Bleeding Brakes

KingChuck24

Well-Known Member
Tried bleeding the brakes today and couldn't get much to work. Found a few leaks that have been taken care of but when I try to bleed them I cant get any vacuum on the hand pump, I have to countinously pump it to get much of a vacuum at all. I am assuming there is another leak somewhere but wasn't sure if it could leak only air on none of the brake fluid. I also turned the bleeder valve 1/4 turn.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
Loosen the brake lines at the master cylinder. Put a rag under those connections and loosen them until fluid comes out then reconnect them and try bleeding again.
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
The vacuum bleeder I use is driven by an air compressor. Just go back to the basics like sluggo said. Loosen the master connections and wait for fluid to come out. Then open all the bleeders at the calipers and wait for fluid. Close them all off then roll the old school way of push and hold the pedal down, then open one bleeder at a caliper. the system is empty. It takes time.
 

KingChuck24

Well-Known Member
Tried cracking the screws on the master cylinder and found that the line that connects to the front brake is getting no fluid while the line the the rear brakes is getting fluid. I have fluid pooled in the connection point and the connection unscrewed and no brake fluid is coming out of the connection.

Not sure what is causing this.
 

Attachments

KingChuck24

Well-Known Member
I had the resovoir in place but wanted to see if I lifted it higher if fluid would start flowing so I unbolted it and lifted it up.
 

Robinjo

Goblin Guru
You can take the MC off and bench bleed it. See if you get fluid that way. Just Loogle Bench Bleeding for a video.
If that doesn’t work, you may be in for a new MC.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
If you still aren't getting fluid through, and especially if you have removed the reservoir, buy a bench bleed kit and bench bleed it in place. You likely have an air bubble stuck in there if no fluid is getting through.
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
Also, make sure the brake lever is fully retracted. If the plunger is pushed in at all on the master cylinder, it will not flow fluid.
 

Robinjo

Goblin Guru
X2 on this. I bled my brakes and clutch in under 10 minutes with one of these and the correct attachment and no issues. I invested in the kit with all the different attachments so I can do almost any vehicle.
And since it’s so easy to hook up and bleed the brakes, I do it just about every time I have the hood off. Just making sure I have all those tiny bubbles out.

I keep getting 1 or 2 here and there as the system works the air around.
 
Last edited:

KingChuck24

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the suggestions, I ended up ordering the hand pump kit and it is coming today and I will try using it probably sometime this weekend. I used some TFE paste on all of the connections and they are starting to seal up better but I am pretty sure there are leaks because I keep pulling air through when I am bleeding it.
 

Desert Sasqwatch

Goblin Guru
TFE paste on the fitting threads? The threads are not the sealing surface for the brake lines, the flare on the tube against the chamfered (cone) surface on the fitting is what seals the line. Unless you get the flare to seat 100% against the fitting chamfered the lines will leak - fluid or air.

The lines need to be very tight to achieve thIs. Sometimes by tightening and loosening the line can help it seat better. And this is the reason I posted the flare lapping tool.
 

Robinjo

Goblin Guru
The lines need to be very tight to achieve this. Sometimes by tightening and loosening the line can help it seat better. And this is the reason I posted the flare lapping tool.
When I installed mine clutch and brake lines, I tightened them and then loosened them. Then I re-tightened the lines until they were tight. I did not have any leaks on my hydraulic system using this method. Lonnie mentioned doing this in the videos, so I did it as well.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
When I installed mine clutch and brake lines, I tightened them and then loosened them. Then I re-tightened the lines until they were tight. I did not have any leaks on my hydraulic system using this method. Lonnie mentioned doing this in the videos, so I did it as well.
Same experience here with the brake lines.

The only leaks I had were several spots on the IC circuit and a few places along the coolant circuit. The IC leaks were due to not enough Teflon tape and fear of crushing the pex lines. The coolant issue was a janky donor hose end.
 
Top