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Rear Brake fluid leaking after new caliper install.

15K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  dirtyjers 
#1 ·
I'm replacing both rear calipers today. When trying to install the new one on the passenger side there is an unsolvable leak coming from the sides of the rectangle thing that is around the bolt that screws into the caliper. This leak did not exist with the old calipers and it seems to continue even after tightening the bolt all the way down.

I've done a search, but didn't find anything specific to the problem. If there is a thread on this please link it.

Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
Yes, I've tried all combinations of copper/steel 2 above, 1 below, 1 above, 1 below and nothing seems to have worked. I even tried to reconnect the old caliper and the leak still persists. :banghead: The leak appears to be coming from above the rectangle piece, but I've been staring at brake parts for 6 hours now so I could be imagining it. Is there anyway to seal that with some sort of tape or sealant? I don't plan on having to replace the brakes again as I won't be owning the car that long.

Is it possible to crack that rectangle end piece of the brake line? That seems to be the only plausible option.
 
#4 ·
That's a high pressure hydraulic system. If it lets go, you lose brakes and the car doesn't stop. No tape or sealant.

Inspect the parts to see if something cracked or broke. Maybe the line failed from the extra bending of the caliper replacement job. Those crush washers only get crushed one time. Don't double-stack crush washers. They are usually copper or aluminum. Softer metals like those will crush/squish under a lot of pressure and make a good seal. Make sure the banjo bolt is the correct length. Inspect the threaded hole that bolt threads into to be sure it's deep enough and nothing is obstructing the bottom of the hole.

Is the banjo bolt tightening up like it should and feel normal as it gets torqued down? Does the rectangle part feel loose after the banjo bolt is tightened? Can you watch the area with good strong lighting while someone else presses the pedal?
 
#5 ·
We (my dad and I) initially thought the hole wasn't deep enough so we double stacked the washers. We just picked up a new caliper and will only single stack this time. The bolt is getting nice and tight, I didn't feel the rectangle piece after tightening it down, but will check that after we install this new one.

Hopefully this will solve all the issues we've had or I'm SOL and will likely need a new rectangle piece (if that can even be replaced) or somehow get the car to an indy to take a look at. We tried the seal under pressure with braking and it still leaks, from the seal between the banjo bolt and the caliper.

I'll update whether we get the problem fixed or not. Hopefully this is it though as this 2 hour job has turned into 9 very quickly.
 
#8 ·
I hate when jobs go that way.

If the rectangle part has failed, that's part of the rear brake hose on that side. Volkswagen Passat B5 FWD 1.8T Braking Lines OE Rear - 8E0611775J - Rubber Brake Hose - Priced Each - ES#8932
Single stacked the washers, the seal held. Thank f*cking god. Started the bleeding process but lost A LOT of fluid with trying to fix the leak so will have to pick some up tomorrow when we return all the tools we didn't need and return the faulty caliper (which in actuality likely failed from the crush washer blunder).

Thanks for all the responses, I like knowing I can come back almost a year after my last post and get some good advice.
 
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