Wilwood calipers "sweating" brake fluid

[Spork82]

Hey PT,



Just installed new wilwoods on the car and started to bleed the system. The fitting on the caliper is a 1/8-27 npt pipe thread and I have an adapter that goes from that to -3an for the brake lines.

The fittings are steel Fragola pieces and I have tightened them as far as I can go before stripping out the threads on the caliper. This is where it sweats.

Is it safe to apply some sort of thread sealant on the npt fitting? Teflon or Permatex?

I know for the rest of the system it's all AN fittings no type of sealant is required but this has me scratching my head.

Thanks!

[andrewb70]

NPT threads need a Teflon sealant.

Andrew

[dontlifttoshift]

Make sure your adapters are in fact pipe thread. The 3/16" (3/8" 24 thread) inverted flare by -3 AN adapters will thread directly into the pipe thread on the calipers and never really seal.

If they are pipe thread, like Andrew said, PTFE thread sealant is the answer. You can use tape, but be careful, you do not want pieces of it in the brake system.

[Spork82]

Thanks for the help guys!

I double checked the part number and they are 1/8-27 npt.

I checked the rest of the system and no leaks anywhere else. I thought using stainless was going to be troublesome but it has sealed just fine.

[parsonsj]

Loctite makes a nice Teflon paste that has given me good results with pipe thread on brake lines.

[Spork82]

Bought some Loctite thread sealant I will give it a go tomorrow and see how it goes. Thanks guy!

[kevmurray]

Something must be wrong here. The bleeder screw forms part of a valve that stops the fluid from escaping during normal operation. The threads do not form part of the seal so if it leaks I would start by inspecting the machining of the screws and the caliper. Maybe you got some bum screws, or calipers from a bad batch? Did you get the screws from Wilwood?

[Spork82]

This isn't the bleeder screw that is leaking. Its the adapter for the brake line that has a pipe thread fitting.

[kevmurray]

Ah I understand now. Sorry I missed that.

[pist0lpete]

Be careful tightening that pipe thread fitting also. Being that is a tapered thread it is possible to crack the housing around the thread.

[andrewb70]

Be careful tightening that pipe thread fitting also. Being that is a tapered thread it is possible to crack the housing around the thread.

Neal,

Excellent point. I can't understand why Wilwood stick to damn plumbing fittings. Can't they make a caliper with a proper banjo fittings?

Andrew

[Spork82]

There's quite a bit of meat there. But I did split the end of the brake line. I checked the adapter to see if it was still sweating and it was! Pulled it apart and noticed the brake line fitting had a small hairline crack. Likely from me cranking on it. New line and no leak.