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Thread: brake issue

  1. #1
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    Default brake issue

    Hi all. I recently got a 2013 ST LTD. Low miles. I decided to do a brake fluid flush on it. This was done following the shop manual procedures, minus hooking up to BUDS since I don't have BUDS. Afterward I found the brakes very soft, ie: the pedal is soft and the bike comes to a very slow stop at very low speed. No codes on the bike were going off to indicate any issues. I assumed that I did a bad job at the flush, likely having got some air in the lines, so we did another full bleed, but this did not seem to help. So I took it into the local CanAm service and asked that they check the pressure ranges on the BUDS. So they came back saying they believed it was an issue with the master cylinder and felt that replacing it would solve the issue. So I agreed to this, being they are the experts. So now they have come saying the master cylinder was replaced, lines all bleed and it is still losing pressure. They have re-bled the lines once more and said they are going to let it sit for the day and then check. Now am wondering if at all possible, could it be as simple as a incorrect switching of the brake fluid reservoir caps. I note the rubber gaskets are slightly different between the aft reservoir compared to the forward reservoir, and I recall while my friend and I were doing the fluid flush he had taken both caps off at the same time and not realized that there was a slight difference between the two rubber gaskets on each cap. Could it be that we put the caps back on the incorrect reservoirs. Could this be causing the loss of pressure? I have looked at the shop manual to see if it differentiates between the two caps, but it does not. In the diagram they both look the same. The difference that I see between the two caps is one of the gaskets has more of a bubble shape, while the other is a bit flatter. Can anyone confirm which one goes on which reservoir. Any opinions on this issue would be appreciated. Cheers.

  2. #2
    Very Active Member billybovine's Avatar
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    Both caps are the same. So take that off your list of maybes.
    Last edited by billybovine; 03-30-2018 at 03:17 PM.

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    I will have to look again, I could swear there was a difference. It will have to wait till I can get to the shop though.

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    Active Member GearHd's Avatar
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    The caps are the same, just make sure the vents are toward the rear.

    I recently bled the brakes on my 14 ST-L and had no problems getting a nice pedal feel just like new. What was your bleeding technique?
    Wife has a 2014 ST-L
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    Very Active Member billybovine's Avatar
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    The caps just keep the dirt out and the brake fluid in. The diaphragm have v slits in them to allow the reservoirs to vent to atmosphere. Therefore there should not be any pressure or vacuum in the reservoir. So no impact at all on pedal feel. That has to be on the high pressure side of the system.

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    Default technique

    Quote Originally Posted by GearHd View Post
    The caps are the same, just make sure the vents are toward the rear.

    I recently bled the brakes on my 14 ST-L and had no problems getting a nice pedal feel just like new. What was your bleeding technique?

    I initially used a hand pump vac bleeder ... like this https://www.amazon.ca/Mityvac-MV8000...ke+bleeder+kit

    Then we did it the regular manual method. Open bleeder, push down brake pedal and hold, close bleeder, release brake pedal, open bleeder, push down pedal and hold, close bleeder, repeat, repeat, repeat..... during process ensured the reservoir did not get too low. Did the bleed order as prescribed in the shop manual, left, right, rear, vcm.

  7. #7
    Very Active Member Chupaca's Avatar
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    Default Bummer.....

    During my time wrenching I did come across a bike or two that would just not pump back up. I finally found that bleeding the brakes at every point starting from the master cyclinder worked great. Not sure on these. Could be a faulty bleeder valve or anyone of the many crush washers in the system...
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    Very Active Member Bfromla's Avatar
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    For doing either wayis no small task for most. & you got a fresh master cylinder to boot. & just because I did not see it mentioned but you did use Dot4 fluid correct?

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    Very Active Member Roadster Renovations's Avatar
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    If the master cylinder was bench bled, and the lines are intact with no external leakage, and they have run the BUDS ABS air purge, I would say that you have a bad master cylinder out of the box. If the primary seal (front brakes) is leaking to the secondary seal (rear brakes) it will give a low pedal without external brake fluid leakage.
    If it hasn't changed after it "sits" I would suggest a MC replacement. Not sure if BRP rebuilds or are new, but they can be bad out of the box. Anything can happen.
    And, of course, that is dependent on whether they have done each step correctly also...

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    Default Dot 4

    Quote Originally Posted by Bfromla View Post
    For doing either wayis no small task for most. & you got a fresh master cylinder to boot. & just because I did not see it mentioned but you did use Dot4 fluid correct?
    Yes, definitely Dot 4.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roadster Renovations View Post
    If the master cylinder was bench bled, and the lines are intact with no external leakage, and they have run the BUDS ABS air purge, I would say that you have a bad master cylinder out of the box. If the primary seal (front brakes) is leaking to the secondary seal (rear brakes) it will give a low pedal without external brake fluid leakage.
    If it hasn't changed after it "sits" I would suggest a MC replacement. Not sure if BRP rebuilds or are new, but they can be bad out of the box. Anything can happen.
    And, of course, that is dependent on whether they have done each step correctly also...
    I would have loved to have been there to take part in the work being done, but not sure that would be allowed or the thing to ask. I have to trust that they know what they doing. I sure as heck hope so!!!!

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