So here I am thinking I can help my bro with his rear brake job on his 96 RS. I get everything off, dry to depress the piston w/a c-clamp and I fail. I open the nipple to let off some pressure thinking it will close, Strike 2. At this point I was dumbfounded and we decided to give up for the night. Well he gets in the car and the pedal goes to the floor, Strike 3. We had to bleed the lines to get the air out so he could have brakes for the ride home.
What did I do wrong? Or what do I need to do to depress the caliper piston? I thought I knew how to do this but I guess not...

 

I just used a clamp for mine, but I believe there is a tool to do the job correctly.

 

You have to turn it clockwise.

 

I stick an appropriate sized screwdriver blade into one of the slots and turn it. You don't compress the rear caliper with a clamp, you just turn it. Then when you are done, you need to repeatedly pull the e-brake to build up pressure.

 

That's right...I had fronts on the brain...h:

 

I was pondering the cross top of the piston, but I didn't want to start wrenching on it and then **** something else up. I called Acura and they actually use impact attachment that spins and presses the piston at the same time. Makes small work of the pesky piston. He said I can find one through american honda corp.

 

I use a screwdriver because it is free. They make tools that fit into the slots that you can buy at any local autoparts store. You could try one of those out since the Honda ones would be way too expensive and you would probably use it once or twice. As long as you don't twist the piston boot, you can use anything to twist the piston back in.

 

I used my coilover tool to spin it, you could probabley use a screwdriver too.

 

sorry, not my thread, but isint the piston hard as hell to turn? i tried before with a screwdriver and had no luck. ended up taking it to a mechanic. but let me get this straight. you turn it clockwise and you dont have to losen the bleeder?

 

Only on older cars.Correct.