Bleeding the brakes

[nkw8181]

Anyone else having issues getting the brakes to build pressure? We bleed the system but still no pressure. Talk about frustrating. Already replaced one bleeder screw since it was leaking but not sure of the culprit now.

[Hindsight]

It happens from time to time... Usually when a master is totally dry. You can bench bleed the master or do it in the car but its a mess. Basically you disconnect brake lines from the master, and then make two short open ended brake lines that you screw into the master and bend down the open ends into a catch cup. Have a friend push the brake pedal. Before they let the pedal up, cover the ends of the lines with your finger so air cant get drawn back in. Do this until you see no more bubbles (In reservoir or coming out of lines). The master is then bled. Reconnect the brake lines and bleed all four corners.

Or, if you keep repeating the standard bleeding procedure, it usually works eventually but you use a lot of fluid.

[xxguitarist]

No problems here.
Adjust your prop valve to open, bleed all the brakes, (note, they have sides, bleed screws should be at top)

Keep going around the car till its all good, if you can't achieve that, look to the master cyl.

[nkw8181]

Do you have to bleed the system again after getting the master right? So can I bleed it from the right rear? Also would one of the kits help with this? I really don't want to disconnect anything since I think I finally got rid of all the leaks.

[nkw8181]

I mean the single person bleed kits that can pull vacuum from the wheels.

[Hindsight]

If you get the master right, yes you have to bleed all the lines to the calipers and the calipers themselves using the standard bleed procedure where you start in the Right rear, then left rear, right front, then left front.

I have no experience with the single person bleed kits that pull a vac from the wheels. The only single person bleeder I've used are the motive power bleeders where you pressurize the master cylinder and it auto-fills it with fluid. The vac bleed kits look cool.... if they work. I just have no personal experience with them.

[AZPete]

I had a vacuum bleed kit but it sucked air bubbles in through the bleeder screw threads so I kept pulling fluid and bubbles out forever . . . until I heaved it into the trash. Either use a pressure bleeder or a second person.

[tebriel]

Yeah most vac bleeder kits I've seen used have kind of sucked. *maybe* better than nothing, but not ideal.

[Hindsight]

Wow, glad I am not crazy for wondering how the vac bleeders can work since they will also be sucking air through the bleeder threads. Thats what kept me from buying one.

[freds]

I used a vacuum bleeder and ..Yes it can and does suck very fine bubbles from the loose threads of the bleed valves. However, I found the difference between the "elongated" long bubbles from the actual brake lines and the fine "frothy bubbles to be quite clear. I bled each wheel's brakes only once and had rock hard pedal pressure.

So from my experience, vacuum is not all that bad.

fred

[Hindsight]

Interesting, good to know freds. Which brand/model vacuum system do you have?

[freds]

Interesting, good to know freds. Which brand/model vacuum system do you have?

Bought at Harbor Freight (clearly top-of -the line....ha..ha) I also had the bleed fittings in "fairly close to tight". You don't want them unscrewed "wide open".

[nkw8181]

Ok so I have the bleed screw at the bottom of all calipers? Is that wrong? I thought the brake line should be in the center?

[Hindsight]

Bleed screw must be at top. You have your calipers on the wrong side.

[Wayne Presley]

Bleed screw must be at top. You have your calipers on the wrong side.


I was just opening the other thread to look at the pics to see if he had the calipers on the wrong side

[nkw8181]

Ahhhggggg I didn't think you could mount them wrong! Well that makes sense now that I think about it and I bet it is wrong on the fronts as well. Wow

[Wayne Presley]

They are, I looked at the pic you texted me

[suttonb3]

My Craftsman vacuum bleeder has served me well for about 10 years now. It came with a tube of what looks like dielectric grease. The instructions state to remove the bleeder screw entirely, coat the threads with grease, and reinstall. I think this prevents air from entering through the loose threads because it works really well.

[CHOTIS BILL]

I haven't tried them my self but Speed Bleed Screws look like they would work if you are having problem doing it with one person.

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=5202

I have never had problem doing it by myself using a tube running from the bleed screw to a ketch can but I may have never run into a problem situation.

Bill Lomenick

[Wayne Presley]

Before I had my pressure bleeder, I used teflon tape on the bleeder screws with a vacuum bleeder.

[Hindsight]

Wayne, do you use the motive bleeder and if so, do you use their Subaru/Ford cap? If so, how does it fit?

[Wayne Presley]

Yes it is and works great. You use the same top for the clutch but have to hold it down with zip ties since it is a different thread but same diameter.

[metalmaker12]

Motive and never look back, I love it.

[Hindsight]

I have a motive. Bought it off a site that had a demo video showing a screw-on master cylinder reservoir cap that exactly matched the car I was working on at the time. Ordered the kit and it came with this universal adapter. It doesn't work and let me tell you how fun it is to have it start leaking while a liter of brake fluid pours down onto everything below the master cylinder. That's the reason I asked about the cap fitment. If the cap doesn't fit 100% perfect, it isn't worth the risk of a huge mess. Sounds like you guys are able to get it to work though. I would agree that when working properly, the pressure bleeding setup is the best way to go. I've thought about making my own proper cap by getting an extra OEM cap and adding a hose fitting to it.

[Wayne Presley]

The specific caps are a must, I have one for the Lotus, one for the Miata and another for the Subaru (which also works on the Wilwood master).

[Hindsight]

But you find the zip ties to hold it to the clutch reservoir sufficiently?

[Wayne Presley]

WHy Subrau didn't use the same cap on the clutch 6" away I'll never know. THe ID of the cap is the same and it slides down in the neck and seals fine. THe zip ties just hold the adapter from popping out. I pump the tank up to 10 psi and no problems.

[Hindsight]

Nice thx Wayne!