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#44149 04/11/2004 12:36 PM | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 142 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 142 | With my wife's help yesterday afternoon we bled the brakes on our '51 GMC. I had installed a new dual MC and brake lines. We started by filling up the MC and proceeded with the job. Things seemed to progress OK but we had in my wife's words, a burp, in the MC and fluid would pop out. I guess my question is should the top be on and secured when bleeding the system? It is a bit of a pain to get the bail in place as there is not much room. I was able to to it with a pair of line man's pliers from above though.
Advice more than welcome!!! | | |
#44150 04/11/2004 2:41 PM | Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,839 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,839 | thomas,
I just finished installing a whole new brake system with a single MC and had to have the cap secured each time after I filled. I assume doing a dual MC is of no differnce. Did you bench bleed the MC first? I heard it helps so I did mine.
Craig My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
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#44151 04/11/2004 3:46 PM | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,439 Moderator - The Electrical Bay | | Moderator - The Electrical Bay Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,439 | Every mastercylinder i've ever installed needed to be bench bled.. i usually just put the top back on and a couple rags underneath it... just dont forget to remove them when you are done.. I almost burned my Olds down that way... (always carry a fire extinguisher or two - cheap insurance)
Another quality post.
Real Trucks Rattle
HELP! The Paranoids are after me!
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#44152 04/11/2004 4:15 PM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,760 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,760 | Dual-chamber master cylinders are a pain in the butt to bleed! They trap a lot of air, and must have the bench-bleeding operation done before they're installed. The early method of doing this was a couple of plastic lines installed from the output ports back to the reservoir, and the MC was pumped while mounted in a vise until all the air was purged out. (keep the tubes submerged in the reservoir fluid.) Now, a couple of plastic plugs for the output ports are supplied with the new MC, and the reservoir is filled with fluid, and the cylinder is cycled until all the trapped air escapes through the vent holes above the pistons. Yes, it will bubble and squirt a little fluid in the process, so replace the cover during the first few strokes of the pistons. Once all the air is displaced, install the MC, connect the lines, and bleed the remaining air through the wheel cylinder bleeder ports. It's nearly impossible to get all the air out if you install the MC dry!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
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#44153 04/11/2004 10:29 PM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | Also, to add to the advise of the others, make sure your brakes are adjusted properly. The fluid coming back to the master is coming from the wheel cylinders. When the shoes have to expand a long ways, it takes more fluid going out . Then when you release your pedal, the fluid comes back. It usually comes back fast enough to bubble over the master a makes a heck of a mess. Brake fluid strips paint too.
Just a thought,
Scott | | |
#44154 04/11/2004 11:01 PM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 21 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 21 | I blead the brakes on my 1951 3800 yesterday and used my neighbors compressed air tank. That is the coolest way to bleed brakes -- no pedal pumping -- just move from one wheel to the other and the MC, done in no-time. I don't know if you can buy these tanks or not but they are about half the size of a BBQ propane tank, you add a quart of more of brake fluid, some compressed air and attach the hose via a cap fitting to your MC. Open the valve and presto the whole brake line network is pressurized and it keeps the MC filled to the brim. If anyone would like a picture of this unit I'll post it.
Randy Wilson
Eureka, Montana
1951 Chev 3800 | | |
#44155 04/12/2004 4:29 AM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,760 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,760 | I used a pressure bleeder for many years. The better ones have a rubber diaphragm between the fluid and the air, so they can't mix. One precaution, the fluid can absorb moisture if it's left in the bleeder ball, so don't get in the habit of leaving the ball filled between brake jobs. "Wet" brake fluid has a much lower boiling point than fluid that's been kept away from humidity.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
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#44156 04/13/2004 10:45 AM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Hello Blue, please post a pic of the unit you are referring to. Thank you 
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#44157 04/14/2004 6:51 AM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 21 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 21 | Mechainiac, I'll try and get the pic up tomorrow night -- Thursday, April 14.
UPDATE: I WAS HAVING TROUBLE POSTING A PICTURE, BUT CAN EMAIL TO ANYONE IF YOU LIKE.
BETTER YET, JUST VISIT THE SITE INFO POSTED BELOW BY JOE WAY ON THIS SUBJECT -- IT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.
GOOD LUCK,
RANDY | | |
#44158 04/14/2004 2:51 PM | Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 115 Member | | Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 115 | | | |
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