Hey guys,
Doing my first brake job here on my 04 XJ8. I have the front calipers off and the back calipers are only attached to the E-Brake line.

This is where I might have gone wrong. I disconnected all the brake lines and opened the reservoir.

What is the procedure once I get the brakes all back on and the brake lines reconnected and closed? I believe all of the fluid is out but I don't know how to check. I did spin and push the rear pistons back into the caliper housing and fluid was pushed out into the bucket. I also have a one man brake bleeder kit.

Thank you all!

 

Actually I believe that you did NOT F up.

Since you have everything back together have a buddy come over and with a 12 pack of cold bevies and......crack one.

Then fill the brake reservoir with the proper brake fluid and procede to bleed the brake system, starting at the furtheset brake from reservoir, your case passenger rear. Have your buddy pump the pedal a few times hold brake pedal down and open bleeder, close bleeder and pump a few more times,open bleeder close bleeder, always checking for fluid in the reservoir every few times. Continue with all brakes until no more "bubbles".

Sorry I have never used the 1 man bleeder system before (who likes to drink alone?), so follow its instructions going that route.

cheers

 

Thanks for the help. Can any one confirm that this is correct?

 

Here you go:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...ing-brakes-pdf

 

I can. Just bleed them like JJ said and all is well. Next time, dont disconnect the brake lines. The calipers can be hard to compress. I hear they make a tool for that, but I just use my hands because Im bad-a$$.

 

If you're replacing the pads as well, don't forget the anti-rattle springs/shims or otherwise you'll be driving yourself nutty hearing a very annoying noise when driving and trying to diagnose it

 

No you did not mess up, just made more work for yourself. However it is good to replace your fluid from time to time, so no bad thing there.

Just perhaps, not with every pad change.

As per Rick^.

Although being out in the sticks, I made my own pressurized brake bleeder.

As spare bleed nipple, a spare reservoir top, and my small portable 12V tyre compressor.

Drilled a hole in the top, screwed in the nipple, fill the reservoir, add modified top, attach air tube, quick short blast on the compressor, open wheel bleeder, close wheel bleeder, check and fill reservoir and repeat until done.

The trick is to only give a VERY short blast and NEVER allow the fluid in the reservoir to fall below the outlet, otherwise you would be going around in circles.

AND you must NOT over pressurize the system, literally a flick on/off on the tyre pump.

Been using this gizmo for years.

Says a lot about the fact that I don't have anyone to call up and pump the pedal for me.

And may be a little tight fisted when it comes to buying stuff that I can easily bodge together from my bits boxes.

Follow Rick's pdf, and you should be good.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...service-61323/

I compiled this post based on wasting a lot of time and finding out the hard way. I was hoping a moderator would move it to FAQ. But I forward it to anyone I find trying to do brakes. Please read. The XJR uses Brembo Calipers which are different from this procedure. Good luck.

 

Ed its FAQ'd

Great write up btw, thank you for taking the time to post it.

 

A few years back, like Translator, I cobbled together a positive pressure brake bleeding kit. It worked okay but be warned to keep the air pressure below 5 psi. Otherwise, the air starts to blow out around the seals/joints of the reservoir. The other problem I had was that my air compressor was unable to regulate down around 5 psi and I spent an inordinate amount of time fiddling with it. It was altogether a PITA. I can't tell you if the leaks from the fluid reservoir were specific to my situation or not.

Anyway, this year I got myself a proper vacuum brake bleed kit and got the job done with a lot less hassle. Thank you Harbor Freight! Be warned, however, that if you crack the bleed valve too far open you get air and not much fluid in the collection jar.

Now here's a bonus tip. If you are dissatisfied with the results of your brake bleeding: Bleed the Right Rear followed by the diagonal Left Front. Then the Left rear followed by the diagonal Right Front. According to Gosse's Garage on the Motor Week TV show this has to do with the twin brake ckt configuration/design installed in most cars for safety reasons.

Actually, Goss recommends you do this from the get go but I'm unwilling, as yet, to go against the Jag literature.