Bleeding Girly brakes

[Chris Canning]

Well, after sitting overnight...

I pulled the MC cap off, then slowly released the lever and pumped it a few times to see if I could get any more bubbles out of it.  I think a few popped out and the lever feels about the best it has ever felt, but still not quite where I would like it.

The levers on my VFR come down and are hard as a rock.

I might try cleaning the calipers out and see if that helps.  I did grease the alignment pins before I put the new brake pads in.

pulling the lever back overnight should fix you up. I changed my lines recently and after I bled the brakes with a vacuum they were still a little soft. Tied the lever back overnight and it was all good the next day.

Do it again,and whats this more bubbles!!,put the cover back and leave it,if the elastic band trick doesn't do it,you've a leak somewhere.

[JTT]

Another, less sanitary method, is to use a syringe and push fluid up through.  Its a method I've had to use on trials bikes, with tiny hydraulic clutch systems.  Traditional bleeding just doesn't cut it as the master cylinder pushes so little fluid...and systems are incredibly sensitive and finicky.

Fill the syringe with fluid, attache hose between syringe and caliper.  Now remove reservoir cap.  Cover tank and anything else with towels, plastic and anything else you can find.  Open the bleeder at the caliper and push the fluid up through and out the master cylinder reservoir.  Bubbles want to rise?  Lets help them some  :lol:

Then get the bike outside ASAP and hose off all the fluid you've dribbled all over the place.

Messy?...yup.  But it works.

[PeteH]

Elastic band over the lever over night,worked when I encountered my first disc brake in 74 and still does now.

Ditto that...after pushing just under 500ml of fluid through I got fed up, tied the lever back and went for a beer or two. Next day a quick release of the nipples and a top up of the reservoir and the brakes where spot on :D

[lobster]

I am about at my witts end...

Tried the zip tie back and they are better but not great.

Today I tried putting pipe thread seal tape on the nipples and re-bleeding.  I think the brake fluid just ate up the seal tape in a few minutes.

Tried burping the the system at the MC again...then kept bleeding and bleeding....cant get a firm lever.

I'm gonna try one more zip tie back and quick bleed tomorrow.

Do you think I maybe have a damaged seal in the MC or water in the system or a damaged brake line?  Can I get a MC rebuild kit?  Worth it to try new Galfer lines?  or am I just chasing my tail?

Please help!

[Mustang]

empty calipers and lines take a lot of brake fluid .............sounds to me like the master is going dry while bleeding thus inducing more air into system .
if you can't get em done with a mighty vac then you have an air leak somewhere in the system .

when replacing the fluid you generally need to stop and refill the master a couple of times while bleeding before it goes empty

[Chris Canning]

I am about at my witts end...

Tried the zip tie back and they are better but not great.

Today I tried putting pipe thread seal tape on the nipples and re-bleeding.  I think the brake fluid just ate up the seal tape in a few minutes.

Tried burping the the system at the MC again...then kept bleeding and bleeding....cant get a firm lever.

I'm gonna try one more zip tie back and quick bleed tomorrow.

Do you think I maybe have a damaged seal in the MC or water in the system or a damaged brake line?  Can I get a MC rebuild kit?  Worth it to try new Galfer lines?  or am I just chasing my tail?

Please help!

Not a zip tie you want an elastic band

[PeteH]

empty calipers and lines take a lot of brake fluid .............sounds to me like the master is going dry while bleeding thus inducing more air into system .

Hmm, so just how much does the system hold :?:  I reckon not that much as the hose bores are minimal and the calipers wont take that much :?: Certainly not the ammount I blew through :oops:

Lobster, when I did mine...I had replaced the pistons and seals in both calipers so the system was empty. I bled through from the lever...no posh vac systems here. Tried the offside(to me) tie up of the caliper due to the over mudguard pipe and that still didnt work.
Eventually tried the tie back of the lever..but... I seem to recall bleeding the nipples before removing the tie back..

ps. pointless changing the lines are they are braided anyway it was a pig of job, but stick with it :)

[lobster]

empty calipers and lines take a lot of brake fluid .............sounds to me like the master is going dry while bleeding thus inducing more air into system .
if you can't get em done with a mighty vac then you have an air leak somewhere in the system .

when replacing the fluid you generally need to stop and refill the master a couple of times while bleeding before it goes empty

Thanks, but got this one covered.  I get up and put fluid in the res every few sips with the mity vac.  I don't think it's going dry.

I've been thru almost two bottles of fluid.  I'm guessing leak in the system, which is why I asked about the MC rebuild kit?