Just changing the rear calipers in my C-3. The old ones were leaking. I am having trouble bleeding the system. We have tried several times to pump and bleed but no pressure in lines and no fluid or air is coming out of the bleeders. I did remove on of the lines going into the caliper and had my wife pump the brakes. There was fluid coming out of the line?????

Thanks in advance
MArty

 

Keep pumping it takes a while for the air to work its way out of the caliper. Until you work the air out of the system you will gett little back pressure.

I have tried many methods and have found speed bleeders to work the best. I highly recommend them. You can bleed them yourself and not have to listen to your wife's questions and comments.

 

You could let it sit for a few hours with a full reservoir and the 6 bleeders open so that the fluid flows through by gravity. Once they are all dripping, then you should be able to bleed it easier, but it still may take 2 or 3 attempts.

The factory bleed procedure on Vette's is different than conventional cars. And the Vette procedure differs among different publications (GM, Chiltons, etc). GM manuals suggest that you start at the nearest wheel to the master, not the furthest. Chiltons suggests starting at the left rear, etc. Even if you do it in a different sequence than GM, it will work, but it will take longer.

When bleeding the rears, start with the inner bleeder, then the outer. It sometimes helps to tap the top of the caliper with a rubber hammer to break some of the bubbles loose and speed up the process.

Make sure your helper doesn't release the brake pedal while you have the bleeder open.

 

The way ahoover suggested is exactly how I have done it on my 68 coupe since 1972 when the need arose..
Gravity works great and rubber hammer releases any air bubbles. I have a nice rock hard pedal.
Kurt

 

get one...

 

I just change the right rear caliper on mine last sunday, and it was a 30minute job including bleeding.
I gravity bleed mine by making sure the master cyl was topped off. I then open the lower outer most bleeder on the caliper. I then release the hose pinch pliers. Then I go to the fridge, and get a beer. By this time the fluid was dripping out. Close this bleeder, and open the upper outer bleeder. Now check the level in the master cyl, and top off if needed. Once this one drips good, close it, and open the upper inside bleeder, and check the fluid level again. Once you have a good flow of fluid from this last bleeder close it, and top off the master cyl, and check for pedal firmness. If the pedal is still spongy repeat the process.
If the pedal is firm chug the beer, and pat yourself on the back.

One way to diagnose where the air, or a problem is in the brake system is to use hose pinch pliers (only if you have good hoses) on each brake hose.
If you pinch off all the hoses and the pedal is spongy the problem is from the hoses up to the master cyl.
If the pedal is firm with all the hoses pinched, the problem is at the calipers. You remove one pair of pliers at a time, and test the pedal. When you release a hose, and the pedal gets spongy, that caliper is the problem, and needs to be bled.
A bad master cyl can be diagnosed by pumping the pedal until it is firm (once all the air is bled from the system) then holding the pedal. If it slowley sinks to the floor the master cyl has an internal leak.

I hope this helps.

PS. this works for drum brakes also.

Dr. Jay

 

Found a great $2.99 solution after a couple of Captain and Cokes. I took a siphon from Autozone and hooked it to the bleeder. Left the master cover off and about 10 pumps and fluid started flowing through the siphon. Looked at the master and it was dropping. Finished the caliper had some more Captain and went to the other side. Now I need the wife to finish bleeding them.

Thanks for everyone help. I think its time for another Captain

 

Solutions always come faster after you have been sailing with the Captain.

 

I did what ahoover suggested. I just filled the resevoir and open one bleeder at a time. I let gravity take over until it starts dripping from the bleeder. Making sure the reseviour never goes empty. Move on to the next bleeder and so on. After you make a round, do it again.

 

I agree, the best way!!

 

This procedure works with Coronas as well.