Pump the brakes but fluid would not come out of the bleeder?

Tiny
MITHRAND
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 CHEVROLET 1500
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 250,000 MILES
I have the truck listed above k-1500 5.7 r engine, 4l60e transmission. It has anti-lock brakes on it. The anti-lock light had been on for a couple months, but it was stopping just fine. That is until a rear wheel cylinder blew out. It has heavy-duty brakes. I replaced shoes, drums, wheel cylinders, and hardware on both rear wheels. When I went to bleed it I tried with a vacuum pump and tried jar with brake fluid in it and pump the brakes but nothing would come out. I thought that maybe the master cylinder was messed up from going dry when the wheel cylinder blew so I replaced it and tried to bleed it again. Still nothing I even tried to gravity bleed it left the brake line off for 36 hours not a drop. I went and bought a scanner that claimed it could retrieve the ABS codes and that it could auto bleed most cars. Sadly, mine was not one of the many most cars that it worked for. So, before I spent that or more on another one I started calling around on other scanners and it seemed like it is not on the scanners that cost less than $1,000. Now a Chevrolet 1/2-ton four-by-four you would think would be under the heading of most cars. It is not. Does anyone have any idea as to why the lesser scanners do not support it?
Saturday, November 19th, 2022 AT 6:23 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,882 POSTS
Yep, it can be difficult to get the right scanner to do the job, sometimes they advertise it does operations it just won't do. Here is one for $119.00 on Amazon that says it does the job:

https://amzn.to/3VeBMlw

Let me know, this guide may help as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-bleed-or-flush-a-car-brake-system

Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.
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Sunday, November 20th, 2022 AT 12:57 PM
Tiny
MITHRAND
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
I had seen this scanner and emailed the company and they said no theirs does not support my truck either. It is starting to look like it would have to be one of the ones that cost up into the $1000s and that is just not particle for DIY'er.
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Monday, November 21st, 2022 AT 4:45 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,882 POSTS
The one in the video we show is about half of that and it does the ABS valve opening. I wish the companies would not say their device works when it will not, deception is not appreciated.
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Monday, November 21st, 2022 AT 10:30 AM
Tiny
MITHRAND
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
Even $500 is a bit much for home use.
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Monday, November 21st, 2022 AT 11:58 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 42,882 POSTS
Yep, I understand.
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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022 AT 12:19 PM

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