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Re: Bleeding Brakes

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Bleeding Brakes
From: jdean@cstone.net (John W. Dean)
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 14:32:35 GMT
On Tue, 17 Sep 1996 17:11:00 -0400, DCMasters wrote:

>I tried the old tube in a jar, friend in the car,
>method and got nowhere.  I obtained a hand vacuum and pumped till I got
>blisters.  It seems that the lines are full of air but I don't seem to be
>able to get it out.  This is a later model two stage sytem and has disks all
>around with a power boost.  Like I said, it's not an LBC but I use it to tow
>them so I need to get it fixed.

There are all sorts of ways to bleed brakes.  One last-resort method
that I use is to pump the fluid into the bleeder, and have it come out
at the top of the system.  This method works on hard-to-bleed clutch
systems, and it is necessary on some brake systems, which might have
poorly-designed hydraulics.  The relative height of the various
components in the chassis makes a difference, as does the action of
mechanical valves sometimes placed at the rear axle, to reduce brake
pressure when the suspension dives toward the front.  

Take a _clean_ (preferably brand new) hand-pump oil can, and fill it
with brake fluid.  I use one that was plated instead of painted, so the
paint will not come off all over the place.  Put a rubber hose over the
end, and pump the brake fluid into each bleeder in turn.  The fluid will
rise in the master cylinder reservoir.

I try to make sure that I don't push dirty fluid back through the
system, so even if I am planning to use this method, I might bleed it
the normal way first.

By the way, are you sure that the master cylinder didn't suddenly fail
when you opened the system?  This can happen too.

Hope this helps
John Dean
Charlottesville, VA USA


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