Ok, I got new rotors, pads and Earl's braided lines so I thought I'd paint the calipers to make them look a little better. Now when I put everything back together and try to bleed the front brakes they wont bleed. I even bought a vacum pump, even pulled the bleed screw all the way out, still wont work. This is the 1st time I've ever tried to bleed the brakes, so I must be doing something wrong. I thought that I may have stopped the caliper up when I painted them but the screws were in both sides when I sprayed them and both calipers are doing the same.
What am I doing wrong? If I pump the brake pedal it goes all the way down then its very hard and will not move unless the motor is running. Help please.
Thanks Mike

 

when you changed them did the fluid level drop below the surface of the bottom of the fluid reservoir? If yes, then there may be some air in the master cylinder and now needs to be bled. Give that a try......

 

If I disconnect the line to the caliper and fluid comes out, but still cant get to bleed correctley, does the master cylinder need to be bleed directly?

 

Only if the level of fluid dropped below the bottom of the reservoir and got into the master cylinder itself. The only way to remove the air from the master cylinder is to remove the MC from the car and 'bench-bleed' it. Do yourself a huge favor by getting a BIG jug of water handy, in case you spill any brake fluid onto your paint so you can wash it off immediately.

Pete

 

If you fill the master cylnder to the top and open all the bleeder valves the system will gravity bleed. This procedure takes a long time (2-6 hours) and you must make sure not to let the master cylnder empty. As the master cylnder gets low, put more fluid in it. If you have an air pocket in the master, this will work it out. There are other ways to bleed the entire system that are faster, but with this one you do not need to buy more tools. Be patient, some times air pockets in the brake system can be difficult but they will come out.

 

I have a mityvac, would this be beneficial in bleeding the master cylinder without removing it from the car or do I still need to take it off to get all the air out?
Would opening all the bleeders at once work well or is removing it and bench bleeding the only way? If I do have to remove the master cylinder to do this how do I get it back on without getting air in it once again?
Sorry to seem so dumb on this, but I've never done this before and I really need to get the car going if I can just get the time to work on it.

Later, Mike

 

If you have a might-vac it would be easier to leave the master in the car and bleed the brakes one at a time. Remember to start with the bleeder valve that is fartherst from the master and work you way closest to the master.
You could also remove that master and bench bleed it, but you would also have to bleed the brakes after you reinstall the master.
In my opinion, it would be easier to use the mighty-vac. Just bleed each brake very thoroughly. If you had the calipers off, make sure that you actually see air come from each caliper before you stop bleeding. Since you have a mighty-vac, I would not even bother wit gravity bleeding, that is more for the person that does not have equipment for bleeding more efficiently.

 

The master cyclinder resovior has to be full when you bleed the brakes. While you're bleedig the breakes, you have to keep refilling it with NEW brake fluid everytime it becomes low. Also, the other end of the hose has to be submerged into brake fuild as well or air will enter into the brake lines.

Akshay

 

I bought the V12 w/smart pak from this website- http://www.brakebleeder.com .. it worked so damn good that I wished I'd bought it years ago. Even tried to make my own pressure bleeder that acted on the master cylinder, but that didn't work too well. (Plexiglass top cracked when I was at the rear discs, didn't realize that my liter of brake fluid was dripping out of the crack and onto the floor. Mental note: no more loud music when bleeding my brakes!)

 

Thanks for all the help guys, but I still don't understand why brake fluid will bleed out of just the line when disconnected from the caliper but not when connected to the caliper with the bleeder open.

 

Better check the caliper to make sure there isn't crud or junk inside.

I would check to see why you have fluid up to the caliper, but not thru the caliper.

With the caliper removed, hold your finger loosely over the end of the brake line and have someone gently & slowly press on the brake pedal to see if you have presssure in the brake line or if the fluid you have coming out of the lines is just draining from the lines. Wrap a rag around the end of the line and your hand so if fluid does spray out, it will not spray everything in sight.

May sound crazy, but are you sure you are loosening the bleeder valve on the caliper and not another bolt or fitting?