Oppo help- Brake bleeding

"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
06/30/2018 at 17:06 • Filed to: None

I have a basically completely new brake system, which means the lines were empty. I did bench bleed my master cylinder. I am getting air bubbles hours later. I have to be doing something wrong? I don’t think it should be taking this long. I have tried alternating sides to get the air out. This is for the rear drums.

Help me oppo. Most info is for when small stuff is being repaired.

Edit:I may be missing this BS tool:

https://www.performanceonline.com/GM-Combination-Proportioning-Valve-Bleed-Tool-AC-Delco/

DISCUSSION (28)

dogisbadob > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:12

speed bleeders are awesome

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:14

Sometimes you need to gravity bleed a system before pressure bleeding it when starting from empty. Fill up the master cylinder, open the bleeders at each caliper (with a container under each) and let gravity do it’s thing for a while while beer is consumed and the master cylinder topped off. Then pressure bleed as normal.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:29

They say you should start with whatever side is closest to the master cylinder because reasons I dunno why.

MoCamino > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:30

Front discs, rear drums, right? There should be a button on the proportioning valve that has to be held down while bleeding the rears. I had the same problem on my El Camino. Even using a bleed tool I had to do it two or three times to get rid of the bubbles in the rear.

His Stigness > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/30/2018 at 17:32

Furthest. Always start with the furthest.

My bird IS the word > MoCamino
06/30/2018 at 17:38

I see a button, but it doesn’t say anything in the manual. I just wonder how I am going to press the button, pump the brakes and tighten the bleeder at the same time

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > His Stigness
06/30/2018 at 17:40

Oops ok.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:41

Just do some mitosis.

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
06/30/2018 at 17:42

I am doing furthest, but alternating between sides since it’s taking way longer than it should.

My bird IS the word > dogisbadob
06/30/2018 at 17:45

20$ isn’t a huge investment at this point. I might do this.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:49

Motive power bleeder is the shit. Hook that up to the master with a quart of new fluid and open furthest corner, and make your way to the closest while keeping an eye on the pressure and you should be good to go. One man show at that point.

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 17:49

Are you getting air just in the rear or the fronts too?

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
06/30/2018 at 18:05

I never made it to the fronts. They should be on two separate systems right?

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 18:11

I think on your car yeah. But I’m used to newer systems with ABS pumps and stuff. So I always start at the right rear until it comes out clean, then work my way to the front. And I use a pressurized bleeder; it hooks up the reservoir which pressurizes the whole system and also feeds the reservoir.

MoCamino > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 18:13

I used a big zip tie to hold the button down until I had the rears finished. One of these is really useful if you don’t have a helper. https://m.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/brake-bleeder/oem-one-man-brake-bleeder-kit/46839_0_0?aqs=

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
06/30/2018 at 18:13

That won’t work with my antique POS unfortunately. I think I have some shenanigans happening with my prop valve, and need this special tool:

https://www.performanceonline.com/GM-Combination-Proportioning-Valve-Bleed-Tool-AC-Delco/

My bird IS the word > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
06/30/2018 at 18:15

That looks awesome. That won’t work with my old timey master though:

Kinja'd!!!

BaconSandwich is tasty. > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 19:43

If you do get one, feel free to post back reviews here. I’ve debated on buying one as well.

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 20:46

Ah. Yeah I'm sure that's you're issue. Without that tool I'm sure the proportioning valve is closed, so you'll never get the air out of the rear.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > My bird IS the word
06/30/2018 at 22:05

They have a red anodized plate attachment that will work well. I’ve used it on oddball master cylinders, and if memory serves on my ‘87 corvette when I was replacing the fluids. It covers the whole master top and chains run around the master and thumb screws tighten it all down. Works great.

Actually I remember now, I used the black adapter in he picture below, but the red one is what you’d need. It comes in the full kits alone with the domestic and foreign adapters. Well worth the initial investment.

Kinja'd!!!

My bird IS the word > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
06/30/2018 at 22:30

100$ is a bit steep right now, but I will definitely get one of these eventually.

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
06/30/2018 at 22:34

Damn. the manual said nothing.

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
07/01/2018 at 00:34

What’s the year, make, model, engine, trans, and trim? I’ll look at Mitchell.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > My bird IS the word
07/01/2018 at 09:11

Yeah, that’s understandable. Definitely a nice unit to have in the toolkit. I’ve got my moneys worth out of mine, and now it resides at the shop that I volunteer time to fix cars. It’s gets a lot of use there. Especially with a handful of cars we’ve repaired lately that were full brake line replacements. But I figured if I can bleed my brakes by myself and not have to cycle with someone at the pedal, it going to save me a bunch of time and headaches. I’ve probably used it a dozen times at home to flush brake lines when changing the pads and rotors, so less than $10 a use is pretty good economy in my book. But the initial expense is steep for sure. Speed bleeders are the next best thing, but I’ve read where folks have had those blow apart on them. I’ve used them for bleeding the bulk of the fluid, then I swapped out to conventional bleeders and did a quick final bleed with a friend and the pump and hold method to finish it off.

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
07/01/2018 at 10:47

1979 pontiac firebird trans am 6.6l 403 fron t disc rear drum.

Th is would be the 1978 pontiac factory service manual that doesn't have it.

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
07/01/2018 at 17:52

Here’s what Mitchell has. Hopefully you can find one of these tools.

Kinja'd!!!

My bird IS the word > His Stigness
07/01/2018 at 21:32

Thanks. That tool might be a bit excessive, the 10$ tool I ordered off amazon should be fine.

His Stigness > My bird IS the word
07/01/2018 at 23:22

Whatever opens the valve will work.