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Re: Bleeding Brakes, 77B

To: Lawrie Alexander <Lawrie@britcars.com>
Subject: Re: Bleeding Brakes, 77B
From: Art Pfenninger <ch155@freenet.buffalo.edu>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 13:45:25 -0400 (EDT)
I agree with what you say but I learned this technique from John Twist and
have used it since. As they say "It works for me!"
...Art
On Thu, 24 Jun 1999, Lawrie Alexander wrote:

> Art, may I respectfully disagree? Allowing brake fluid to trickle all over
> the back of your brake backing plates is unnecessarily messy, plus your
> technique does not allow you to see when the bubbles stop flowing in the
> expelled fluid.
> 
> We find the simplest way is to take an old  glass jar (complete with its
> metal lid) and an old metal coat hanger. Wrap the hanger around the neck of
> the jar so as to make a hook that will enable the jar to be hung from a
> nearby brake hose of piece of the suspension. Then fit a piece of clear
> plastic tubing from the brake bleeder nipple through a hole you punch into
> the metal lid of the jar.
> 
> This way, when you bleed the brakes (one person builds pressure on the brake
> pedal, the other then opens the nipple while the pedal is held down, then
> closes the nipple before the pedal is released) you can watch the expelled
> fluid to see when the old, dirty stuff is replaced by nice, clear, new
> fluid, and when the air bubbles stop flowing.
> 
> And, with the jar hanging safely, there's no risk of either knocking it over
> or even knicking it..............
> 
> Lawrie
> British Sportscar Center
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Art Pfenninger <ch155@freenet.buffalo.edu>
> To: Tom McLaughlin <tmcl98@YAHOO.COM>
> Cc: MG list <mgs@autox.team.net>
> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 12:03 AM
> Subject: Re: Bleeding Brakes, 77B
> 
> 
> >You need to bleed them again, sometimes once is not enough. If you had
> >luck with the EZ tool use it , but I have never had luck with any of them.
> >It's only necessary to open the nipple a little. If you have a helper to
> >push the pedal down then just put your finger over the bleeder, don't open
> >and close it. When the pedal is pushed down release your finger, then put
> >it back on before the pedal is released. It's a little messy but no worse
> >than knicking over the jar of fluid with a hose in it.
> >...Art
> >
> >On Mon, 24 May 1999, Tom McLaughlin wrote:
> >
> >> Well, another one of my firsts over the weekend.  I've done some brake
> >> work, but never had to bleed any before.  The pedal was getting way to
> >> "squishy" so I decided to try it.  I used the EZ-bleed tool and Castrol
> >> LMA fluid.  A few questions:
> >>
> >> 1) Haynes says that the "later Bs", 76 and up, should have the pressure
> >> warning switch on the master cylinder.  Mine did not...should it as it
> >> is a 77? The proceedure for bleeding was a little different meaning
> >> which wheel you should start with.  I proceeded with the furthest from
> >> the MC, the right rear, which I hope is correct, then the left rear,
> >> right front and finally left front.  This was the proceedure w/o the
> >> pressure warning switch described in Haynes.
> >>
> >> 2) The rear went fine.  In fact, I adjusted the rear brakes while I was
> >> there also.  I pumped until I had all fluid and no bubbles in the
> >> EZ-bleed.  I continually topped off the MC fluid level.  The fronts
> >> were more difficult. It seemed once I opened the bleed screw "a half a
> >> turn" and then pumped the brakes, fluid would seap out the side of the
> >> bleed nipple which means to me that air is getting back in when I let
> >> the pedal up.  I could never get all of the air bubbles out of the
> >> line.  I finally got the bleed screw to a point where I could pump the
> >> brakes and not much fluid would seap out the side, but it was hard to
> >> get the fluid to come out at all. Both front sides had this problem.
> >> As a result, I still have air in the lines.  The brakes functions, but
> >> I have to "pump them up sometimes".   Is there a trick to doing this?
> >>
> >> 3) Can I take the bleed screws all the way out and clean them and their
> >> recepticle?  Perhaps this would create a better seal and I wouldn't
> >> have the seaping problem above.  If I take the bleed nipple all the way
> >> out am I going to get a stream of fluid???  Should I not do this???
> >>
> >> I spent considerable time reading, learning, trying, reading, learning,
> >> and trying. The brakes are about where they were when I started.  I
> >> guess the best part of this is that I have new fluid in the lines.  As
> >> I have had the car for 3 years I'm guessing this is a good thing.  Any
> >> suggestions on getting the squish out of my squishy pedals?
> >>
> >> Tom
> >> 77B (no plate on the front so I could not help...sorry Andrew)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com
> >>
> >
> 
> 


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