It's Deja Moo all over again (brakes)

[dpuckett]

Same old BS, different truck. It's the brakes on my 90. I put a reman master cylinder on (tell the parts guy Bendix, and they start looking up starter parts), new calipers, new front brake hoses, RWAL bypassed, no leaks anywhere. If I plug off the ports coming out of the master cylinder, the pedal moves about half an inch, if that. Put the lines back on, bleed it out, close bleeders, and the pedal goes halfway to the floor. WHAT THE HECK GIVES? I am about ready to rob the few good parts off it and drag it to the Mississippi River, a mile away. What the heck else can be going on here, other than God is just wanting to play tricks on and punish me for my wicked past?



Daniel

 

[PToombs]

See? I told you to use baler TWINE to fasten the brake lines! :-laf

Try to bleed again, farthest first. There has to be air in it somewhere, just go easy with it. Get a cold one, take a sip, crack the bleeder. Take a sip, close the bleeder. Soon you will have it bled, or won't care. It's probably not God punishing you, it's most likely your helper. Tell her we said "HI!"



PS; I think there was good info in there somewhere!

God luck-

 

[dpuckett]

I'm doing this myself, which may be part of my problem. I hook a clear hose up to the bleeder, then drop the other end in a bottle of old fluid. Crack the bleeder, and pump the pedal 5-8 times, fill MC, check hose for air, repeat. I am going to have her help me tomorrow, doing it the old fashioned way- only leaving the hose and bottle hooked up, to eliminate the mess.



One thing I noticed is that when I have the system shut, when I pump the pedal, the front reservior (which goes to the rears) spews like a geyser as the pedal RETURNS. Is that normal, or do I have a warranty claim at O'reilley's?



DP

 

[OKish]

the geyser thing is normal, you get it on all the american cars and trucks. hate when i coat the hood and fender with it. keep the cap on when you are pumping the pedal. hehe

 

[therabbittree]

You don't close the bleeder when you hold it down at the pedal?. . Even with the hose submerged in the fluid it will suck back a lot of the dirty fluid and air bubbles you just pushed out. I used to use the clear tubing and the clear bottle of fluid and had some one else pump em for me . . I could watch the bubbles work out - then work there way back in between pumps. . so if you don't close the bleeder when you our holding the pedal down, I don't think it will bleed perfect . . or at least it may take a long time to do so... I would get a buddy to pump ands hold the pedal for you as you work your way around the truck and still use the clear tubing method . . its easier on the panint hehe.

Later

Deo

 

[dpuckett]

Deo,

What paint? All kidding aside, I considered that, and when my helper gets done helping her grandpa today, I'll have her pump the pedal, while I work the bleeder.



Thanks guys. I'll report back when/ if I get it figured out.



DP

 

[PToombs]

Daniel, get a stick or something, pump the pedal, hold down with stick. Go crack bleeder. I have done this many times, it seems like there is never anyone around to help!

Didn't like the cold one idea huh? :-laf

 

[Rebel Ram]

God is just wanting to play tricks on and punish me for my wicked past? Daniel

No Daniel! He is far to busy Making my axles leak. But really, I was about to head for NAPA this AM to get the PN# you listed to block off the RWALB. Should I hold off and wait for your bleed job?

 

[RedRamAndy]

Tried bleeding brakes by myself once using the Mighty-Vac and bottle. Problem I noticed was that air will always suck in between the bleeder threads and the cylinder/caliper. I agree with a prior post: cut a board to hold that pedal at the down position , then go back crack and close the bleeder. Yep, DEFINITELY agree with the 'cold one' idea too, or three... Just watch out on that test drive. :-laf

 

[Makaio]

RWAL bypass

RebelRam,



Go ahead and do the bypass with those fittings Daniel listed. I just did mine and I only wished I had done it YEARS ago. The only way to bleed the system well is to have your significant other half pump the pedal. Gosh, I've tried hand held pumps and an overnight slow drip into a bottle, to no avail. I actually did the bypass yesterday and drove the truck to work because noone was around to help me bleed the brakes. My girlfriend and I bled the brakes in the parking lot at work and it drove like a different truck. She thought I was nuts because I kept braking really hard at stop signs and intersections saying, "You feel that? You feel that? Solid huh?" :-laf to show her how much of a difference the bypass and bleeding made. Best $10 I spent on those brass fittings. Amazing how much air can get into the system when the valve is apart. Daniel, keep us posted on your progress.



Aloha,

Matt