Hi, Ken,
I found that brake bleeding on Rex ('72 BGT) was also a pig. I pumped litres
of fluid through but couldn't get rid of the last bit of pumping up in the
pedal.
I tried all the tricks-lock the rear adjusters, tap the brake pipes, use an
Eezibleed, etc. In the end, it turned out that the only solution was time.
It appears that continued bleeidng simply areates the fluid more.
So, I bled the system, left it overnight, bled it again and finally bled it
for a third time the next day. Result-rock hard brakes.
I wonder if this might be a characteristic of modern fluids. Other Bs I've
worked on didn't need more than two bleeds.
BTW, I use a big valve spring compressor to fit rear cylinder E-Clips.
Works.
Good Luck,
Dave H.
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----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Waringa <kwaringa@dynsys.com>
To: Mark and kathy LaPierre <mgtrcars@galaxyinternet.net>; Bill Saidel
<saidel@camden.rutgers.edu>
Cc: MG <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2000 1:07 PM
Subject: RE: Rear Wheel Cylinders and more (Kind of long)
> This past weekend I put the brakes back together. I did try the method
> shown on the Chicago Land web site, but ended up going with the snap
rings.
> I bought the snap rings at the local hardware for $.25 each. It was
simple,
> and the wheel cylinders are held tightly with very little movement
possible.
> (A lot easier than bleeding the #%&$@% Master cylinder I might add.) In
> fact I bought 6 snap rings so I've got some spares for future jobs. Now
to
> see how they hold up over the long haul. If I encounter any problems I'll
> let you know.
>
> Bleeding the brake systems was a horror story. I rebuilt or replaced the
> master cylinder, both calipers, rear wheel cylinders and rubber hoses.
Well
> I bleed the master cylinder on the bench, had fluid shooting all the way
> across the garage. Put it on the car, nothing. I pumped and pumped.
> Finally I had the wife come out and pump while I removed the lines from
the
> master cylinder, still nothing. Took it out again and bled it on the
bench
> again, great. Put it back in and nothing. In frustration, I drilled a
hole
> in a spare cap I had and put low pressure on it from the compressor. I
> would open one bleed screw at a time and let her go. It worked. At least
> now I had pedal.
>
> Thinking that all was well I decided to move the car out of the garage so
I
> could put up my new florescent lights. I had been working under a single
60
> watt bulb, but I recently bought 2 florescent fixtures and wanted to get
> them up, but the car with no brakes was in the way. Put the tires back
on,
> got it off the jack stands ready to move. Just outside the garage my 71
TR6
> sat, so I moved it back to allow room to get the MGB out. Started up the
B,
> it went into gear real smooth (I just rebuilt the clutch hydraulics as
well)
> and started backing up. As we left the garage I stepped on the brake
pedal
> and all that I had in the garage was about gone. In a panic I started
> pumping and got some brake back. I had visions on my son's B meeting my
TR6
> intimately. Luckily I had placed a brick in the driveway, just as a
> precaution cause I know I wouldn't need it. Well between rapid pumping
and
> the brick the cars didn't meet this time.
>
> Got my new lights up and back in the garage, very slowly, came the B.
What
> a difference, I can even see to put it back up on the stands. I took the
> tires off again, and left it over night. Yesterday I bled the brakes
again
> in the conventional method. Got lots of air out and now the pedal feels
> very firm. I don't know if using the compressor to drive the fluid
through
> caused air bubbles to build in the fluid or what. I do know that in
future
> I may use the compressor again, but I'll also let it sit over night and
then
> bleed it again in the conventional manner, by pumping the pedal.
>
> But for now, all is well and life is good.
>
> Ken Waringa.
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