was coming out the bleeder screw. At not time during this procedure did the brake fluid reservoir ever go much lower than the "MAX" setting... we were very careful about it.
This morning I started work again, but went to the Advanced Auto and rented a Vacuum Brake Bleeder tool. Still.. even using it there is no brake fluid coming through. I tried for almost 1/2 an hour.. nothing.
The Vacuum brake bleeder setup itself works... I have verified that it holds vacuum for a long time so I no there is no leak in applying the vacuum.
I tried with
- parking brake engaged as well as parking brake disengaged
- I used a C clamp to press the disc cylinder/calipers back into the bore
Still absolutely no difference. I cannot seem to get any fluid through the line whatsoever to the RR ( right -rear) brake bleeder Screw.
As an FYI, the bleeder screw is a new one.. I decided to just replace them when I started the job. So it is brand spankin' new.
When I first started with the RR bleed I got maybe 1 1/2 oz of fluid out.. and then it all stopped! I assume the 1 1/2oz was in the caliper.
I took the bleeder out completely..... dry.. dry.. nothing but a few drops if the pedal is pumped.
I then decided to check the LF ( left front or driver side) to see if it's caliper behaved the same. I got the wheel off; cracked open the bleeder screw on the front left and here also hardly any fluid, could not suck anything through with the Vacuum bleeder tool.
In my mind, what is the probability that that both LF and RR calipers are bad or that both flexible hoses to these two calipers have an issue/blockage. Comments? Do multiple flexible hoses just suddenly go bad. The car had decent braking before I started this process. Ok, so the reason I started this was that I wanted to flush the brake fluid. I had done my Toyota Corolla and the Mazda3 was purchased 2nd hand... the brake fluid was old and discolored badly...so that was my driving force (main reason) to do this.
I also find it hard to believe that my process /method that I started with somehow caused so much air into the system. It makes no sense.
I now have to figure out how to debug the Master Cylinder?
So no fluid in front driver side caliper or the rear right passenger side caliper. Could there be a trip circuit in the master cylinder have got set due to the brake bleeding of the initial first hydraulic system ( Left Rear & Front Right) ? ( i.e. if Mazda's work like this). There is a link on the web at 2carpros that seems to reference something like this, but I am unsure if it is applicable to a Mazda3.
That same link recommends driving a burst of compressed air up through he bleeder valve. I am worried though about sending compressed air up the brake system through the bleeder valve of the bad (dry) calipers. And if I do, should I have the Brake fluid reservoir cap on or should it be removed?
Comments? Suggestions? I really would like to be able to resolve this within the next couple of days.
RR ( right rear) -> LF (left front) -> LR (left rear) -> RF ( right front)
Mistakenly I started with the opposite order. I did the LF & RF section first. I had no problem bleeding till I got clean fluid out.. nor bubbles etc.Brake pedal felt great.
I then started the opposite section. What I noticed when I cracked the bleeder screw that hardly any fluid came out at all... maybe an oz. or so of old fluid.
With my son working the pedal and myself cracking open and closing the bleeder we worked almost 50 cycles... no more fluid was coming out the bleeder screw. At not time during this procedure did the brake fluid reservoir ever go much lower than the "MAX" setting... we were very careful about it.
This morning I started work again, but went to the Advanced Auto and rented a Vacuum Brake Bleeder tool. Still.. even using it there is no brake fluid coming through. I tried for almost 1/2 an hour.. nothing.
The Vacuum brake bleeder setup itself works... I have verified that it holds vacuum for a long time so I no there is no leak in applying the vacuum.
I tried with
- parking brake engaged as well as parking brake disengaged
- I used a C clamp to press the disc cylinder/calipers back into the bore
Still absolutely no difference. I cannot seem to get any fluid through the line whatsoever to the RR ( right -rear) brake bleeder Screw.
As an FYI, the bleeder screw is a new one.. I decided to just replace them when I started the job. So it is brand spankin' new.
When I first started with the RR bleed I got maybe 1 1/2 oz of fluid out.. and then it all stopped! I assume the 1 1/2oz was in the caliper.
I took the bleeder out completely..... dry.. dry.. nothing but a few drops if the pedal is pumped.
I then decided to check the LF ( left front or driver side) to see if it's caliper behaved the same. I got the wheel off; cracked open the bleeder screw on the front left and here also hardly any fluid, could not suck anything through with the Vacuum bleeder tool.
In my mind, what is the probability that that both LF and RR calipers are bad or that both flexible hoses to these two calipers have an issue/blockage. Comments? Do multiple flexible hoses just suddenly go bad. The car had decent braking before I started this process. Ok, so the reason I started this was that I wanted to flush the brake fluid. I had done my Toyota Corolla and the Mazda3 was purchased 2nd hand... the brake fluid was old and discolored badly...so that was my driving force (main reason) to do this.
I also find it hard to believe that my process /method that I started with somehow caused so much air into the system. It makes no sense.
I now have to figure out how to debug the Master Cylinder?
So no fluid in front driver side caliper or the rear right passenger side caliper. Could there be a trip circuit in the master cylinder have got set due to the brake bleeding of the initial first hydraulic system ( Left Rear & Front Right) ? ( i.e. if Mazda's work like this). There is a link on the web at 2carpros that seems to reference something like this, but I am unsure if it is applicable to a Mazda3.
That same link recommends driving a burst of compressed air up through he bleeder valve. I am worried though about sending compressed air up the brake system through the bleeder valve of the bad (dry) calipers. And if I do, should I have the Brake fluid reservoir cap on or should it be removed?
Comments? Suggestions? I really would like to be able to resolve this within the next couple of days.