Classic Brakes not bleeding

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C

CCCars

Member
Posts
57
Location
Wales
Been spending the last few days dodging showers to get my brakes plumbed in and bled, all new brake pipes and flexibles fitted to overhauled calipers, rear brakes bled fine, when I got to the front brakes couldn't get anything from the lower pistons of the nearside caliper, upper pistons bled OK and both sets on the drivers side bled without any issues. A bit puzzled as the lines to the nearside calipers come direct from the master cylinder, all plumbed in as per the 1987 supplement as that is the set up I have, doing the bleeding with my Easibleed kit which has never let me down in years!
I haven't wired up the brake failure circuit yet so that's no help.
Any ideas, I cracked open the pipe at the caliper and got nothing, next step is the pipe at the M/C and see if I get fluid there but the rain hasn't let up for long enough yet.
Thanks
Graham
 
CCCars said:
Been spending the last few days dodging showers to get my brakes plumbed in and bled, all new brake pipes and flexibles fitted to overhauled calipers, rear brakes bled fine, when I got to the front brakes couldn't get anything from the lower pistons of the nearside caliper, upper pistons bled OK and both sets on the drivers side bled without any issues. A bit puzzled as the lines to the nearside calipers come direct from the master cylinder, all plumbed in as per the 1987 supplement as that is the set up I have, doing the bleeding with my Easibleed kit which has never let me down in years!
I haven't wired up the brake failure circuit yet so that's no help.
Any ideas, I cracked open the pipe at the caliper and got nothing, next step is the pipe at the M/C and see if I get fluid there but the rain hasn't let up for long enough yet.
Thanks
Graham
Click to expand...
Have you checked the bleeding method?it's a long time since I bled a Classic but I think I had to buy two bleed tubes as the caliper has to be bled with two of the nipple's open at the same time then the third when no more air comes out of the two. Hope that makes sense,it's been over twenty years since I did it.;)
 
Hi Tom, yes I saw that in my manual but I think that only applies to pumping the brakes to bleed not with a pressure bleeder, the drivers side bled fine as did both rears, I'll dodge the showers tomorrow and crack off the pipe at the M/C and see if anything comes out with the pressure on, if not looks like a blockage in the M/C? Like I said all pipes and hoses are new but I didn't touch the M/C, feel a rebuild coming on!
Graham
 
Brittanica resto in Canada has just done a youtube with same problem...havent watched it yet though...but you might get some info...
 
Been a while since I bled mine - 1986 - too.
Done it both ways over the years, pressure bleeder Eezibleed & pedal pushing assistant.
There are differences between the '86 & '87 systems but my manual doesn't show a different bleeding method for each.
Did you slacken off the brake failure warning switch on the master cylinder & insert the 'C' washer between the switch & the m/cyl body?
 
Main difference between 86 and 87 seems to be the prv for the rear brakes is different and whether it's the upper or lower pistons in the front calipers are the primary, 86 it's the lower and 87 it's the upper, as I have the cylindrical prv and tee piece I went with the 87 set up so upper pistons are the primary and lower pistons the secondaries. I didn't touch the switch as I was pressure bleeding and I know I haven't fitted the c washer behind in the past when pressure bleeding, I'll try doing that to see if it makes a difference, can't see it as the fluid to the left caliper comes from the same port on the M/C and the right caliper bleeds fine. Anyway rain has stopped so time for investigation!
Graham
 
All sorted now, problem was a blockage in the banjo connection on the M/C, stripped and cleaned and all good now, tried to loosen the switch but it cracked so didn't persevere, hopefully it still works.
Graham.
 
Ratae said:
Been a while since I bled mine - 1986 - too.
Done it both ways over the years, pressure bleeder Eezibleed & pedal pushing assistant.
There are differences between the '86 & '87 systems but my manual doesn't show a different bleeding method for each.
Did you slacken off the brake failure warning switch on the master cylinder & insert the 'C' washer between the switch & the m/cyl body?
Click to expand...
One full turn on the switch in the Haynes manual. We had a nightmare with a clients 1985 classic. I made a three piece pipe assembly for the front brakes. What a faff.
 
Pressure bleeder every time especially when starting from scratch or doing a fluid change, so much easier and pretty fool proof!
Graham
 
Always living life on the edge! Sorry about the name spotted the Alan just after I clicked send!
Brakes work fine now but looks like the ignition amp is dead, was just about to move it for the first time under its own power and the engine died, been through all the checks and looks like it's the amp :-(
Graham
 
CCCars said:
Always living life on the edge! Sorry about the name spotted the Alan just after I clicked send!
Brakes work fine now but looks like the ignition amp is dead, was just about to move it for the first time under its own power and the engine died, been through all the checks and looks like it's the amp :-(
Graham
Click to expand...
None taken.:D
 
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