Bleeding new brake system

[Ralph S3]

Hi All,

Does anyone have any advice about bleeding the brakes from dry. I am just finishing the body off restoration and I am trying to bleed the brakes without much success. Everything was removed during the rebuild so there was no fluid in the sustem to start with. I am able to bleed the fronts quite successfully but the rears are proving to be a real pain. I can get fluid to come out but still have a spongy pedal so there is air somewhere. I am wondering whether the rear bias valve has an air lock in it.

Anyone got any pearls of wisdom that might help??

Thanks....Ralph

[honourablepickle]

if you have a compressor
buy a vacuum bleeder
if you haven't got a compressor
buy/borrow/hire one
then buy a vacuum bleeder
: )
reb

[z_chromozone]

Take the calipers off their mountings and move them around so that the bubbles are dislodged from the inside of the claiper. Often ther are cavities that trap air in dry calipers, I did this with my old Golf GTi and it worked a treat.

Z

[numbnuts]

The best way is two loosen the brake unions on the master cylinder and bleed there first, and then all the others starting from n/s/r to o/s/r then n/s/f and then o/s/f last.

[The Trucker]

A trick that has worked for me in the past has been to pump the brake up until there is a good pedal pressure then wedge the pedal down (a piece of wood from the pedal to the front of the drivers' seat does the job)then leave it overnight with the top off the master cylinder and in the morning you should have a stiff pedal (ooer missus!)

[geoff c]

a one man bleeding kit!!!! then follow numbnuts way round the car!!! easy job
15 mins done and dusted!!!

[doddze]

I get the garage to do it

sorry couldn't resist it...

>> Edited by doddze on Saturday 10th December 19:46

[Ralph S3]

Believe me, if I could get the bugger to a garage to finish of the rebuild I would. My garage is too cold to be laying under the car fiddling with nipples...!!!!

Finally got the brakes sorted but bleeding the clutch is proving a nightmare. I bled the master and the pipe down to the slave but still it has air in the slave that won't come out (the bleed valve is on top). Guess I will have to bite the bullet and get one of those vacuum bleeders.

Only need to put radiator, bonnet and exhaust back on, tidy up the interior and will hopefully be driving it by Xmas for the first time in 2 years, 2 months and 12 days (and counting).

Ralph