Here's the way I done it on my car which was a completely dry system w/plenty of air in the system: First off, I bench bled the master cylinder, topped it off with brake fluid then installed it on the car and hooked up the brake lines.....I pumped the brake pedal many, many times to get the fluid flowing through the brake lines and into the wheel cylinders and calipers, in this process, I checked the master cylinder to make sure it hasn't run dry of brake fluid or it would have to be bled again, I made sure the master was always topped off with fluid....I then started the brake bleeding process, starting with the right rear and ending with the left front.....If you have bubbles appearing, you're on your way but keep in mind, it's going to take a while, especially gravity bleeding them, but eventually you'll bleed all the air bubbles out of the system....I've heard this process could take up to a year so just be patient! hehehe ....NO, just kidding, but pressure or power bleeding is alot faster than gravity bleeding!

Also, make sure you check the master cylinder often and keep it filled up.....Don't let it run dry!

 

Here's the way I done it on my car which was a completely dry system w/plenty of air in the system: First off, I bench bled the master cylinder, topped it off with brake fluid then installed it on the car and hooked up the brake lines.....I pumped the brake pedal many, many times to get the fluid flowing through the brake lines and into the wheel cylinders and calipers, in this process, I checked the master cylinder to make sure it hasn't run dry of brake fluid or it would have to be bled again, I made sure the master was always topped off with fluid....I then started the brake bleeding process, starting with the right rear and ending with the left front.....If you have bubbles appearing, you're on your way but keep in mind, it's going to take a while, especially gravity bleeding them, but eventually you'll bleed all the air bubbles out of the system....I've heard this process could take up to a year so just be patient! hehehe ....NO, just kidding, but pressure or power bleeding is alot faster than gravity bleeding!

Also, make sure you check the master cylinder often and keep it filled up.....Don't let it run dry!

That about sums it up Ron , thankfully I've never had this problem with a dry system myself , however I've heard about it many times. Kinda make's ya wonder how they do it from the factory with a limited ammount of time with these cars consistantly moving down the assembly line.

 

Go with "real gravity" first. Just open the back bleeders and let her sit. Check the level in the master every couple hours or so, probably much less once you see how fast the level is dropping. Could take a few days, but the fluid will get thru there.

 

Save yourself a lot of grief, and buy the brake bleeder from Harbor Freight for a whopping $18 on sale right now.
It works great and it's quick.

 

hey dog, im thinking you missing something here. are all bleeders closed or you got them or just 1 open and pumping brakes? you need 2 people to do this. have person in car pump 5 times and hold down while bleeder closed than a person open up rear right. than close it up and repeat. when good on that tire go to left rear than to right front than left front. than start all over from right rear. only way by yourself is a power bleeder they hook up to master and pump in fluid and loosten 1 at a time till all fluid.

 

Quick bleeds. They go in place of regular bleeders, and have a built in check valve. Be careful to get the right thread and seat length. Open em up one at a time and pump. All done.

Power bleeder. Piece o cake. But do like JohnZ and get a monster C-clamp to hold the plate onto the MC. The little chain mess you get with the power bleeder sucks.

2 by 4 crammed into the seat and brake pedal. Pump, cram, bleed. Repeat for a year or so. LMAO bird.

 

Thanks for the replies. I have all bleeder screws closed except the RR. I have a piece of vacuum line connected to the bleeder with the other end of the vacuum hose in a container patially filled with brake fluid to prevent air from going back into the system. I have used this method many times on vehicles being repaired, not drained like in my case on this car. I did buy the vacuum bleeder from HF. I used it for about 20 min. and did not see any drop in fluid in the master. I was looking for the power bleeder that clamps to the master cyl. but have not been able to find one. I will give it more time and see what happens.
Thanks, Greg

 

I was looking for the power bleeder that clamps to the master cyl. but have not been able to find one.

Here's the Motive Products power bleeder at Jegs:

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_10001_10002_93848_-1

 

Here's what I done when I purchased one of the Motive Power Bleeder Kits from either Jeg's or Summit, I can't remember which?.....I used it then returned it for a refund or credit and stated the reason for return was because I wasn't satisfied with the chain and hook method of clamping down and that I couldn't get the adapter to seal to the master....I USED A 6" C-CLAMP TO SEAL THE ADAPTER TO THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH WORKED EXCELLENT!......I also received a credit for the returned Power Bleeder Kit!

 

I tried the gravity bleeding and have concluded that it must be a wisetail or myth - it just didn't work. Kinda like putting butter on burns or something like that. I had to rely on the 'ol method of putting the wife in the car and resort to leg power and keep pleading to that were almost done over and over again. I can vouche for that method.

 

Haven't done my Camaro brakes...but for everything else, I use a vacuum bleeder?...paid $20 at NAPA a few years ago, works great.

Jim

 

I gravity bled mine last week on my 67 RS/SS 350. When I noticed the RR was going to be a long time happening I used a gravatex gun hooked to my air and held the bleed hose to the suction tube on the gun, pulled trigger, checked fluid in master, about 1/3 down, refilled master did the same one more time and as I was starting to back out from under, it started running, let about an ounce out and shut the bleeder. all other wheels bled in short order. It was also a dry system.

 

On your proportioning valve under the Master cylinder does it have a black rubber boot on 1 end? If so, there is a switch under that boot that must be held in to get fluid to start flowing to all ports of the proportioning valve.

 

Thanks Geneo, I was wondering about that. I had a ford truck that I had to hold out on the valve under the master to bleed the brakes after a caliper change. I will try that tonight if it gets warm enough today.
Greg

 

When I have opened up the system, such as replace caliper, wheel or master cylinder, I start with the old fashioned pump/hold/bleed method to get things going. Then I switch over to the Mityvac. The Mityvac works well on its own if your just flushing the system. http://www.mityvac.com/

I also have an idea to try to make a vacuum bleeder using a windshield washer pump, but haven't tried it out yet.