Spongey brake pedal, problems bleeding

[cherrybeard]

I can't seem to get the pedal to go hard, engine on or not. It also feels very spongey and the brakes don't inspire confidence. Low pedal and extra effort required.

 

Discs, pads and shoes have plenty of meat on.

 

Drums are adjusted properly with handbrake de-adjusted totally.

 

I have bled the system right through, fresh fluid coming out of each corner, free of bubbles.

 

I have a slight problem with the rears (passenger side particularly) whereby the fluid in the clear tube attached to the bleed nipple tries to ebb backwards before I can close the bleed nipple quickly enough. The pedal is being held to the floor whilst this happens. I just about managed to get the clear tube to totally fill with fluid all the way to the container by hanging the tube in a certain way. Test drove, brakes remain exactly the same.

 

I am sure that at some point in the past whilst working on the brakes I let the master cylinder run dry so perhaps this needs bleeding at the ports or air could have made its way to the ABS system? Is there a way to bleed the ABS?

 

Any help appreciated.