Keeping it short and sweet. Yesterday I installed RL Advics calipers on my 03 CLS. Had my buddy on the brake pedal while I opened the bleeders. Now I could have just been a little lazy, but I did not bleed the rear brakes. I went through almost a full quart of brake fluid over the course of 2 hours and 3 separate bleeds to try and let the air flow to the top of the calipers toward the brake bleeder, but I think air is trapped on one side of the 4 piston caliper, but there's only one bleeder. I ran out of time yesterday and the pedal was stiff enough to drive home safely, when i push the pedal to the floor, the brakes do lock the tires up, but the pedal feels soft, but the pads are definitely biting the rotors. I was able to do the bedding process for the pads I purchased with no problem. I'm just wondering if I'm being silly by not bleeding the rears also, if air is trapped inside of the calipers, or if the pedal is just soft for no good reason? I was doing the standard pump, pump, pump, pump, hold, bleed method.

 

do all 4 corners in this order:
Front Drivers side, rear driver side, rear passenger side, front passenger side

 

2005-2012 RL's came with 4 piston front calipers designed by Advics.

 

Hey Jordan, I have an 99% complete automatic CT-E S/C'er kit, in storage, that can easily be converted to your 6-speed application if interested.

With that said, I just changed the 10 year old brake fluid in my CL-S6 recently. I gravity bled the two rear calipers first, (because they are the furthest away) then did the same for the two front legend calipers. It worked out well; however, it takes along time. In regards to your 'softer' feel with the advics, when I changed (around 10 years ago) to the two pot legends they felt softer at the pedal compared to the single pot OEM's, it may be as simple as that. Especially if you have no problem locking up the tires at this point .

 

Good job sir, I have a pair of 98 Toyota Tacoma front 4 piston calipers that I'm going to using on my CL-P. I was just wondering if you used your standard size rotor or did you go with the type-s rotors or something else? Just curious?

 

For the RL calipers, I used 2005 Nissan 350Z Brembo rotors (324mm diameter) the only issue is making the rotor centered in the caliper and the correct diameter for the pads. This is a known working combination, so I'm just being safe.

 

The service manual says to start at the front driver's side and go clockwise.

 

I saw the same thing in my service manual. Thank you for posting a pic for anyone that stumbles upon it.

 

Just did a full bleed of all four corners, still squishy, if not worse, went through a full quart of fluid, no air came out. I'm starting to think I blew the master...

 

^
You might be able to pull an inexpensive one from a salvage yard near you?
01-03 CL-S Automatic
02-03 TL-S
All share the same part number.
LKQ's charge $16+6 core.

 

Considering a new one ordered from the dealer with a reservoir is only $148, it's just the time and weather that has been killing me. Car does stop on dime, but the pedal has no bite to it, I can hold the pedal down and push it to the floor, brake booster also has a leak on it...

 

Tell me about it! I was sweating bullets wet sanding my used left front fender, picked up last week from LKQ $51.
New OEM shipped, $464.14.
Something to consider, however, I understand and always go new OEM, if I can, on critical parts.