I replaced the pads and rotors on my 83 245 this weekend. I unbolted the wrong bolt to remove one of the front calipers (I think they're Girling on the front and possibly ATE on back) and let quite a bit of air into the system. So, after I replaced all the pads and rotors and inspected everything for leaks, I attempted to bleed the system. It was dark by this point, and so my bleeding was haphazard. Anyway, the car will slow and stop now, but it appears that while the front brakes are working fine, one of the rear brakes is not engaging at all (it was before I did the work) and the other appears to be engaging almost too much and is scoring the rotor significantly. Is this indicative of a poor job at bleeding? Would that cause one rear brake to engage and the other not to engage?

A couple of thoughts:

1) I'd re-bleed...make sure you start with the furthest wheel from the master and work toward the closest.

2) After that I'd check to see if maybe one of my calipers is hanging up. If the old pads were worn and the pistons out far maybe one is hung up after being pressed back into the caliper.

Loosening one of the bolts that clamps the halves of the caliper together might cause a leak. The rear brakes are on opposite circuits to each other. One rear with one front piston per caliper. Is the brake imbalance light coming on? I would re-bleed. Scoring a rotor with new pads -- might be some hard particles imbedded in the new pad.

If you have any doubt about how your bleed went, go back and re-do it ASAP.

Brakes aren't anything to screw around with.
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If you listen to the radio in Portland, OR, you may know me as "Portland's Favorite Soul Brother!"

Jeez. I don't believe this. I had installed one of the rear pads in backwards. Anyway, changed it out, had to put the old rotor back in after having it turned, and rebled system. Everything is fine now. Yeesh.