2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintek redboxes, what did I do wrong?

749 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by spitpilot, Feb 18, 2002

jackr

Discussion Starter · Feb 8, 2002

2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintex redboxes, what did I do wrong?

Okay, just got the new rotors and pads on the front and I flushed out the system with new brake fluid, and the brakes don't feel right. The pedal goes to the floor, the abs does kick on, but the pedal feels mushy and I don't stop nearly as fast as I did before.
Both pads and rotors are new, replaced both sides on the front.
Used valvoline brand synthetic brake fluid, dot4 ..
The passenger wheel is much hotter and smells more of brakes than the driver's side does after a 10 minute spirited spin around the block.
I flushed the system by hooking a hose to an empty brake fluid container to the bleed valve of each caliper, opening the bleed valve and pumping the brakes. During the process I made sure to keep the brake fluid reservoir topped off. The fluid I used said it was compatible and could be mixed with any other kind of fluid.
All wheels were pumping nice and clear fluid with no bubbles.
I flushed all 4 wheels.
And I still have mushy pedal. Is it a matter of breaking in the brake pads and rotors?
It just doesn't feel right with the pedal going to the floor. Also, it's not stiff with the car off like it used to be ..
What could I have messed up?

[Modified by jackr, 6:02 PM 2-8-2002]

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mare

· #2 · Feb 8, 2002

Re: 2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintex redboxes, what did I do wrong? (jackr)

that's a normal situation.. you need to drive something like 100-200km to blend the pads/rotors. It could take even more.. just dont do any hard braking in the mean time.. and you'll be fine.

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roman16v

· #3 · Feb 11, 2002

Re: 2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintex redboxes, what did I do wrong? (mare)

Try rebleeding them... took me a few times before my pedal firmed up...

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M this 1!

· #4 · Feb 13, 2002

Re: 2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintex redboxes, what did I do wrong? (roman16v)

does it go to the floor when stopped or when driving? if it's when stopped, you definitely need to re bleed. but regardless of anything else, you need to be easy on the brakes for more like 300 miles, to get them to bed in. if you're hard on them at all when new, you'll glaze them and be ordering more pads (did that already)

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spitpilot

· #5 · Feb 18, 2002

Re: 2000 GTI vr6 w/ new ATE powerstops + mintex redboxes, what did I do wrong? (M this 1!)

Did you two man bleed the brakes or just pump the brake pedal with the bleeder screw open? Hard to tell from your description. You have to use two folks to bleed brakes with a hose and a can to catch fluid, not just open bleed screw and pump away. Pedal on, screw open, pedal held down, screw closed, pedal released is the sequence. Just pumping with screw can draw air back into caliper. Other method is to use pressure bleeder, big tank of fluid that you hook up to master cylinder and then just go round to the wheels and open bleeder screws one at a time till the fluid runs clear.

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