Calling all brake experts

[pgermond]

Again, what I thought would be one of the easy projects has turned into a major headache. First the rear brakes - I had no problem bleeding them, but they would fade. I discovered a leak in the right rear fitting coming from the "T" fitting. After replacing the line three times with new bubble flares and no luck, I went to an adapter that converts bubble to inverted, which seems to have corrected the problem.

Here’s the big question - I can't get what I think should be sufficient pedal when bleeding the front calipers, which I've done about 18 X's [xx(][xx(][xx(]. I bleed the right front outside, then inside, then the outside and inside on the left side. No bubbles... two quarts of brake fluid, with little success (aka, little pedal pressure). I've pulled the master cylinder.. checked it.. reinstalled it, and the same thing. What the heck am I missing [?][8]
[xx(]

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[brfutbrian]

phil, make sure you have the rear master cylinder rod disconnected from the pedal and use half strokes when bleeding. i had alot of trouble with my front brakes when i built my car. seems like the master cylinder piston wouldnt return properly and wouldnt suck fluid from the resivoure into the cylinder bore.i would start to get a good pedal, and then the pedal wouldnt return. after messing around about as long as it sounds like you have, i finnally just pulled the pedal back up by hand to see what would happen. it drew fluid from the resivoure and i had a hard pedal, right at the top. ive never seen anything like that in 40 years of working on cars. dont know if thats any help, but that was my front brake bleeding experience. later,brian

[GeorgiaSnake]

Phil I bled the inside of the right front then the outside then the same inside outside pattern on the left. I don't know that it makes any difference but I had good pedal from the start.
I set the line lock on the rear and left it overnight and found a very small leak in the tee fitting which I corrected.

Randy

Unique 289 FIA
Southern Automotive 396
Team III 16's
Brilliant Silver

[Brent]

Brian is right.

The manual even states it. Unhook the rod to the rear and bleed the front,unhook the rod from the front and bleed the rear. I also had to pull the pedal up to draw fluid into the cylinder?????????

But it works.

Brent

[pgermond]

Thanks - I did disconnect the front m/c rod... bleed the rear, then disconnected rear m/c rod, reconnect the front and bleed the front.

What I didn't do is pull the pedal back, I simply let it return on its own. That is what I will try next.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)