Brake bleeding HELP!!

[Gmoff22]

Alright here's the deal, I tore the whole front end out of the car, new calipers, rotors, lines, and master cylider, I didn't do anything to the rear.  I put everything back together, bench bled the master and did a four corner manual bleed.  Now I go to drive'er and she'll go but only time stops her.  My pedal bottoms out and it won't stop.  I'm so frustrated I haven't worked on the car in months, I'm at a loss, what did I miss?  I don't have any leaks and when I do the bleed I don't seem to have any air coming out of the corners.  I did get a suggestion of pressing the bleed pin on the proportioning valve and open all 4 corners to a slow drip for an hour or so until one stops and then rebleed that corner because that's where the air is.  I can't take it anywhere because it won't STOP!  I'm sure some out there as done this more than once, help a brother out.

G-

[BIGSHCLUNK]

    Assuming the master cyl is good....  new cals arn't stuck ... p-valve good...ect... bleed 'em again! And (going out on a limb here-take no offense) I know lots of people that cant bleed properly to save their life! Start from the farthest corner (rt rear) until you get a good stream and lockem' down BEFORE your buddy lets his foot off the pedal. Then just work your way around the car.... had an olds once years ago... we went around 3X before we got all the air out...  Good Luck

[moparmaniac59]

I don't know what method you are using to do the bleeding, but (if you're not already doing this) I'd recommend investing in a hand-held vacuum bleeding pump. You can pick one up from Northern Tools or Harbor Freight for about 15 bucks and it is well worth the money. They come with the hoses and fittings. Hook it up to the bleed plug (starting at the rear), give it a few pumps (pull a vacuum) and you can suck the master cylinder dry in short order (don't let the master cylinder go dry as you will suck air and that's bad). I've had to flush an entire large can of brake fluid thru my lines before to get a good solid air free system, not to mention flushing out all the old crud. Give it a try if you haven't tried it. It also makes it possible to do the job by yourself. Good luck and I hope you get it figured out!!

                                                Matt B.

[Super Blue 72]

   I klnow it's frustrating but try bleeding again.  Get the biggest bottle of brake fluid, pop like 2 holes in the foil seal then turn it upside down in the master and let it gravity bleed first from the passenger rear wheel cyinder.  With the bottle upside down like that there is less likely hood that you'll suck air until the bottle is empty.

Make sure the bottle is stabilized in the master if you do it this way so it doesn't tip over and spill.  The 2 small holes in the foil are so that when you want to remove the bottle, there is more of a control to the amount of fluid coming out of the neck of the bottle so it doesn't gush out all over your paint/engine compartment.

Hope you fix it so it "brakes"!

[sleepychallenger]

G-

just load the car on one of your 130's to get it down here and we will bleed the brakes! 

what was your process for bleeding?

[Bullitt-]

   I have to ask what was going on before. Did you have solid pedal & brakes? ....
I redid all 4-corners & had a similar experience....solution was adjusting the rear shoes tighter.
   I think that was what solved sleepy's problem as well.....don't let him near your brakes     

[sleepychallenger]

   I have to ask what was going on before. Did you have solid pedal & brakes? ....
I redid all 4-corners & had a similar experience....solution was adjusting the rear shoes tighter.
   I think that was what solved sleepy's problem as well.....don't let him near your brakes     

  it did solve my problem as well.... 

[Gmoff22]

Bullitt, before I started this project the brakes were working as advertised, no issues that I could tell.  I only drove the car about 20 miles before I tore it apart but everytime a light turned red it stopped where I needed it to. 
Sleepy I wish I could pull that off, the AF (and you tax payers out there) may not be so keen on me using gov resources for my project car's brakes.  Back in the day I probably could of made that happen though. 
From what everyone is saying I think I just might be slightly impatient, me and my buddy both thought we did plenty but we may have been little eager.  I have one of those hand held jobs (a buddy let me barrow it) I may be using it wrong, (my buddy had no idea where it came from so had no idea how to use it eithe) it seems to be pretty worthless.  I will go at her another time and see how it comes out.  Thanks for the quick responses guys, now I just have to find a friend who likes cold beer as payment for working on a classic ride...

[Bullitt-]

I've found no substitute for pumping the pedal... Other ways may work, some I have not tried, but one man on the pedal & another opening & closing the bleeder is about foolproof.   

[sleepychallenger]

G-

Depending on how the Haiti thing goes in the next couple weeks, i may be able to come up in late feb if you dont get it done by then.

Drew

[IMNCARN82]

We had to pump them A LOT !  I was pretty amazed at how long it took. Helped to have someone tap/wiggle the lines a bit as we bled to work out the air. 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I've found no substitute for pumping the pedal... Other ways may work, some I have not tried, but one man on the pedal & another opening & closing the bleeder is about foolproof.

I'm with Wade on this one! Earlier this year a kid down the alley messed with his brakes ALL DAY !! I explained the procedure to him (19-20 years old). We came back home from taking NIKKI for a cruise 6 hrs later.... still no brakes. So I sat his 15 year old sister behind the pedal... I told her just follow my 3 commands... pump it... hold it ..release... She did great .. brakes were bleed in about 10 minutes! Hopefully her brother learned something. (ol BIGS workin the bleeder end and multi-tasking a beverge at the same time!)   

Point being if a 15 yearold girl can follow directions, why cant her older brother... 

And yes hanving the adjusters out does make a diffference... but....

[Gmoff22]

I think I just have a short trigger, been messin' with the car far longer than I anticipated (standard) in order to drive her to work to show the bros.  I will have to reattack.  Is there a way to tell they are properly bled without driving it?  I deploy mid March and I was hoping to get some cruise time, when it's nice, before she sits for 60-90 days.  Patience is a virtue of which I don't possess. 

Sleepy fun you mentioned the Haiti thing I just got back Thursday night from supporting that Op.  The rest of the AFSOC folks should be coming home this week some time, that's what we were told, never know though. 

[Bullitt-]

  I've found putting a clear tube on the bleeder is helpful to see what is coming out & use the tube to catch the discharge.  Have helper pump pedal & hold down, open bleeder a smidge & watch, close the bleeder & repeat till no more bubbles appear. Start at the RR the furthest from the Master cylinder, should take no more than about 10 cycles, if your still getting air there may be other issiue.   
    As for being sure, I'd incrementally do things like just push the car & see if the brakes will stop, put the car in gear at idle & see if the brakes will hold it, let the car ease back in idle & see if it will stop etc.etc. 

[Gmoff22]

Great advise Bullit, thanks to everyone for the suggestions.  I hope to get on it this weekend, we'll see.

G-