[Spridgets] brake bleeding problems

[Marc]

As I said, all three hoses replaced...

Marc

I'm taking the time for a number of things that weren't important yesterday...



Brad Fornal wrote:
> What is the condition of your rubber flex hoses at the front? Could
> they be old, and collapsing internally? This is a common ailment when
> the old hoses begin to fail.
>
> Brad
>
> On 7/30/07, Marc <smarc at smarc.net> wrote:
>   
>> Ok, getting somewhat aggravated here, this shouldn't be so difficult...
>>
>> 73 midget, complete brake job, all three hoses, new wheel cylinders,
>> rebuilt calipers, brand new lockheed master. Castrol  LMA fluid.
>>
>> Using a long piece of tubing running from bleeder back to master, and
>> starting from the longest run to the shortest, bled the system till no
>> more air bubbles could be seen anywhere. Seemed good with a nice firm
>> pedal. Car is still on stands, so cant drive it yet. Notice the front
>> hubs seem locked, can't budge them by hand. Hmmm says I, let me crack
>> the bleeders on the front and see what happens.
>>
>> Cracked them just the slightest bit, and  the front hubs freed right up.
>> Once again brake pedal hits the floor with no resistance. Back to where
>> I started -WTH?! 2 - 3 pumps builds up system pressure again, but it
>> "just disappears" within moments, pedal will go to the floor. No fluid
>> leaking, and had good fluid flow from each wheel (as determined by
>> bleeding).
>>
>> This isn't the first time I have done this job (albeit previously on
>> MGB's). Never had any probs like this. What is going on here?
>>
>> Have gone around multiple times tapping on lines & fittings to remove
>> trapped air. Have bled using conventional method. Have bled by pump
>> pedal several times to build pressure, then crack bleeder (closing it
>> while pedal is held down of course).
>>
>> Have checked the differential pressure warning switch - it is centered
>> and working. No, I did not bench bleed the master as I had no fittings
>> which would work with it.  My uneducated guess is that bleeding using
>> the tubing as I did is pretty much like bench bleeding? We continued to
>> circulate the fluid for a few minutes after the bubbles had disappeared
>> thru the entire 12 - 14 feet of tubing... Could there be that much more
>> air lurking in the system?