Brake bleeding with a syringe.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, Fl / St. Paul, Mn
Brake bleeding with a syringe.
I recently rebuilt the rear brake calipers on my 72 because it had been sitting for a couple of years and developed a leaky caliper. I also replaced the master cylinder. Along with the new master cylinder I bought a brake syringe for $12. I already have a vacuum bleeder and a motive bleeder. I hate both of them. The motive is near impossible to mount on the MC and not leak down and its also a mess when I'm done bleeding. The vacuum (Mighty-Mite I think) sucks more air from the bleed fittings then I get from the lines. The syringe sucks the air out of the bench mounted MC through the line fittings and then you push the airless fluid back in the same place. 2 or 3 times on each port bleeds the MC as good as you can get. Install the MC and gravity bleed one wheel at a time. Any time the fluid doesn't want to flow (seems like about half the time) use the same syringe to force fluid through the larger hole in the bottom of the reservoir - usually a half syringe will do. Never allow the syringe to force any air into the MC. Rock hard high pedal on the first try. Also I started on the left front and random from there but always inner first on the rears.
Last edited by Thinpockets; Sep 13, 2014 at 11:39 AM. Reason: Spelling
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 278
Likes: 5
From: illinois
I recently rebuilt the rear brake calipers on my 72 because it had been sitting for a couple of years and developed a leaky caliper. I also replaced the master cylinder. Along with the new master cylinder I bought a brake syringe for $12. I already have a vacuum bleeder and a motive bleeder. I hate both of them. The motive is near impossible to mount on the MC and not leak down and its also a mess when I'm done bleeding. The vacuum (Mighty-Mite I think) sucks more air from the bleed fittings then I get from the lines. The syringe sucks the air out of the bench mounted MC through the line fittings and then you push the airless fluid back in the same place. 2 or 3 times on each port bleeds the MC as good as you can get. Install the MC and gravity bleed one wheel at a time. Amy time the fluid doesn't want to flow (seems like about half the time) use the same syringe to force fluid through the larger hole in the bottom of the reservoir - usually a half syringe will do. Never allow the syringe to force any air into the MC. Rock hard high pedal on the first try. Also I started on the left front and random from there but always inner first on the rears.
Mike
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Fort Myers, Fl / St. Paul, Mn
Not all MC's have bleeder valves but even if yours does it still creates a mess to catch the bled fluid - even if you use a bleed tube kit. The beauty of the syringe is little or no mess.
Another reason to use the syringe while bleeding is to make it a one person job. If, when using the pedal, you release the pedal it will suck air into the open bleeder. That doesn't happen using the syringe because there is no return.
Another reason to use the syringe while bleeding is to make it a one person job. If, when using the pedal, you release the pedal it will suck air into the open bleeder. That doesn't happen using the syringe because there is no return.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 407
Likes: 14
From: Mulberry Florida
I just bleed my brakes about two weeks ago, by gravity and it was real easy, and had a hard pedal when done. I did read on the forum about putting some grease around the threads of the bleeder to help to keep air from leaking into the brake lines. I know the next time I bleed the brakes I will do the same thing, it is so easy to do by yourself.
