Brake bleeding Easy one!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Brake bleeding Easy one!
Any tips on bleeding the brakes on a Stingray?
Should be an easy one I know but maybe I am missing something.
Just put new seals and pistons in, front only. Will not pressure or vacuum feed through.
Confused
Colin
Should be an easy one I know but maybe I am missing something.
Just put new seals and pistons in, front only. Will not pressure or vacuum feed through.
Confused
Colin
Racer
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 407
Likes: 14
From: Mulberry Florida
From what I have read on the forum you need to get the shuttle valve centered again, some call it a proportioning valve. I'm not sure how to do this, I know when my brakes went out my brake light came on on the dash. I'm not sure if my valve was centered or not, but when I pushed on the brake pedal before I bleed the brakes the light went out. That is when I gravity bleed the brakes, and everything was good to go. I hope this helps, I'm no way an expert on this. Maybe someone that has been through this can help.
Larry
Drifting
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,353
Likes: 44
From: Calgary Alberta
You likely just have not removed all the air from the system yet. It may take several courses of bleeding to get all the air out, especially after a job that would introduce a lot of air into the system like replacing pistons and seals in calipers.
The service manual says to bleed brakes beginning with the farthest from the master cylinder. The inner rear caliper halves have to be bled before the outers. The order is:
right rear inner,
right rear outer,
left rear inner,
left rear outer.
Front calipers only have one bleeder.
right front,
left front.
However, if you've only worked on the front you shouldn't have to worry about the back if the system is working properly.
The valve discussed above is not a proportioning valve, it is a distribution block and a pressure differential valve for the brake warning light. Did you have any fluid loss in the rear master cylinder reservoir after the work you did to the front brakes?
You might also have time to read the third post in this thread, which is great (and also says not to worry about order, except regarding inner / outer bleeders, but I continue to use the service manual order out of habit): https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...fo-please.html
The service manual says to bleed brakes beginning with the farthest from the master cylinder. The inner rear caliper halves have to be bled before the outers. The order is:
right rear inner,
right rear outer,
left rear inner,
left rear outer.
Front calipers only have one bleeder.
right front,
left front.
However, if you've only worked on the front you shouldn't have to worry about the back if the system is working properly.
The valve discussed above is not a proportioning valve, it is a distribution block and a pressure differential valve for the brake warning light. Did you have any fluid loss in the rear master cylinder reservoir after the work you did to the front brakes?
You might also have time to read the third post in this thread, which is great (and also says not to worry about order, except regarding inner / outer bleeders, but I continue to use the service manual order out of habit): https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...fo-please.html
Last edited by Brcmpbl; Oct 15, 2014 at 03:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Thanks guys. The rears have not been disconnected so no fluid loss from the back half of the master cylinder.
But the car has the, is it called, Hydrovac system on it. Should the engine be running when bleeding?
Colin
But the car has the, is it called, Hydrovac system on it. Should the engine be running when bleeding?
Colin
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,795
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From: Aarhus, Denmark
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,936
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
it won't hurt to bleed the back brakes and get fresh fluid in there.
i use 4 old tee shirts on the floor and open the front and inner rear bleeders until the fluid runs clear then close them individually. then open the outer bleeders and do the same. then throw away the tee shirts.
in the event you don't have tee shirts you wifes lingere can be utilized this will insure you will never need to bleed your brakes again.
i use 4 old tee shirts on the floor and open the front and inner rear bleeders until the fluid runs clear then close them individually. then open the outer bleeders and do the same. then throw away the tee shirts.
in the event you don't have tee shirts you wifes lingere can be utilized this will insure you will never need to bleed your brakes again.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
Great information in that thread Brcmpcl. Thanks for sharing that post.
I have been through this brake bleeding thing quite enough. I could not get the pesky red light off of the dash until I purchased this tool to center the distibution valve. Cheap enough and effective too.
https://www.performanceonline.com/Co...ve-Bleed-Tool/
I have been through this brake bleeding thing quite enough. I could not get the pesky red light off of the dash until I purchased this tool to center the distibution valve. Cheap enough and effective too.
https://www.performanceonline.com/Co...ve-Bleed-Tool/
Racer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 331
Likes: 29
From: Moyock NC
I replaced all the bleeder screws with speed bleeders. I do not have to worry about sucking air back into the system when doing the old fashion brake pumping method. Another plus to it is it turns it into a 1 man job.
Best money you will spend!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Guys there is no shuttle valve or switch on the master cylinder. I have bled enough brakes in my life to know I dont need speed bleeders, and I have one of the best race bleed bottles in the UK!
But I still cannot get fluid through!
1 issue that might be worth noting, if you pump hard fluid will shoot out the top of the master cylinder.
Any more thoughts?
You guys across the pond are supposed to be the experts on these cars?
Colin
But I still cannot get fluid through!
1 issue that might be worth noting, if you pump hard fluid will shoot out the top of the master cylinder.
Any more thoughts?
You guys across the pond are supposed to be the experts on these cars?
Colin
