Mushy DiscoII Brakes

[Kgh]

Need a little guidance.

My new to me '01 Disco II has mushy brakes. 160,000K mile, pads and rotors are still viable.

When rolling and hitting brakes, pedal depresses far and needs a fair amount of effort to stop vehicle.
If I press pedal, relase slightly, and press again, I get raised pedal, and much better braking. This would lead me to believe MC is not leaking past, and is still serviceable.

Have flushed system and installed DOT4 Synthetic fluid, bled all calipers, RR,LR,RF,LF as one normally does.

I notice small improvement, but think I have air in ABS. I have posted for diagnostic tool help in SE regional forum, and will see if anyone near me has tool that will enable me to also activate ABS during bleed.

Questions for you people, based on my description:

Is MC still good?

Do I have to have diagnostics to bleed? (is there a "hack"?)

Thanks,
Kip

 

[proper4wd]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the system - you need to get the ABS pump running to push the rest of the dirty fluid out of the system.

I used to do it with an Autologic back in the day, not sure of any hacks around it.

 

[madtom]

I have the same problem - after valve cover failure on the ABS modulator , I have changed the brake fluid and bleeded the brakes with help of Nanocom. Brakes was so good as never before. 2 weeks later one brake hose started leaking. After replacement, I was not able to bleed the brakes as good as last time and have spongy pedal, like before.
So I think, I have to bleed it again. But I have to wait for better weather.
Here is more info: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=37041

 

[Kgh]

Agree with Autologic or Nanocom. Hopefully here in FL someone close has one, and is willing...

All that said, deeper inspection reveals a little seepage at master cylinder, had to stick head into engine bay to see it, so new MC on the way.

Plenty of other stuff to do. When I bought the car, iI knew the high/Low selector cable needed work, as the locking nuts had worked loose. I did score D1 CDL for 19 bucks at boneyard, with all clips, plate, boot, etc.

Also grabbed some of the underhood clips that hold cables together, an IACV, (mine rattles like a rock in a tin can) the retainers for center dash vent, cupholder for dash, lug nuts that actually had the cover on them, mirror glass, windshield finishing trim, grill, and various trim pieces too. This along with r/r city light bulbs, high mount stop bulb, and other basic maint.

Madtom- look under master cylinder, on round black vaccum that it bols to. Any wetness is master cylinder leaking. And I have worked with Czech Republic people, good people!

Will post results once new master cylinder is installed and brakes bled the old fashioned way, and hopefully after a diagnostic bleed. Having seen videos of computer assisted bleeds, would like to know how they really compare.