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C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
I recently re-painted my calipers. I removed all the bleed screws, and brake lines.
When I re-assembled and bled the system the bleed screws are seeping.
I cleaned all seating areas before assembly.
Today I took them all apart, cleaned and re-installed.
I really tightened the screws to the point I'm worried I was going to snap them.
Has this happened to others? Or am I missing something?
I've never encountered anything like this.
i think it's normal to have some brake fluid in the bleeder screw after bleeding. I have tried spraying brake cleaner inside the bleeder screw hole and then using a shop towel to soak up left over fluid but can never get it all out 100%. just clean it up as best you can and check again after a few days of driving. don't over torque the screws hand tight is enough.
If you followed the advice of spraying the inside of the bleed screws out after a brake bleed (this is what I do as well), it is quite possible you still have seepage around the base of the threads - welcome to bleed screw hell.
The Brembo stuff ($$) is particularly troublesome in this area. And cranking the screws down excessively can make it worse (distorts the seat, opens up the already marginal tolerances between the threads and the bleed screw).
Some folks have used pipe thread tape to help with the issue. Not ideal, but it works. There may be other solutions as well.
Last edited by Dan_the_C5_Man; 05-18-2017 at 10:35 AM.
If you followed the advice of spraying the inside of the bleed screws out after a brake bleed (this is what I do as well), it is quite possible you still have seepage around the base of the threads - welcome to bleed screw hell.
The Brembo stuff ($$) is particularly troublesome in this area. And cranking the screws down excessively can make it worse (distorts the seat, opens up the already marginal tolerances between the threads and the bleed screw).
Some folks have used pipe thread tape to help with the issue. Not ideal, but it works. There may be other solutions as well.
It's not seeping from the threads. It's coming up from the bleeder itself. I put paper towel in the bleed screw and there's brake fluid on it.
I took the car out today and I'll check it in a couple of days.
I actually thought of pipe dope. It would work on the seat but the next time I bleed the brakes it may not re-seat.
It's not seeping from the threads. It's coming up from the bleeder itself. I put paper towel in the bleed screw and there's brake fluid on it.
I took the car out today and I'll check it in a couple of days.
I actually thought of pipe dope. It would work on the seat but the next time I bleed the brakes it may not re-seat.
Maybe pick up a new set of screws...I'd grab some speed bleeder screws to at least make the next fluid flush easier on yourself.
I was thinking that. Funny thing I had Brembo calipers on my old Porsche and I never had any problems with leaking bleeder screws.
I've had some personal experience with this on an old race bike that I ran a Brembo BBK on, and I was also referring to the C7 Z Z07 guys - surf around in those forums, you'll see what I mean.
I haven't had any issues with mine yet, but I've only bled them a handful of times so far, we'll see..
The previous owner of my car installed painted Z06 calipers on my base car. The bleed nipples leaked. It's because of distortion around the seating surface and I wad unable to get them to quit seeping.
There is an aftermarket bleed nipple that solves this issue. That's what I used. I'll try to figure out where I bought them at and attach a link.
So I installed something like this to cure my leaking brake nipples on my Z06 calipers.
This may or may not be the correct size, I just used it a an example. They are available from Summit. They don't use that cone shaped sealing service to prevent hydraulic fluid from flowing. The holes that lead to the nipple end is located in that cone portion of your stock nipples so any brake fluid that gets in that cone section is going to make it's way out the nipple.
The aftermarket ones don't utilize the cone section for sealing.
So I installed something like this to cure my leaking brake nipples on my Z06 calipers.
This may or may not be the correct size, I just used it a an example. They are available from Summit. They don't use that cone shaped sealing service to prevent hydraulic fluid from flowing. The holes that lead to the nipple end is located in that cone portion of your stock nipples so any brake fluid that gets in that cone section is going to make it's way out the nipple.
The aftermarket ones don't utilize the cone section for sealing.
I've read what you wrote several times and still can't visualize in my head how it's sealed. I believe the oem bleeder screw only seals at the cone end of the screw. the threads can actually hold a good amount of fluid that can come out over time.
Last edited by dkz; 05-23-2017 at 03:31 PM.
Reason: er
I've read what you wrote several times and still can't visualize in my head how it's sealed. I believe the oem bleeder screw only seals at the cone end of the screw. the threads can actually hold a good amount of fluid that can come out over time.
Sorry, I'm not always articulate in my haste.
This photo shows how a typical stock brake bleed nipple looks.
The little shiny cone shaped section at the upper right end fits in to an identical shaped area in your caliper, If any thing damages or contaminates that machined area in your caliper, the cone section of the OEM nipple will not seal and the fluid (under tremendous pressure obviously) will make it's way past the cone where it has access to the holes that lead straight to the end up the nipple. There is nothing to stop the fluid. No threads.
The aftermarket nipples don't have a cone section and they seal at the threads to your caliper using pipe thread. Then they have a center section (silver in the photo)that has like a 7mm plunger that bleeds the brakes that is a separate little screw. This little center section seals up within the new aftermarket caliper nipple and is not effected by damage or contamination in the machined cone area in your caliper.
05-17-2017, 11:01 PM
Caliper bleed screws leaking
