We have a 02 chevy malibu. Brake line rusted out. Was able to get it home on its own. The line broke in the front by the firewall. My husband is very good at working on our vehicles. He removed the line at the abs pump since it wasn't far from that. Thought he stripped out the treads on the pump when putting new line back on because he didn't realize at the time that there are 2 different size threads on it...so he took the pump out intended to replace it. Once out he found he didn't ruin it and we put it back in. Fixed the line and started bleeding. No brakes...we bled the brakes over and over and nothing. Started reading online...found out that with a fancy bi-directional scan tool, we need to do an automated bleed. So we bought a scan tool, got the automated bleed done, still no brakes. Read some more...read we needed to do a pressure bleed through the master cylinder, along with the automated bleed. Did both, together several times and still no brakes...brake pedal was hard while car was off, start car and it goes to the floor. After pumping 7 to 8 times the pedal would start to firm a little. So we replaced the master cylinder...re-bled, several times and still nothing. Replaced booster...bled...nothing. now only a few pumps of the pedal and it begins to firm some...but take your foot off for a few seconds and apply pressure and it will go back to the floor. we have been at this for more than 3 weeks and still have no brakes. Any suggestions? We are desperate at this point...

 

I'd do a manual brake fluid purge.

 

yep.
start at the master cylinder....do both lines at the master cylinder...them move on to the abs pump...do every line....then bleed at each caliper