Bleeding Brakes

[James]

All,


Dawson and I changed all the fluids in his new Estate yesterday - but the brake bleeding was slightly odd.

We used an ezibleed - totally successfully I might add (never understand why people can't get them to work)

The manual today it says to start with the closest brake first - I always always thought it was the furthest away first? So that's the way I did it.

Second - we still had to pump the brake pedal to get the fluid to come out - usually on an ezibleed there is no need because its just forced out. The manual has instructions for "external pressure source" bleeding - and that has no mention of pushing the brake pedal either.

Is something up with the brake system/servo? They work fine - but still a little spongy.


James

[mikeyb]

Colin & I had a right old game trying to get Gertie's brakes sorted for her pre RBRR MOT.

We basically inherited some horrendous bodges with the car - master cylinder with perished end seal substituted with silicone sealer, odd wheel cylinders fitted at rear (one siezed the other partially siezed), odd brake shoes left to right, the incorrect pair re-drilled and filed to fit - to name but a few.  This was notwithstanding the perished flexible hoses, corroded metal pipes, servo full of brake fluid and non-working handbrake!

We had hell and all trouble getting the air out and we too remain with a spongy pedal . . but not all the time!

Having tried standard and "Easzi" bleeding methods, both with only limited success, we found the most effective method to be as follows:-

1) Bleeder to stand by at the appropriate nipple.

2) Assistant to pump pedal several times and then apply pressure.

3) Bleeder to open nipple until pedal reaches floor, then close nipple again before pedal released.

Process repeated, consigning pints of brake fluid to the recycling drum until pedal satisfactory!

Having got the car to stop, we than had a right old game getting her to go . . but that's another tale!

[thescrapman]

I think you need to depress the pedal slightly because part of one of the seals blocks the path for the fluid entry to the cylinder.

so it keeps recirculating air within itself.

Cheers

Colin

[shenderson]

If you push all the caliper and wheel cylinder pistons in as far as they go before you start, you minimize the amount of air in the system by several CCs and minimize the chances of air bubbles remaining at the top of the cylinders.

Steve

[Luke]

Hi

We have had  a similar problem with our 2.5 this has been ongoing since August and we have only got to the bottom of it Tuesday night.

Our car has been back to the MOT garage 3 times passed it's MOT finally last week only to come back from a CT meeting with no brakes again

I am pleased to say after fitting at least  4 old new stock master cylinders, changing seals and fitting new braded hoses, clamping off breaks pipes etc etc etc ringing Andy Pearce, The Walker Bros and any other CT mad person the problem has been solved and we now have brakes.  It has nearly driven Berkeley insane, Andy Roberts came to the rescue with a master cylinder that he knew was working, this was fitted
in the cold and dark (with just a torch) outside on Tuesday night  and it works.

Mr Bumble is back onh the road

James

My ezi-bleed worked brilliantly have just got a bad pedal...please note the above comment is from another thread.

These master cylinders are very fragile, have you just changed the fluid, they don't seem to reseal very well,

Regards
Andy Johnson

[James]

Thanks all.

Our plan was just to replace the fluid as it was of an unknown age (new car to us) - the pedal felt a bit spongy and I was hoping that bleeding might help it a bit.

Sounds like we need a new master cylinder then... Dawson will be well pleased :)

[Tim Bancroft]

Just thank the lord it ain't a mk1 2.5Pi- master cylinder is unobtainable!

[mikeyb]

When  we were struggling with Gertie's brakes pre RBRR, it cropped up in conversation somewhere that easy conversions can be made using I think Granada or BMW 5 series bits.  We never had time to follow it up, but with two big saloons in the fleet am gonna go some looking around!