[Healeys] 100-6 BN4 brake bleeding - follow up

[fiat500f at aol.com]

Yes, I adjusted them up to the drums, then backed them off so they were just
slightly scraping.  Though I can't really drive the car to center the shoes to
the drums, I adjusted the shoes up as close as I could get them, then by hand
rotated the drum back and forth numerous times until the shoes eased up a
little bit, then adjusted them to the drum again, turned the drum again, etc.
until I go no change.

Thanks for your ideas Mike!

 - Paul B.


-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Salter <michael.salter at gmail.com>
To: fiat500f <fiat500f at aol.com>
Cc: healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Mon, Oct 22, 2012 10:53 pm
Subject: Re: [Healeys] 100-6 BN4 brake bleeding - follow up


Paul you don't mention having adjusted the brakes before starting. I
presume you have done that?

Michael S

On 2012-10-22, at 10:31 PM, "fiat500f at aol.com" <fiat500f at aol.com> wrote:

> UGH!  A cliff...is what I need to push this thing over.
>
> Early BN4.
>
> First, thanks to all for the many brake bleeding/air removal suggestions.
>
> Today, I bled them again, and...no joy.  I took the drums off and checked
that
> the shoes were radiused to the drums, which they are.  All six wheel
cylinders
> in the car are new and correct.  The shoes are new also.  The drums have
been
> cut very slightly, they are not oversized.  The master cylinder is rebuilt,
> correctly, and has a perfect bore.  It is a 3/4" diameter cylinder and is
> correct.  First, I bled the brakes the traditional way, master cylinder to
> wheels, with a helper pushing the pedal, and me opening and closing the
valves
> at the cylinders.  The rears went well, no air at all after bleeding.  The
> fronts are pure evil.  I bled them master to wheel, then reverse bled them
> wheel to master.  I STILL have a pedal that I need to press 1 1/2 times to
> achieve a solid pedal.  When I hold the pedal there, it does not sink, it
is
> firm and stays firm.  But that first press of the pedal goes to the floor.
I
> can tell that I am moving fluid, and if I spin a wheel by hand, and have
the
> helper step on the pedal, the wheel stops instantly.  I then did the
clamping
> off of brake hoses thing.  When I clamped the rear hose, there was a very
> slight improvement at the pedal, but not much.  When I clamped one of the
> front wheels, I then had a pedal that got firm with 1/2 of a push.  Same
with
> the other front wheel, so, I'm thinking the problem lies at the front
wheels.
> But, I've bled AND reverse bled them!  I don't know what else to do, though
it
> certainly seems that there is still air in the system.  How that is even
> possible, I don't know.  I have no leaks at any of the lines or hose
fittings.
> But I've now bled through six pints of brake fluid and it seems pretty much
> the same as it was when I started.  Anyone have any other