Brakes
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 3
From: Royal Oak MI
Brakes
I recently replaced the seals and pistons on all of my calipers. There's no more leaks, but now I depress the brake pedal fully and I'm only getting meager braking. Any ideas?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 3
From: Royal Oak MI
I've heard it both ways: bleed LR, RR, LF, RF or start closest to the MC and work your way out. What is the best solution? Also, if I did in fact happen to let the fluid fall too low, what are the consequences?
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
IMHO, the order is'nt all that important, you should do each caliper multiple times anyway so what ever order is moot.
If you let the MC run dry you have to bleed the MC again. DON'T do it!
If you let the MC run dry you have to bleed the MC again. DON'T do it!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
If time is not an issue, try gravity bleeding. I've done it for years with many Vettes and have never had a problem. I try to do it every 2 years to keep the fluid fresh and just start at the LR, then RR, then LF and finally RF. I usually take a cup or so from each caliper. Again, this is slow but it works for me. As stated above, keep your eye on the MC as you want to keep it from running dry and introducing air inlto the system.
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Nov 29, 2006 at 11:37 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by jamesc1123
bleed LR, RR, LF, RF
That is the correct bleed sequence. Doing it the other way will leave air in the system. You will always want to go around twice. Sometimes I do it three times just to be sure. No air = Nose stand braking.
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
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
That is the correct bleed sequence. Doing it the other way will leave air in the system. You will always want to go around twice. Sometimes I do it three times just to be sure. No air = Nose stand braking.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
I stand corrected. I just checked my GM shop manual and it states that whether bleeding the front or rear, bleed the valve nearest the MC first. "This sequence expels air from the lines and calipers nearest the MC first and eliminates the possiblility that air in a line close to the MC may enter a line farther away after it has been bled".
Good to see it in writing...
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Good to see it in writing...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
Funny, I've been doing it farthest from the MC for many years and never had a problem. I'm going back and change my other post to show the proper sequence so that someone doesn't get screwed up.
It's pretty easy if you always start from the LR, and go counter clockwise.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
Right you are!
I can't believe how much trouble a few tiny bubbles cause in the system. It bugged me for years in one of my other Vettes and I swore to never let my brakes feel like that again...it's for that reason I have switched to Hydro.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
With front and rear brake systems separate it would seem that each needs to be bled separately - probably caliper closest to MC first either front or rear but finish one system - front or rear - first then move to the other system????????
LBM
LBM
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by motovate
With front and rear brake systems separate it would seem that each needs to be bled separately - probably caliper closest to MC first either front or rear but finish one system - front or rear - first then move to the other system????????
LBM
LBM
That's what we're meaning. I preach to always start on the driver's rear first. That's a rear system. Then, move over tot he passenger rear to finish the rear system. Then, move up to the passenger front, starting the front system. Finally, moving over to the driver's front, finishing that system. I also recommend doing the whole procedure twice, and maybe even a third time if all lines, and calipers were dry to begin with.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
That's what we're meaning. I preach to always start on the driver's rear first. That's a rear system. Then, move over tot he passenger rear to finish the rear system. Then, move up to the passenger front, starting the front system. Finally, moving over to the driver's front, finishing that system. I also recommend doing the whole procedure twice, and maybe even a third time if all lines, and calipers were dry to begin with.
LBM
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by motovate
Not arguing here but wondering why it makes a difference which system first. Everyone seems to start in the rear but if they are seperate systems it wouldn't seem to matter which system gets bled first - just that all the air is out.????
LBM
LBM
I really don't know the answer to that. I just know that I have tried both ways, plenty of times. I always had much better luck starting with the rear system first. Seems to do a more complete job of purging the air.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 10
From: Austin TX
Here's a trick,..if you're still getting small bubbles after what should be enough time to purge the system of air, put some grease around the bleeders to prevent air from being sucked past the the bleeder threads when they're opened.