Brake bleeding

[fastivaca]

Hello all!
Had a bit of a setback this evening on the project car. Task on hand was to bleed the brakes. I bench bled the master then went to the right rear wheel. I used my bleed tool at first and then tried the old fashioned way with my wife pushing the pedal and me at the wheel cylinder. Couldn't get any fluid to show using either method. Tried the other corners with no success. Thought it might be the master so I switched it out for the relatively new one I'd pulled from our old red car. Bench bled that with no change at the wheels. There are no leaks showing anywhere.

Am I missing something? Is it possible the proportioning valve needs replacing?

Thanks

[ryanprins13]

Was the pedal completely soft or a little hard? What brake bleeder tool were you using?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fastivaca]

Was the pedal completely soft or a little hard? What brake bleeder tool were you using?

Hard to say on the pedal. The bleeder tool I'm using is the inexpensive one with a a hose and a little bottle. Had it for years and used it with no problems. I'm thinking that because all the brake fluid drained out I might be missing a step.

Ian

[Icedawg]

Even just a gravity feed with the bleeders open should produce liquid flow, whether the system was dry to begin with or not. I can't think of what would give no flow at all. Did you try to crack the longest line open, and just keep pumping until fluid showed up?

[fastivaca]

Even just a gravity feed with the bleeders open should produce liquid flow, whether the system was dry to begin with or not. I can't think of what would give no flow at all. Did you try to crack the longest line open, and just keep pumping until fluid showed up?

Thanks Jed,
I'm think I'm going to try the gravity bleed for a bit and see if that helps. I'd do the pumping but my helpers have either gone to bed or gone out!
Ian

[ryanprins13]

Well thats better news, if the pedal was hard or you were using a pump this would be bad
Do you have a hand vaccum pump or a pnumatic brake bleeder? Or a friend who has one? Or do you have a spare cap for the resovoir? If you got a spare cap then drill a hole in it so the tip of an air blower can just fit in, then screw it on and blow the brake fluid through under lower pressure. I think theres just so much air in there and the lines take a lot of fluid that it doesnt want to come out.
I picked up a had vac pump for $60 not to long ago. Havent tried it on the brakes but it looks like a good idea


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WmWatt]

Ask wife how pedal felt. Did it resist at first and slolwy go to floor? Did it pump up pressure and stay there not moving? I think the latter would indicate blockage. I gravity bled mine and had to get it started by appling vacuum at the bleeder nipple. Can't remember if I used a short length of plastic tube to suck on or not. You could losen off a connection and look for drips to see if fluid has reached that point.

[firebush357]

I had to bleed mine after replacing the master cylinder, It took quite a few pumps to get any fluid to come out and I was using the same tool as you. If you can get the wife to help again try these steps to see if it works and better:

1.Open the bleeder
2.Have her push the pedal to the floor and hold it.
3. Close the bleeder
4. Have her let go of the pedal.
5. Repeat steps 1-4

I this seems to push more fluid threw the line than the conventional pump and hold the pedal and then open the bleeder method.

[TominMO]

Speedbleeders are a big help. Essentially a one-way ball valve; lets fluid out when you push down, doesn't let air in when you let up on the pedal. Part #SB8100 for Festys and Aspires.

[bhazard]

Easiest way to bench bleed is to leave the master in the car and unhook the lines. Go get a couple pieces of line long enough to loop back into the reservoir. Fill it up, make sure the lines are submerged, and then pump away til theres no bubbles.

[fastivaca]

Thanks to all for your replies. Just a quick update....
The master cylinder was successfully bench bled and I have fluid at both front calipers. I left the brake line to the right rear wheel open overnight hoping for gravity to do its thing. Checked this morning and there was no fluid showing there.... yet. I'll leave it open a while longer and check on it periodically during the day. Once I've done work for the day I'll grab a helper and just do the pedal pumping.

Cheers

[mikemounlio]

Also bleed the splitter valve on the firewall! When i put my rio brakes on all was well. After a while i kinda felt the brakes were not perfect. So i bleed the splitter valve at all conections. I got quite a bit of air out of one or two lines. The others were fine. After the valve was bleed i had much better feeling brakes.

[fastivaca]

Also bleed the splitter valve on the firewall! When i put my rio brakes on all was well. After a while i kinda felt the brakes were not perfect. So i bleed the splitter valve at all conections. I got quite a bit of air out of one or two lines. The others were fine. After the valve was bleed i had much better feeling brakes.

By splitter I assume you're referring to the proportioning valve on the firewall. Is there a bleeder valve on that?
Ian

[mikemounlio]

Not a bleeding valve but it has some 10mm nuts you can crack lose to let some pressure out of. Im not sure it there is a way you are susposed to do it or not but i bleed the nuts just like i do the calipers. Wife pumps three and holds, i crack the nut open and closed and repeat. I did that per each line on the proportioning valve

[firebush357]

Easiest way to bench bleed is to leave the master in the car and unhook the lines. Go get a couple pieces of line long enough to loop back into the reservoir. Fill it up, make sure the lines are submerged, and then pump away til theres no bubbles.

If your lines have not been bled out recently be careful doing this because the first bit of fluid coming out will be very dirty and you don't want that to make its way back to the reservoir.


Also I had to replace the Proportioning Valve a few months ago. They were not easy to get loose. Make sure you use a 10mm Flare Nut Wrench so that you don't strip them if you plan on doing that.