bleeding brakes shouldn't have to pUMp em Up
 

Seems like such a dumb question........here goes I just put on some ss brakelines on today and unable to get the brakes to stop without pumping em up. I went around the car at least 5 times from the farthest point to the master brake cylinder LR,RR,LF and finally RF, even changed the bleeding pattern to LR,RF,LR and RF.....still not able to get the brakes to grip without pumping em up. I have bled brakes plenty of times on my other Z's without any problems, not a clue as to why I am not able to get damn brakes to stop, is there something that I have to do with the ABS pump??????

Sounds like you need to do it again, ive had no problems with mine. Maybe the person helping was lifting the pedal before you closed the valve.

Sounds like all the air is not out of system.

+1, sounds like you just need to bleed again. Unless you have a leak some where.

thans all, I have checked for leaks on the entire system, the cap on the mastger brake cylinder is also tight, I don't see a fluid loss. So I am wondering if I need to bleed the abs pump, worst case scenario I will have to go to Nissan, sorta of admitting that I like to make mods on the Z but this 1 has me stumped

Make double sure you have the new lines tight and the copper gaskets on both sides of your Banjo fitting going into the caliper, The lines should gravity bleed, be patient and tap the caliper as it bleeds

Hope you didn't get air in the master cylinder, but that's what it sounds like. Are you sure you didn't let the level get too low as you bled them?

If it's the master you'll need to take it in and get it pressure bled most likely....

thanks for all the tips...no Brembos on my Z, possible that I got air in the master brake cylinder, my buddy was filling as I was bleeding the brakes. I will use a rubber mallet to make sure I got all of the air out of the calipers, if not able to get this issue resolved in the manana I set a appointment with my NiSSan dealer this Wednesday morning $85.00 hour plus fluids....OUCH

RaM

Tap it with something metal not rubber ---I use a ball peen and NO, your not going to hurt it. Do it as its gravity bleeding

I had to bleed my brake system (Brembos) like 8 times the first night...still no grip so I went for another 5 times the next night...be patient, you can do it!

And all need to keep in mind, that you can have a situation where you are SUCKING air ....Thats the reason I mentioned the fittings and washers

Thanks again for all the great advice...... so guess what?? The brakes are now fixed, gripping doesn't describe what the new Hawk brake pads, new stainless steel brake lines and dot 4 brake fluid are doing in the Z now...oooh yeah did I mention the fact that we repainted the calipers and clear coated em again.

Soo by now you have possibly figured out what the problem was right??? The rear calipers were mounted on the wrong sides, seems you can't get the air completely out of the lines if the bleeder screw is lower that the highest point of the calipers, just cant get the air outta the lines this way, even though you can gravity bleed the brakes. After looking at the brakes as I was bleeding em for the upteenth time I finally snaPPed, just had to laugh at my stOOpid A$$. Anyway I seem to have given everybody a good laught & if just 1 person learns from my stOOpidity, then this was a great experience. Just wish ROYAL PURPLE MADE DOT 4 BRAKE FLUID

Thats something that never entered my mind and I will have to say in all due respect that that was a foolish mistake. Iv been doing brakes for over 30 years and the first thing I learned as I hope you did, was to do one at a time so as not to get mix ups.
That habit came from the fact, that as simple and basic as the Z brakes are, there are others that are as complex as Swiss Watches and you MUST have a reference to compair to as you are reassembling. Drum Brakes taugh me that,what with a half dozen springs,leading shoes and cable/lever routing. Also, systems like what was run on the Panteras and higher end English and German cars.
Glad it worked out