Brake Bleeding?

[Erik Beckett]

After redoing my 9" under my camaro, I am in the process of bleeding all my brakes. I feel I have bled the old manual way of pumping and cracking the bleeders. But I still have to pump the brakes once then my pedals gets much better. This a is a complete Wilwood setup on my camaro.

Does this mean there is still air trapped in there somewhere? All I did was the rears so is that where I should be concetrating on? We didn't touch the fronts at all. From what I understnd the master cylinder is seperate from front to rear correct?

Any suggestions?

Erik

[MrQuick]

sounds like it. You still need to bleed all four corners. Your half way there.

Try starting at the master then go back and crack every fitting to the rear.

You know what works for me, after bench bleeding the master and installing it, with out pressure at the pedal open the right rear bleeder. Have an assistant slowly depress the pedal and tell you when the pedal is about half way then close the breeder. Repeat till you get a full stream as you close. Its inmportant that you do not depress the pedal all the way down.

Repete at all corners.

Been doing this method for years and had no issues.
Vince

[wmhjr]

Probably a dumb question, but you did bleed both inside and outside fittings on each caliper, right? Wilwood says to bleed outside and then inside for each caliper.

[MonzaRacer]

Here is the cheaper unit http://www.brakebleeder.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=16

And here is next step up http://www.brakebleeder.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=14


I have new MaxPro kit that I got for free as I let them use my likeness and my endorsement.
And I have had 2 other kits and love the products. Reverse bleeding is the only really proven way to get air out with the least work.
I bleed calipers before installation and then bleed from calipers up to master cylinder connection.
Bench bleeding master cylinders with sealed plugs allow you to get all of the air out of the pressure side, in current seal technology used for last 20-25 years in pretty much all master cylinders have used a more flexible design, it makes them less likely to leak while going over light corrosion and debris.
If you bench bleed use plugs first, then if you have it the bleeding kits that come with master cylinders should only get used after plug bleeding.
Slow strokes only moving about 1/4" not long stroking it.
Long strokes can flip seals over.
I then plug them off with simple plastic plugs,usually come with master cylinders.After installing it then install the lines, then open the lines one half to one turn and have a helper push pedal down then hold it down ,close lines let up, then repeat as needed, but if the lines up to the master cylinder are properly bled then your done.
Air goes up, reverse bleeding works on pretty much any system.
On ABS systems the system design is made to allow fluid to reverse in-system with no restriction, so reverse bleeding in probably 98 or 99 percent of the systems I reverse bleed never need ABS controller cycled for bleeding.
Good luck and if you have any questions give me a shout Ill try to help.

[JRouche]

Probably a dumb question, but you did bleed both inside and outside fittings on each caliper, right? Wilwood says to bleed outside and then inside for each caliper.

NOT a dumb question at all. Well for you, but for a dummy like me it would have saved me some......

I just bled my system. Simple GM calipers at the back, done. And Ill interrupt. I use the speed bleeders or what are they called? Oh, I guess thats it. Had to go check. Russell makes them. Anyway, the back half seemed to bleed ok, couldnt tell until I got the front half done. And stupid me, thinking about speed and being impatient (my complete road to ALL my failures) I opened up both bleeders on the front caliper I was bleeding. I have wilwood calipers on the front, two bleeders per caliper. So I went along, happy as can be, bleeding away. Right side, then left. Crap, there was a stiff pedal but not what I thought it should be. So I thought my proportioning valve which was have closed might have interupted the flow of air bubbles to the rear. I bought another quart of fluid and opened the valve all the way up and proceeded to pump more fluid through the rear calipers. Its so easy to pump ALOT of fluid through the speed bleeders. They really do their job. And they dont let any air flow back through the bleeder.

Then I went to the front and re-bled those, the same way, both bleeders open on one caliper.... WRONG!!! And its prolly in the instructions somewhere Im sure. Did I read them, well, you know the answer to that.

Then it clicked. The fluid is gonna take the path of least resistance. Thats gonna be the side of the caliper that is already flowing. So I closed off the inside bleeder and bled the outside bleeder. And I could see the tube from the bleeder. All fluid, no bubbles. Then I closed down the outside bleeder and opened the inside. First press of the pedal and yeah!!!! Bubbles. Alot.. So... I bled the fronts completely and sure enough, a solid pedal. Brakes are back in business.

I was short thinking the entire process, just going off of what I had done before with single bleeder calipers. And trying to take the short road to bleeding them. MY mistake. If I would have slowed down a second and read the bleeding instructions then I would have saved a quart of fluid and time. Luckily I have the time and the fluid is inexpensive. So I got a learning experience for not alot of cost. Better than some of my screw-ups. More money and time. JR