82 XJ650 Maxim Front Brake Bleed Issues. Help please

Alright, so I decided to replace my front brake line, the one that was good until 86’.
Went with Galfer SS brake line. Rebuilt the MC and Caliper.
Primed the MC and caliper. Bled the line from the caliper up until fluid was filling the MC reservoir. Followed by old school bleed method; pulling lever repeatedly then holding, releasing bleed screw (with hose attached going into a container) then retightening bleed screw and releasing lever. Continuing until no bubbles.
What I’m left with is a lever that goes to the throttle and doesn’t have any stopping power.

After doing this for hours and hours I decided to buy a vacuum bleeder.
Seems to work. But still not getting any better results.
Pulled the caliper and pads. I can see the piston moving ever so slightly when pulling the lever but not enough to actuate the brake pads.
I pulled apart the MC and caliper to ensure that they were correctly installed when rebuilding. Everything seems right.
I bled the brakes with the old brake line before installing these with no issues.

Im a bit lost. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Sometimes when having similar issues bleeding brakes I have reverse bled the brakes. Use a big, 2 ounce, syringe filled with fluid & GENTLY push the fluid in through the bleeder on the caliper. Be very careful with the fluid that will bubble out the master cylinder. Brake fluid does nasty things to paint.
You can try binding the lever to the grip over night as well. Sometimes that is all it takes.
Good luck.

 

Sounds like you have some air trapped. Depending on the bars you have and the angle of the Master Cylinder (MC) it can be a bugger. I have taken the MC right off the bars and mounted them on something else (broom handle with black tape). This way if you fill the MC, seal it up it can be move it so the air has to move back into the MC it will help.

The above will work to and so will tapping on the line with a screwdriver handle. The banjo bolt on the MC that is sticking up in the air is normally the issue. That banjo bolt has to be tipped down so the air will move into the MC fluid area.

I hope that makes sense....

 

Agree with Fuller56 regarding the brake lever. I use a zip tie to hold lever to grip and works every time for me. Sometimes I have to do it more than once but works great for getting stubborn air out of line.

 

I had to put some PTFE tape plumbers use on the bleed screws. Air can get drawn if there as well.