Re-bleed brakes??
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 490
From: Wiscon-brrrrrr-sin
Re-bleed brakes??
Ok - installed new brakes lines, dual master cylinder, front disc brakes, drum rear. I bench bled the master cylinder, installed it, attached all brake lines, then bled the brakes in the proper order. Pedal still soft though...
I'm going to re-bleed them as I am sure air is somewhere in the system due to soft pedal but have you guys had to re-bleed the lines, especially since they are new lines and started with nothing in them?
I'm going to re-bleed them as I am sure air is somewhere in the system due to soft pedal but have you guys had to re-bleed the lines, especially since they are new lines and started with nothing in them?
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 542
From: Sacramento, CA
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
+1 on the re-bleed and maybe the re-re-bleed.
I've heard it said that there is no such thing as overbleeding brakes. As long as there are no leaks in the system, you will eventually work out all the air bubbles and get a firm pedal. Good luck!
I've heard it said that there is no such thing as overbleeding brakes. As long as there are no leaks in the system, you will eventually work out all the air bubbles and get a firm pedal. Good luck!
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 490
From: Wiscon-brrrrrr-sin
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
Late night with no neighbors handy and my wife was in bed so it wasa one-man job. Typical as usually late night is when I get most of the work done on the cars - everyone is in bed.
Ok - thanks for the info. I'll bleed until I get a firm pedal.
Step 1: Bleed, re-bleed then bleed again...
Step 2: see Step 1
Ok - thanks for the info. I'll bleed until I get a firm pedal.
Step 1: Bleed, re-bleed then bleed again...
Step 2: see Step 1
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 157
From:
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
i bled mine about 75 times...
...i was trying one of those "one man" sears brake bleeding pumps...problem was that the pump pulls air in from around the threads of the bleeder screws - no matter how much of the sealant goo (probably just petroleum jelly) i put on it wouldn't bleed them
I ended going to home depot, buying a broom handle for <$2 and a u-bolt to screw onto it. Then figured out where the pedal bottomed out, adjusted the u-bolt to catch under the steering wheel ... pump the pedal three times, put the broom handle in to hold the pedal down against the steering wheel, open/close the screw, etc.
worked very well and was done a few minutes later - amazing how quick the fluid comes flying out (along w/ the bubbles) when the pressure is built up and held. Doing it this way there's no chance your 'helper' will let off the pedal too soon. FWIW
...i was trying one of those "one man" sears brake bleeding pumps...problem was that the pump pulls air in from around the threads of the bleeder screws - no matter how much of the sealant goo (probably just petroleum jelly) i put on it wouldn't bleed them
I ended going to home depot, buying a broom handle for <$2 and a u-bolt to screw onto it. Then figured out where the pedal bottomed out, adjusted the u-bolt to catch under the steering wheel ... pump the pedal three times, put the broom handle in to hold the pedal down against the steering wheel, open/close the screw, etc.
worked very well and was done a few minutes later - amazing how quick the fluid comes flying out (along w/ the bubbles) when the pressure is built up and held. Doing it this way there's no chance your 'helper' will let off the pedal too soon. FWIW
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 542
From: Sacramento, CA
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
There are a bunch of different types of one-man brake bleeding kits. From less than $10.00 to $2,500.00 (holy cow, you could probably rent a NASCAR pit crew to do it for that!) 
Sometimes the best tools are the ones you make yourself!
http://www.nextag.com/brake-bleeder/search-html
Sometimes the best tools are the ones you make yourself!http://www.nextag.com/brake-bleeder/search-html
6th Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,417
From: Cork, Ireland
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
---ate night with no neighbors handy and my wife was in bed so it wasa one-man job.
you cannot get it right with a one man job. impossible. only if you have a pump or similar gear.
If you're with a wrench and a bottle then no way.
how to properly bleed brakes (min 2 people):
start with the longest running brake like (furthest away from master).
a) have person a sit in the car an press the brake pedal and have him tell the other he's pressing.
b) open the bleeder screw. the brake pedal will go down fully. have the person tell you when the pedal is down
c) close the bleeder screw. tell person in car it's closed
d) person in car release brake pedal and start with a) again.
If you do it any other way (aka pumping while screw is open) you'll suck air back into the bleeder screw. time well wasted.
when you proceed like this you usually know when the new brake fluid arrives that you're done. with new fluid you'll just have to do it a few times.
Make sure that the MC doesn't run empty. check every now and again in the process for refill. empty MC will suck air again.
Do the same thing with the next bleeding screw (the one next closer to MC). End with the closest bleeder to MC.
A good idea is to have a transparent hose attached to the bleeder screw while bleeding as this will give you info about the fluid colour and bubbles.
If you do it properly once, then there should be no need to rebleed and pedal should be firm.
again: do not open screw and pump the pedal up and down. won't work.
when releasing the brake pedal the screw needs to be closed as this is the only guarantee that new fluid will be sucked from MC and not from the screw (air).
There's bleeder screws at calmustang and others that have a spring in them (blocking air coming in from screw when releasing the pedal). From the theory this should work like most people do it. pumping action on open screw. But I never tested that.
If you go to a garage they'll have a pump that is attached to MC. there you just open the screw, let some fluid out and close it. matter of 10 mins max.
hope it helps
Kalli
you cannot get it right with a one man job. impossible. only if you have a pump or similar gear.
