Bleeding Brakes......

[BenBaron]

whats going on here, struggling to get any fluid through at all..
Can anybody confirm Im doing this right...



Im losening a bleed nipple, then pumpping like buggery and nowt happens...I presume it should shove the fluid though and bobs your uncle?

another thing which maybe wrong is when I pump, it seems to get stuck a bit then makes a spring noise and then lets go to the end, I put it down to the cylinder being empty but now Im not too sure, should it be smooth travel all the way?

oh yeah jag running gear recondition by wards, and escort master cylinder....

[craggle]

Hi Ben

The way I have allways bled brakes is to loosen the bleed nipple, then have a helper press the brake pedal down, then tighten the bleed nipple. Release pedal pressure then slacken the bleed nipple and repeat the process. If you just pump the pedal with the bleed nipple open I think it will just push fluid down the pipe the suck it back again. Tightening the bleed nipple at the end of each down stroke on the pedal prevents air getting back into the tube so the master cylinder has to get more fluid from the resevoir rather than back up the pipe.
Start bleeding the brake nearest the master cylinder first then work around to the furthest away last. Keep an eye on the fluid resevoir as, if this runs out of fluid and you start pumping air down the lines you will have to start again.

I bled the brakes and clutch on my Dax this way and had no problems at all and it only took about half an hour to do the whole car.

Craig.

[richc]

The way I do the job on my bikes is to part fill a clean & dry washing up liquid bottle with fluid, connect it to the slackened bleed nipple with a length of tubing and squeeze the fluid up into the system and back to the master cylinder. It works a treat and requires next to no pumping to get air out.

I'm sure it would work on the car as well....

Regards

Rich

[oglyoodoo]

I agree with Craig, without a helper shutting off the bleed nipple after every pump you will be sucking the fluid back .

On one of my other cars I had a real problem getting the fluid through to start with. The only way I could get it started was to pressurise the master cylinder with an old master cylinder cap fitted with a tyre valve You only need Low pressure!! a couple of PSI max. Open the bleed nipples and the fluid will run out. You can buy a set of bits called Easi Bleed. This is an adaptor set of bits that you screw on the top of the master cylinder and use some low pressure air from a spare tyre. Thats the best way to do it if you're are on your own. I wouldn't bother filling the little bottle they supply with Brake fluid just pressurise the master cylinder and keep an eye on the fluid level.

I had a similar problem on this other car with my master cylinder clicking after the pedal was released. This turned out to be caused by using DOT 5 (Silicone) Brake fluid. This isn't as slippery as Dot 3, 4 or 5.1 and was causing the internal mechanism to stick. What fluid are you using?? If you are using the correct fluid and the master is full then the pistons should be lubricated OK and I wouldn't have thought you should get get any clicking.

Denis

[Miket]

Remember to keep an eye on your fluid level in the master cylinder throughout the bleeding process.

1 I would suggest you work in the following sequence:
a) Left-hand rear wheel
b) Right-hand rear wheel
c) Left-hand front wheel
d) Right-hand front wheel

2 Remove the wheel and find the bleed nipple on the the caliper.
3 Remove the rubber protective cap on the bleed nipple and attach the length of rubber hose which is a tight fit over the bleed nipple.
4 Place the other end of the hose into a catch container and pour in sufficient fluid to cover the end of the tube.
5 Get a friend to sit in the car and pump the brake pedal several times to build up pressure, then hold it down on the final downstroke. Slowly open the bleed nipple releasing the bubbles and old fluid into the container. (Communication is critical so that the pedal is never up while the bleed nipple is open, which draws air into the system).
6 Repeat this process until no more air bubbles are visible in the tubing and bottle and fresh fluid starts coming through. Remember to check the master cylinder is topped up. Keep the lids on both the master and brake-fluid bottle to minimize the opportunity for air to invade the fluid.
7 Tighten the bleed nipple, remove the hose, and replace the protective cap. Move on to the next wheel and repeat steps 3 - 7.
8 Top up the master cylinder a final time, replace its lid and discard any remaining "new" brake fluid properly along with the old fluid otherwise moisture will accumulate inside the unsealed bottle during storage.
9 Check the feel of the brake pedal. If it feels at all spongy, air must still be in the system, and further bleeding is required. Failure to bleed satisfactorily after a reasonable repetition of the bleeding procedure may be due to worn master cylinder seals. Slowly road test the brakes in an out-of-the-way place to check they're functioning properly.

[bobdude]

Just done mine this weekend and a freind lent me an easy bleed system that pressurises from one of your tyres it was trick!

[BenBaron]

thanx guys for all the info, was obviously doing it wrong then ... nowt like doing stuff twice

[neil still building it]

hi guys
in another previous session, on this very subject,i have suggested that if at all possible get a simple /cheap (air) pressure regulator(-try machine mart etc)as this enable you to use the air very safely and with FULL control of flow rate -almost impossible withoput this MOD,why it doesn't com e with one attached i'll never know!! as they're already expensive enough on their own ,so a few quid for a regulator would'nt increase the price substantually over what it already is!!
any way back to the plot.......
fit a regulator and realise the full potential of EASY BLEEDING!! to stop flow just drop the pressure and it stops -MAGIC also no assistant required if you don't have one handy........
good luck
NEIL