BRAKE BLEEDING DISATER NEDD HELP

i NEED TO KNOW OF ANY QUICK WAY OR SECRETS TO BLEED THE BRAKES ON MY XJ550 SECA. i'VE USED A PUMP SUCKING FROM THE BOTTOM AND CAN'T GET THE SOB TO WORK. USED A WHOLE CAN AND STILL NOTHING. HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

 

Maybe a little more background info would help. Why are you bleeding the brakes, did you just do a rebuild on the master cylinder? did you rebuild the pistons?

 

Me and KrS14 spent a fair bit of time bleeding mine. COmplete rebuild, drain and clean system. Kev sucked on the hose for a bit from the bottom and then we bled the system and finally I got some brakes. Was a PITA

Make sure you don't empty out the MC or your not doing anything.

 

I bled mine several times getting no bubbles and it still felt spongy. I rebuilt the caliper and changed to braided lines. Problem solved. Pretty sure it was the lines as they were 27 years old.

 

I heard there is a new break bleeding system on the market that pushes the fluid up from the caliper into the master cylinder. It is supposed to make easy work of keeping the air out of the lines especially around the banjo fitting on the front. Has anyone used something like this?

 

I have a ALLTrade "One-Man Brake Bleeder"
The One-way Valve open for Cleaning.
It's a simple design.
A Ball Bearing is Spring-loaded against a Tapered Outlet.

I hook that puppy up to a Bleed Screw.
Get rid of ALL the old Brake Fluid in the Master Cylinder.
Fill-up the Master Cylinder with Clean Brake Fluid, ... and just Pump the Brake Lever ... Pumping-out all the Fluid in the lines until what is coming-out the One-Man Valve is as Clean as what I put in.

http://www.outdoorpros.com/Prod/Alltrad ... 3532373632

 

It's not new. I've used it. It's messy, fluid gets everywhere.

Try bleeding the master cylinder by pulling the lever, loosen banjo bolt a bit, snug banjo bolt, release lever - repeat. If you have air trapped at that joint it'll never pump up for you.

 

I use one all the time now - it's a 20cc syringe and a 6" length of clear hose. Fill it with fluid and push it up through the bleed nipples. Make sure you don't push any bubbles in and you should have your brakes bled in minutes....or seconds if you get good at it :wink:

 

First tip: Put a couple of turns of teflon tape on the bleed screw. Be sure you trim it carefully so it doesn't foul the hole.

Depending on how far apart you had what, it may be necessary to "crack" a banjo to ensure you don't have a trapped bubble.

There is a microscopic hole in the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir, inside one of what appear to be little "false drillings" in the bottom. If that tiny hole is plugged, the master cylinder will not build pressure. I use a single bristle from my parts-cleaning brush held in a hemostat to ensure it's clear.

If you just rebuilt the caliper, it's going to take some time to work all the bubbles out. Pull the lever back to the bar with a bungee cord, and leave it sit at full left lock overnight. When you bleed, use the vac pump to get the system "primed" but then do a conventional bleed by squeezing the lever.

Once you get them "decent" it will take a few heat cycles and then you'll be able to bleed out more bubbles. Re-bleed after a couple hundred miles.

Any more specific advice will have to wait until you give us more info.

 

If you have a HEALTHY Master Cylinder, ... you don't need Gizmo's or anything more than a 8mm Wrench, a length of Clear Hose and a Glass Jar.

The KEY is having a Master Cylinder that is capable of Pumping and sustaining Hydraulic Pressure.
If the Master Cylinder Seals are worn and leaking-by, ... trying to Bleed the System is a waste of time.

TEST the Master Cylinder.
Put Hose sections on or Vinyl Tape the Jaws of some Vice Grips or Locking Needle Nosed Pliers ... and clamp the Brake Line exiting the Master Cylinder closed.

Pump the Brake Lever and see if the Master Cylinder is capable of sustaining Hydraulic Pressure.
If the Line is crimped closed and the Brake Lever pumped-up to a solid feel ... its OK.

But, if the Line is closed-off and the Brake Lever never builds-up any Hydraulic Pressure ... you have the Master Cylinder to rebuild before you do anything else.

A good hint about the condition of the MC is the Replenishment Port that was discussed in an earlier Post.

If Brake Fluid gushes-up in a fountain that looks like Old Faithful when the Lever is pulled, ... the MC needs Seals.

 

brake fluid DOES get old. i bought a 82 maxim brand new back in 84. in 86 i had a problem with a loose brake handle in the morning. had to tighten up. but in afternoon when the weather got hot. the brakes were tight and i had to loosen the handle. problem was solved with a fluid flush. i had to take to the dealer to get it working though. i think what they did back in them days was hold the handle down. used a vacuum pump to suck the fluid through.

being a car mechanic i was back then. bleeding brakes on a bike, DOES NOT work the same as bleeding on cars.

 

If the Master Cylinder is Healthy, ... you can FLUSH New Fluid through the whole system in 15-Minutes.

But, the Master needs good Seals.

Drain the MC.
Fill 'er up with Clean Fluid.
Open a Bleeder with a One Man Valve attached.
Pump the Brake Lever keeping the reservoir filled as you flush.

 

If your brake system was dry , sucking brake fluid through will not get all the air out of the master cylinder. You have to pump the brake lever while sucking the fluid through. A vacuum bleeder will start the flow of fluid but you need to pump the rest through or you will have trapped air in the master cylinder.

 

+1 on bungee cording the handle back overnight. I couldn't get mine to bleed after I re-built master-cylinder with the regular pull the lever-crack the bleed nipple- method, then I tied the lever back, the next day it was so hard to pull back I thought the caliper was stuck or something, but it was just the hydraulic pressure.

As far as the fountain test for master cylinder seals, the master cylinder is designed to pump some fluid up into the reservoir when you pull the lever, that's the relief hole, so Rick, you must mean an unnaturally big jet? Because fluid *is* gonna come out that hole, every walk-through of brake work I've seen mentions covering the reservoir because fluid will jet out when you pump the handle.

 

fluid does shoot out. even cars do it. so don't be pumping the handle like crazy.

 

i like useing the plastic bottle method-

small poland spring bottle
8in of rubber hose
cut up and bent piece of coat hanger
and clean brake fluid

cut the coat hanger to make a hanger for the plastic bottle.fill the bottle with brake fluid.and the rubber hose under the fluid level.

pump the brake and watch the bubbles.the hose is under the fluid level just in cause you suck fluid back in instead of air.

 

+1 on new hoses.

 

If Brake Fluid comes squirting-out of that replenishment port and SHOOTS a Stream up ... like Old Faithful ... that shows you the Brake Fluid which is supposed to be MOVED by the Main Seal isn't getting pushed-out of the Master.

Instead, the 2ndn Fluid Seal is causing Pressure to rise BETWEEN it and the Primary Seal.
Because the Primary Seal didn't fully act on the volume of Brake Fluid between it and the Caliper ... the Fluid needs to be expelled through any orifice. That TINY Replenishment orifice is just the place.

The symptom is accompanied by a soft and spongy Brake Lever feel that will NOT Pump-up.