Any tips or tricks on bleeding a completely new brake system on a '69 with power disc/drum if you have to do it your self?
New booster,master,portioning valve,lines, calipers, and wheel cylinders.
I have bench bled the master cylinder, and I'm using a hand vacuum pump starting on the drivers side front. I can't seem to get any fluid to come out, any ideas?

order a power bleeder from Summit, they are around $65 and will save you a lot of agrivation.
I did the same thing to my brakes and tried a miti-vac (junk) and the pump and bleed method and it took forever to get all the air out.

if you're not in a rush, gravity bleed'em.

Bleed the pass. side rear first then the drivers side rear. Then go to the pass. side front and then drivers side front. I have the same set up. But I also use a friends homemade electric pump, just plugged it in a go.

You can get this job done alot quicker with a power/pressure bleeder system available at Jeg's or Summit.....Just make sure you get the right kit with the correct master cylinder adapter for you master cylinder and hold the pressure at around 10psi, any higher, such as 15psi, and brake fluid will start leaking out of the rear of the master cylinder!.....You'll know you're finished when you get a nice firm, high brake pedal feel assuming you have the rear brakes adjusted properly.

A pressure bleeder is the only way to go. After several days I finally ordered one from Summit Racing and got the air out of the lines.

Ive used the mity-vac hand pump unit on quite a few without any issues, but the pressure system is better. An electric vac pump (like those used on A/C systems) can be used as well, but those aren't too cheap.

Well I did it old school, I happen to have a large syringe used for putting fork oil in motorcycles, I took all the lines loose from the distribution block, loosened all the bleeders and filled the lines with the syringe.
Then I tightened the bleeders and hooked the lines back up except for one. I took a 10'' piece of brake line and screwed it in to the block and used the hand pump on it. After I tightened every thing back up I had brakes right away.:hurray:

Ive used the mity-vac hand pump unit on quite a few without any issues, but the pressure system is better. An electric vac pump (like those used on A/C systems) can be used as well, but those aren't too cheap.

I too am having trouble bleeding the brakes on a 74 Corvette… Car sat for a long time, 7 years, and couldn’t get any fluid to the calipers. I replaced the master cylinder and now have fluid to all the corners but I still have a lot of air (using a mighty –vac) at each brake calipers. Could I let it set a while and just re-bleed the system again…and again… and again until I get pure fluid and no air out while bleeding each caliper?

I still have a lot of air (using a mighty –vac) at each brake calipers.


You will be bleeding now till doomsday using that method on a Vette!!.....You'll either need a power/pressure bleeder to do it yourself or you'll have to take it to a Brake Shop to have it Pressure Bled.....I remember my brother giving up bleeding on a 75 Vette he once had after replacing all calipers!....He was able to drive the car to the nearest Brake Shop to have the remaining air bled out of the system!

Although I have never tried this, I wonder if a device could be made up as follows: a piece of clear tubing which is shoved onto the loosened bleeder screw with a check valve inline on the tubing and then into a bottle for the bled off fluid. As you pump the brake, the fluid bleeds into the bottle and the check valve prevents suck back of air into the system. Or would air suck back thru the bleeder threads?

alan

Although I have never tried this, I wonder if a device could be made up as follows: a piece of clear tubing which is shoved onto the loosened bleeder screw with a check valve inline on the tubing and then into a bottle for the bled off fluid. As you pump the brake, the fluid bleeds into the bottle and the check valve prevents suck back of air into the system. Or would air suck back thru the bleeder threads?

alan

Sounds like the Mity- Vac vacuum bleeder system we all have been talking about... Just don't open the bleeder screw too far…

I think I’m going to look into the power bleeder that you all have been talking about and may be a small vacuum from Harbor Fright…

I too am having trouble bleeding the brakes on a 74 Corvette… Car sat for a long time, 7 years, and couldn’t get any fluid to the calipers. I replaced the master cylinder and now have fluid to all the corners but I still have a lot of air (using a mighty –vac) at each brake calipers. Could I let it set a while and just re-bleed the system again…and again… and again until I get pure fluid and no air out while bleeding each caliper?
I'd try to gravity bleed those... If you have fluid at the calipers you're not toofar from getting all the air out. Open one bleeder at a time and just let it drip for about five minutes or so, only takes one ounce of fluid to bleed it through or so I've been told.

