This is on my 77, I replaced the master cylinder and when bleeding my brakes I found 2 bleeder screws on my rear calipers but only 1 on the fronts. Is that normal? and after bleeding them I have a decent pedal but not super firm so I will be bleeding them again. For the rears should I have bleed the inner bleeder then the outer or does that not make a difference?

 

Yes makes a difference! bleed inners, then outer

 

Yes, the rear calipers have 2 bleeder screws. I usually bleed the inside then the outside. I recommend bleeding the brakes until you flush all of the old fluid out of the brake system. This a good time to do it and then you have new clean brake fluid throughout.

 

Did you bleed the air out of the Master Cylinder BEFORE installing it in the car? If not, you may never get the rest of the system bled properly. You can bleed the M/C while it is in the car, but you have to remove the brake lines and use M/C bleeder fittings and tubing to do the job.

 

Very important...

 

Yes I did bleed the m/c first, but on the rears I bled the outer than the inner and from some of the replies I believe that was the wrong order so I will re-bleed them this weekend in that order. Dont get me wrong I do have brakes just not as firm as I would like. I know on my 65 T Bird when I changed the master cylinder I had a heck of a time getting a good pedal again and since it also has 4 piston calipers I was starting to wonder if there was a issue with that type of set up, I actually ended up gravity bleeding them to solve it. I have done this quite a few times on typical single piston calipers and never had any trouble so well re-bleed them and see. Thanks everyone for the ideas, input and help.

 

I had a tough time getting mine to bleed. I broke down and purchased a pressure bleeder and bam...firm petal.

 

You can switch several times between outer and inner screw to get sure to have no air in one of the 2 chambers. That´s how I do it. Inner, outer, inner, outer. Then it doesn´t matter with wich you start.
And of course with the master cylinder pressurized with an air compressor.
It´s important to have a fast fluid flow to get air out of lines and corners. If the flow is to slow or interupeted the air can travel (upwards) against the flow direction.

 

I use a pressure bleeder and a rubber mallet to vibrate any air bubbles towards the valves.

 

I use a pressure bleeder that forces brake fluid through the system.

I also vibrate or shock the frame with my air hammer so any air bubbles that are stuck or clinging to the sides of the brake line ( due to being drained)...releases these bubbles and they get forced out of the system when the pressure on the pressure bleeder is opened up.

I have NEVER heard of pressurizing the master cylinder with compressed air....that makes NO SENSE. I cannot imagine how that is a benefit in bleeding. UNLESS the master cylinder has to be constantly filled with fluid so it does not run dry.

Making sure that the master cylinder is level also is a great help...especially for those who 'bench bled' the master cylinder. AND I jack up the car so the master cylinder is level even when I use my pressure bleeder. AND...I pump slowly on the brake pedal a few times to actuate the master cylinder to aid in removing any small bubbles when it is under pressure and the bleeder is open....and I do this for the front and rear bleeding....and that is IF the master cylinder is a dual reservoir design.

DUB

 

Well for what its worth, I re-bled the brakes going from inner to outer on the rears and I dont know if that was the trick or if I just got lucky but pedal is firm and actually seems better than when I bought it. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

Some air tends to 'pool' and get stuck at the top end of those C3 calipers. Shop manual indicates that they should be struck with rubber mallet to drive 'stuck' air out of the calipers. I never had great luck with that. My method was to bleed them...as best I could...then drive the car around a bit and bleed them again. That amount of vibration and shaking was enough to get all the trapped air to the top of the caliper and near the bleeder screws.