Changed the rear axle bushes on the Octy this afternoon and completely removed the axle from the car. Quite a lot of brake fluid leaked out whilst doing this but I've got loads more so bleeding it all through didn't seem an issue. It's a 2005 car and looks like it has the MK60 abs pump although I didn't realise this until having bled following the back brakes first method. Rolled it off the ramps to discover no brakes. Did a bit more research and found that I have a mk60 abs pump so re-bled the system starting at the front passenger side, front driver, rear driver, rear passenger. Got some air out but I still have a very spongey pedal. The system was bled using an Eezi-bleed but I think I may have put the pedal to the floor when I didn't have any brakes coming off the ramps. What do people think the issue is? I've just read about bleeding the system with the ignition on so the ABS pump works. Could there be air in this and will re-bleeding with ignition on help? Or have I knackered the master cylinder seals? Anyone able to describe pedal travel feel? There is resistance but it doesn't harden up at all. All help greatly appreciated as i'd quite like to get home tonight!

Edited 20 November, 201015 yr by Schern

I managed to get air into my ABS pump, and even though I had vag-com I could never bleed it properly (vag-com will operate the pump for you).

If you have pressed the pedal through its full travel then you may have inverted the seals as they slide over the generally unused part of the piston and may have got caught up on it (or that is my understanding).

My brakes worked but not as well as I thought they used to work, so I took it to a dealer and got them to change the fluid/bleed it . Someone mentioned the other day there are some bleed nipples on the master cylinder too....

Yep Haynes manual came to the rescue and mentioned the master cylinder nipples. Have bled them and it's made a vast improvement so looks like air had made it all the way back there. Not 100% so having another bleed now. Can always have another crack in a weeks time too just in case. Really pleased it's not the MC seals!

if there's any chance that air has got in at the top (reservoir level dropped too low) then it will 100% need bleeding out of the master cylinder nipples.

Can anyone describe what knackered seals in the MC feel like?