Jeff

Although I have never tried this, I wonder if a device could be made up as follows: a piece of clear tubing which is shoved onto the loosened bleeder screw with a check valve inline on the tubing and then into a bottle for the bled off fluid. As you pump the brake, the fluid bleeds into the bottle and the check valve prevents suck back of air into the system. Or would air suck back thru the bleeder threads?

alan

Russel make a bleed screw that threads in place of a standard bleeder, it has a check valve built in.
They are called "speedbleeders" and sell @ aprox $15 for a pair.
Ive used them in the past with good results.
The only thing i found a miti vac usefull for is a forearm work out, the vacum produced is pittifull and when bleeding an entire system you better have lots of fresh pumping arms handy..... you will need em
I will never bleed a sytem again without a power bleeder.

Best bleeder out there....Vacula. I bought mine on Ebay. You need a air compressor to make it work but in 35 years of playing with cars and using pressure bleeders etc, this is the easiest and best by far. It is a high power vacuum pump with a small hose that goes over the bleed screw and sucks the fluid quick enough to pull air bubbles downhill. You just need to be sure the master cylinder stays full. No mess either because it all ends up in the jar. One of the best tools I have bought in years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vacula-Vacuum-Brake-Bleeder-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247 QQcategoryZ43998QQihZ023QQitemZ360012504499QQrdZ1Q QsspagenameZWD1V

If you are using a power bleeder with a new system, can you skip the bench bleed of the master cylinder?

If you are using a power bleeder with a new system, can you skip the bench bleed of the master cylinder?

Nope. Unless you bench-bleed it, you'll never get the entrapped air out of the ends of the bore.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/BenchBleed650.jpg

:beers:

I too am having trouble bleeding the brakes on a 74 Corvette… Car sat for a long time, 7 years, and couldn’t get any fluid to the calipers. I replaced the master cylinder and now have fluid to all the corners but I still have a lot of air (using a mighty –vac) at each brake calipers. Could I let it set a while and just re-bleed the system again…and again… and again until I get pure fluid and no air out while bleeding each caliper?

The '65-'82 Corvette 4-piston caliper system has always been THE most difficult system to bleed. There's only ONE way to bleed that system successfully - with a power bleeder. I've used the Motive Products power bleeder on many Corvettes over the years, and it makes it a one-person ten-minute job, with a rock-hard pedal every time. Forget the pump-and-hold routine, forget Mityvac vacuum bleeding, forget Phoenix Injectors, and forget "gravity" bleeding - none of them work on a '65-'82 Corvette. The sixty bucks for a Motive Products power bleeder will be the best money you ever spent. :)

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/BleederTank.JPG

:beers:

I barrowed a vacuum pump from my brother and it has a large holding tank w/ an automatic shut off at -15 in. of vacuum. I plan on using the bleeder cup from the mity –vac set up and just keep the master full of fluid and let the pump suck the piss out of it…
Almost like the Vacula thing Chill is talking about…

Nope. Unless you bench-bleed it, you'll never get the entrapped air out of the ends of the bore.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/BenchBleed650.jpg

:beers:
I thought that was the purpose of the bleeders on tilted master cylinders?
Everything is installed and plumbed (dry) on my new sytem.
Do you think I can bench bleed with the cylinder installed (and at an angle)?
Can I use the master cylinder bleeders as the output?
I did a google search on bench bleed, and there are a few variations, including bleeding into a container, blocking off the lines out completely and slowly pumping, and leaving the line out open during plunger in and then blocking it with your finger on plunger out.
I have never done it any way other than the standerd setup you have pictured, but if there is a less messy way with installed tilted cylinders and bleeders, then I might try it.
BTW, I have the same Motive pressure bleeder, but it has chains to secure it to the booster. Maybe the big ol C clamp is better?

BTW, I have the same Motive pressure bleeder, but it has chains to secure it to the booster. Maybe the big ol C clamp is better?

The chains suck--they cause the lid to bow down the center and leak. Get yourself a big ole C-clamp and a piece of angle iron. Also, do a leakdown test before you put any fluid in the Motive's jug. If you are leaking air, you need to fix that or you'll be leaking brake fluid all over the place once you fill the jug and pump it up.