Open bleed screw with power motive pressure........nothing. Have to get in vehicle to pump brake pedal. And then, of course, bleeding by myself means I can't close the bleed screw from driver's seat while releasing brake pedal. I don't use the one-way check valve bleed screws on any of my vehicles. Never have had to.

Stainless steel lines on all my vettes. Never hang load of caliper on line. Always support calipers when loose. Of course that doesn't mean that the liner can't collapse but then there would be other indications of that while braking.

Again, only my '96 is different. No fluid flow from motive bleeder pressure until I push pedal. If you don't understand or have never experienced it then I doubt seriously what I posted will resonate with you. I posted it for the sake of others running into the same problem. Have bled my 2003 for 17 years now - no problems. Have bled my C7ZR1 at least 4 times now (changing street to track pads and back) - no problems. Have bled the C7 GS twice - no problems. Only the C4 '96 requires extra effort from pedal on the rear calipers while using motive bleeder pressurized. If I loosen the bleed screws on rear with motive pressure at 10psi nothing flows. Requires a pump of pedal too. The front calipers bleed just fine without need for pedal pump. I keep the pressure from motive bleeder also to prevent air being sucked back in while releasing pedal. My other vehicles flow just fine with simply loosening the screw, no stroke of pedal necessary. It is what it is. If you don't understand I just have no idea how to explain it further.

 

Don't need to. There is something restricting flow in your rear circuit. If you pump the pedal aggressively, it'll blow that **** outta there. After the last pump, it'll gravity fill the rear calipers in about 15 seconds if it's flowing correctly....or faster, if you're still using your pressure bleeder.

 

I never mentioned it because I thought it was just something I was doing wrong but I bought a suction type air pressure powered bleeder and it has never worked on the rear of my 96. I have never tried it on the front as I always get frustrated and quit and do it the old fashioned way. I always thought it was pulling air around the bleeder threads and never actually sucking on the fluid. I only loosened it maybe 3/8 to 1/2 of a turn. Dan

 

You might try the motive pressure bleeder as I mentioned above. For some reason the '96 is different. When I do have someone else in the garage with me I will probably leave the motive pressureized and then have the other person watch the caliper bleed tube while I slowly depress the brake pedal to see if there is some area where the M/C comes into play to allow actuation. In any case, it is the only way I can successfully bleed the '96.

 

I might never get it out again. If I can bribe the wife to pumping the brakes we have a system that is very fast and works 100%. She needs the exercise anyway. Thanks, Dan

 

I just did the same project. Replaced the Seals in the Calipers, replaced the Hoses with Stainless, new Pads and Rotors up front retained the Aftermarket rear ones after removing the glaze on them. Figuring there was no way to not get air into the Master and ABS and I expected the worse. I then ran denatured alcohol threw the system this car sat 17 years un driven. Then I used my Vacuum system to pull it threw the Lines before hooking up the Calipers. Once done with that I used Dot 4 and pulled that threw the system. The fronts pretty much bleed them selves and the rears didn't take much. I wish I had a way of cycling the ABS wile doing it but I didn't. Had I read this I might of tried starting the Engine a few times. However with my factory ECM no longer running the Engine I'm not sure I even have a functioning ABS anymore. I have used this same way of doing things in the past with other project cars with the same results.

The Vacuum system I use is much more than a Mityvac. Although I started out with one of those when they came out. I have a Refrigeration Vacuum Pump and I have made a glass milk bottle into a reservoir to collect the fluid. I have never bench bleed a Master Cylinder or seen the need to. I go threw a lot of Brake Fluid and waste more than need be but so be it. Most of my work has been with C2 and 3's notorious for bleeding problems none of which I have had. I feel that I my be using to much Vacuum and I might be creating a small amount to air. I always hook tubes up to the bleeders and let it gravity bleed overnight before the first test drive.

Happy New Year