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voodoomelon
11-09-2012, 11:08 AM
Hey all, just thought i'd post and get some input on this.

My brakes are in great condition, all pads and rotors are at least 75% new. But they have a soft feel to them. Even coming to an abrupt stop from say 15mph results in a very noticeable drift of the car for a few feet more than it should, unless the pedal is absolutely mashed to the floor.

I recently bled the brakes the manual way by pumping on the pedal (my bleed kit was damaged). I stupidly left air in the system though as I did it by myself (releasing the brake pedal sucks air back in to the caliper before the drain nut is tightened).

So i got a new bleed kit and did the job properly, bleeding another 750ml of fluid through the entire system under pressure from the reservoir through all four corners.

The pedal feel was a bit better, but the soft feel still remains, as does the drifting sensation.

Is there anything else that could be causing this apart from air in the system? Are these lines known to bulge anywhere?

Thanks guys. :)
sealbeach740
11-09-2012, 01:22 PM
To properly do a complete brake bleed, the ABS system also has to opened & bled. I would guess especially if you accidentally introduced air into the system.
The ABS needs either software or some special techniques that I don't quite understand to be opened during bleeding.
voodoomelon
11-09-2012, 03:06 PM
Really? Thats a bit of a bummer, would good indys have this kind of kit?
IcemanBHE
11-09-2012, 07:33 PM
You need INPA or DIS to bleed the ABS.

ANY air in the system will end up there.....

Its a conspiracy.
voodoomelon
11-09-2012, 07:39 PM
I have DIS.

So you run the ABS bleeding program whilst using a traditional bleeding method?

EDIT: Found it! http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1859183
GSXRliterbikz
11-09-2012, 07:41 PM
Akebono pads will give the soft pedal feel too. I had an Indy put my ss lines on and they thought there was air in the lines. But there isn't any. They said they had other customers with the same pads and same complaints.

Funny. The op in your link said the same thing about the pads
voodoomelon
11-11-2012, 11:45 AM
Mine are all factory pads, so it must be air, maybe in the DSC pump, that was changed recently but I did bleed it.
GSXRliterbikz
11-11-2012, 12:07 PM
Mine are all factory pads, so it must be air, maybe in the DSC pump, that was changed recently but I did bleed it.

How did you bleed it? Dis?

Sent from my iPhone using BF.com
voodoomelon
11-11-2012, 12:08 PM
Nope, just applied 12v to the pump to run it forwards, then backwards and tightened everything up like on Timm's tutorial.
M I C H A E L
11-11-2012, 03:32 PM
This applys for the newer e38's or all?.. i had replaced all my rotors and pads, and did a brake flush, also drained from the caliper on all four corners, and never had any issues.. never even heard of bleeding through dis..
TxDarth
11-11-2012, 03:40 PM
Akebono pads will give the soft pedal feel too. I had an Indy put my ss lines on and they thought there was air in the lines. But there isn't any. They said they had other customers with the same pads and same complaints.

Funny. The op in your link said the same thing about the pads

Ake's will feel this way until they get 500-1000 miles on them depending on your driving style. They will have a different feel from OEM but they are not really soft.
Splitdog
11-11-2012, 04:15 PM
Don't run those Akebono pads. I've heard a lot of bad things about them............:rolleyes

Oh, the OP doesn't have them? Nevermind...........lol.
das borgen
11-11-2012, 04:21 PM
You need INPA or DIS to bleed the ABS.

ANY air in the system will end up there.....

Its a conspiracy.

no you don't need it

you can jump the ABS module to do the bleed process via its relay..Or do a few ABS stops before going to bleed


like pretty much any other car with ABS
IcemanBHE
11-11-2012, 07:51 PM
Or you could do it as designed the right way with INPA or DIS.

Sheesh. Everybody argues.

Oh and Ask Nick how that bleeding the ABS system works without INPA or DIS.
GSXRliterbikz
11-11-2012, 08:02 PM
Or you could do it as designed the right way with INPA or DIS.

Sheesh. Everybody argues.

Oh and Ask Nick how that bleeding the ABS system works without INPA or DIS.

Lol. Yea, it's a pita.
Actually, it didn't work. I used dis, and it took all of 10 min.
das borgen
11-11-2012, 08:10 PM
Long as the objective is carried out, any method can be applied.

Ressourcefulness separates man from beasts
GSXRliterbikz
11-11-2012, 08:27 PM
Long as the objective is carried out, any method can be applied.

Ressourcefulness separates man from beasts

Guess I'm a beast.
At least I'm a beast with no air in his brake lines. :)
das borgen
11-11-2012, 08:32 PM
I do believe you missed my point

Tout chemin mene a Rome, they say in French.