Short Version:
Far too much travel on the brake pedal and the brake fluid seems to be full of air, almost looks like it's full of bloody fizzy lager not brake fluid. Help!
Long Version:
Got a 1999 MkI Punto 60, 94k miles, bought before Christmas, brake performance was unremarkably OK at the time. Got it serviced, they picked up leaking rear wheel cylinders, drums 90% worn, one shoe virtually down to the metal at one end with uneven wear (I think the centre pivot pin of the brake shoe had come out, certainly when I took the drums off the pivot pin and clip on the worn shoe was shiny and new).
So, did the shoes, the drums and the cylinders myself - all went on fairly unremarkably. Tried flushing and bleeding it with a pressure kit but the cap kept popping off the reservoir, so reverted to a one-way valve kit. But half the time the brake fluid seemed to be full of air still (bubbles seen through the clear pipe on the bleed kit) no matter how much I bled it. Anyway, did my best with it, drove it and the travel on the brake pedal was ridiculous, almost right the way down to the floor - although once the brakes bit the pedal seemed firm and the braking effective (considering it had new drums and shoes).
Jacked up each corner in turn and got someone to slowly depress the brake pedal while I spun each wheel in turn, to get an idea for when the brakes were starting to bite at each wheel. Front brakes were starting to bit with the pedal about 30% depressed, rears at 80% depressed. Handbrake was working as it should (starting to bite at 3 clicks, on tight by 4 clicks) so figured the rear self-adjusters must be working.
Wondered whether I could hear some air hissing down by the brake pedal on braking, and prior to that when bleeding, hoped it was nothing...
Thought maybe my (old) one-way valve kit was leaking, so bought a new one on eBay which arrived today. Planned to jack up each corner in turn, take the wheel off, and at rear check self-adjusters and cylinders, at front caliper slides working and pistons not seized, etc. and also rebleed each corner in turn with the new bleed kit. Only got as far as the rears, the self adjusters and the cylinders are fine however the brake fluid (seen through the clear pipe on the bleed kit) is still coming out looking like bloody fizzy lager even with the new bleed kit.
I'm a bit out of my depth on this one but my suspicion has to be that the brake master cylinder is buggered? :-(