If you're with a wrench and a bottle then no way.
how to properly bleed brakes (min 2 people):
start with the longest running brake like (furthest away from master).
a) have person a sit in the car an press the brake pedal and have him tell the other he's pressing.
b) open the bleeder screw. the brake pedal will go down fully. have the person tell you when the pedal is down
c) close the bleeder screw. tell person in car it's closed
d) person in car release brake pedal and start with a) again.
If you do it any other way (aka pumping while screw is open) you'll suck air back into the bleeder screw. time well wasted.
when you proceed like this you usually know when the new brake fluid arrives that you're done. with new fluid you'll just have to do it a few times.
Make sure that the MC doesn't run empty. check every now and again in the process for refill. empty MC will suck air again.
Do the same thing with the next bleeding screw (the one next closer to MC). End with the closest bleeder to MC.
A good idea is to have a transparent hose attached to the bleeder screw while bleeding as this will give you info about the fluid colour and bubbles.
If you do it properly once, then there should be no need to rebleed and pedal should be firm.
again: do not open screw and pump the pedal up and down. won't work.
when releasing the brake pedal the screw needs to be closed as this is the only guarantee that new fluid will be sucked from MC and not from the screw (air).
There's bleeder screws at calmustang and others that have a spring in them (blocking air coming in from screw when releasing the pedal). From the theory this should work like most people do it. pumping action on open screw. But I never tested that.
If you go to a garage they'll have a pump that is attached to MC. there you just open the screw, let some fluid out and close it. matter of 10 mins max.
hope it helps
Kalli
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 444
From:
RE: Re-bleed brakes??
ORIGINAL: kalli
---ate night with no neighbors handy and my wife was in bed so it wasa one-man job.
you cannot get it right with a one man job. impossible. only if you have a pump or similar gear.
If you're with a wrench and a bottle then no way.
how to properly bleed brakes (min 2 people):
start with the longest running brake like (furthest away from master).
a) have person a sit in the car an press the brake pedal and have him tell the other he's pressing.
b) open the bleeder screw. the brake pedal will go down fully. have the person tell you when the pedal is down
c) close the bleeder screw. tell person in car it's closed
d) person in car release brake pedal and start with a) again.
If you do it any other way (aka pumping while screw is open) you'll suck air back into the bleeder screw. time well wasted.
when you proceed like this you usually know when the new brake fluid arrives that you're done. with new fluid you'll just have to do it a few times.
Make sure that the MC doesn't run empty. check every now and again in the process for refill. empty MC will suck air again.
Do the same thing with the next bleeding screw (the one next closer to MC). End with the closest bleeder to MC.
A good idea is to have a transparent hose attached to the bleeder screw while bleeding as this will give you info about the fluid colour and bubbles.
If you do it properly once, then there should be no need to rebleed and pedal should be firm.
again: do not open screw and pump the pedal up and down. won't work.
when releasing the brake pedal the screw needs to be closed as this is the only guarantee that new fluid will be sucked from MC and not from the screw (air).
There's bleeder screws at calmustang and others that have a spring in them (blocking air coming in from screw when releasing the pedal). From the theory this should work like most people do it. pumping action on open screw. But I never tested that.
If you go to a garage they'll have a pump that is attached to MC. there you just open the screw, let some fluid out and close it. matter of 10 mins max.
hope it helps
Kalli
---ate night with no neighbors handy and my wife was in bed so it wasa one-man job.
you cannot get it right with a one man job. impossible. only if you have a pump or similar gear.
If you're with a wrench and a bottle then no way.
how to properly bleed brakes (min 2 people):
start with the longest running brake like (furthest away from master).
a) have person a sit in the car an press the brake pedal and have him tell the other he's pressing.
b) open the bleeder screw. the brake pedal will go down fully. have the person tell you when the pedal is down
c) close the bleeder screw. tell person in car it's closed
d) person in car release brake pedal and start with a) again.
If you do it any other way (aka pumping while screw is open) you'll suck air back into the bleeder screw. time well wasted.
when you proceed like this you usually know when the new brake fluid arrives that you're done. with new fluid you'll just have to do it a few times.
Make sure that the MC doesn't run empty. check every now and again in the process for refill. empty MC will suck air again.
Do the same thing with the next bleeding screw (the one next closer to MC). End with the closest bleeder to MC.
A good idea is to have a transparent hose attached to the bleeder screw while bleeding as this will give you info about the fluid colour and bubbles.
If you do it properly once, then there should be no need to rebleed and pedal should be firm.
again: do not open screw and pump the pedal up and down. won't work.
when releasing the brake pedal the screw needs to be closed as this is the only guarantee that new fluid will be sucked from MC and not from the screw (air).
There's bleeder screws at calmustang and others that have a spring in them (blocking air coming in from screw when releasing the pedal). From the theory this should work like most people do it. pumping action on open screw. But I never tested that.
If you go to a garage they'll have a pump that is attached to MC. there you just open the screw, let some fluid out and close it. matter of 10 mins max.
hope it helps
Kalli
Though they do have bleeders with a check valve that supposedly wouldn't let air back in when you release the brake pedal, but I wouldn't trust them to work. Just get a friend or loved one to help. I think it only took me 30 minutes to bleed my brakes, and I wasn't exactly hurrying. Hopefully, there's somebody that can spare an hour out of their day to ehlp you bleed your brakes.