problems bleeding brakes
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
problems bleeding brakes
1969 corvette L46
I am having trouble bleeding my brakes..
I have been using the mityvac and it is sucking fluid out of 3 of the 4 brake locations... nothing from the driver's rear.
So I opened up the bleeder and pumped the pedal .. still nothing at all from either of the rear brakes.
When I open up the bleeder on the fronts I get a good stream.
Any ideas as far as trouble shooting .. I have checked the connections and they are tight.
Thanks for your input.
I am having trouble bleeding my brakes..
I have been using the mityvac and it is sucking fluid out of 3 of the 4 brake locations... nothing from the driver's rear.
So I opened up the bleeder and pumped the pedal .. still nothing at all from either of the rear brakes.
When I open up the bleeder on the fronts I get a good stream.
Any ideas as far as trouble shooting .. I have checked the connections and they are tight.
Thanks for your input.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
Pedal is going to the floor.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 587
Likes: 80
From: Colonial Beach Virginia
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,685
Likes: 329
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Make sure that you inspect your hard lines too, especially under the frame for pinched or crushed areas. Most likely the flex hose though. Might not hurt to disconnect the drive's side flex hose from the front hard line to make sure that fluid flows before the hose.
Last edited by CA-Legal-Vette; Aug 1, 2016 at 02:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
Make sure that you inspect your hard lines too, especially under the frame for pinched or crushed areas. Most likely the flex hose though. Might not hurt to disconnect the drive's side flex hose from the front hard line to make sure that fluid flows before the hose.
Last edited by ballen06; Aug 1, 2016 at 03:24 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,456
Likes: 102
From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
I would suggest to check the proportioning valve....also there are inside and outside bleeders on the rear. You must bleed the RRInside, then RRoutside, then LRinside etc working from furthest out to closest in the the PValve,,,,but yes flow is paramount. You should be able to take the lid off the MC and open a bleeder and get a gravity drip without even touching the pedal. Good Luck!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
I would suggest to check the proportioning valve....also there are inside and outside bleeders on the rear. You must bleed the RRInside, then RRoutside, then LRinside etc working from furthest out to closest in the the PValve,,,,but yes flow is paramount. You should be able to take the lid off the MC and open a bleeder and get a gravity drip without even touching the pedal. Good Luck!
OMG .. I am so bad... thank you for letting me know there are 2 bleeders. geez
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
WOW you are good, to be able to see the condition of the inside of a flex hose just by looking at it. you ONLY need to bleed both bleeders to get all the air out NOT to see if you have a collapsed hose.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
Also ..I've been pumping forever and all I get is air....
As I mentioned earlier I'm going to disconnect the flex hose from the hard line to see if I have flow..
I might just remove the flex hoses and verify they are clear.
I'm missing 2 bleeder valves .. 1 each on the rear calipers...so I have ordered new ones...
I'm also thinking about ordering the Motive Products 0105 bleeder..
Last edited by ballen06; Aug 1, 2016 at 08:24 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 38
From: Los Gatos CA
I could never get a firm pedal. Then I bought a Motive Bleeder. Worked like a charm. Others have had luck with traditional methods. I had no success with pedal bleeding, gravity, etc. Just my experience.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 281
From: Scottsdale Arizona
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,111
Likes: 9,239
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
When you say you're missing some bleed valves was there actual holes or were they plugged. The mighty vac wont work as well as a power bleeder. I coudnt find one as quick as I needed it. Its on my wish list. So I tried three times then had to get an assistant and pump and bleed three more times. It was a hassle. When you say you get air, are bubbles coming out?
When you pump, do you have an assistant open and close the valves?
When you pump, do you have an assistant open and close the valves?
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 2, 2016 at 07:10 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
When you say you're missing some bleed valves was there actual holes or were they plugged. The mighty vac wont work as well as a power bleeder. I coudnt find one as quick as I needed it. Its on my wish list. So I tried three times then had to get an assistant and pump and bleed three more times. It was a hassle. When you say you get air, are bubbles coming out?
When you pump, do you have an assistant open and close the valves?
When you pump, do you have an assistant open and close the valves?
I may have air trapped in it.. I didn't bench bleed.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,111
Likes: 9,239
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Did you install a new master cylinder? Whats the history of your car? Have you owned it a while and never drove it? Or is it new to you or just experiencing brake problems and are trying to resolve it. If there was a problem and your trying to resolve it is different from putting in a new part and creating a problem.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 689
Likes: 169
From: Palm Bay Florida
Did you install a new master cylinder? Whats the history of your car? Have you owned it a while and never drove it? Or is it new to you or just experiencing brake problems and are trying to resolve it. If there was a problem and your trying to resolve it is different from putting in a new part and creating a problem.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,111
Likes: 9,239
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
If it was working on this vette and not removed, then you shouldnt have to bench bleed it. The collapsed brake line makes some sense but if your brakes worked previously then I dont know how you could be missing 2 bleed screws.
Definetly a head scratcher. I would do as previously stated and remove the rubber brake line and see if you can pump fluid through it. Its a place to start.
Then maybe borrow a power bleeder
Good luck
Definetly a head scratcher. I would do as previously stated and remove the rubber brake line and see if you can pump fluid through it. Its a place to start.
Then maybe borrow a power bleeder
Good luck
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 2, 2016 at 07:36 PM.