brake bleeding (Page 4/5)
theogre NOV 02, 01:29 AM

quote
Originally posted by mrstan:
Has anyone tried the pressure bleeding method of pushing the fluid back up into the master cylinder? I just read an article on this and they say it is great as long as the car does not have an ABS system.

It makes sense to me in that it is pushing the fluid uphill and dragging the air with it to the master cylinder as well. This is done at each wheel it seems and works backward from the gravity method.. Here is ad on ebay that I caught my attention:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/One...-3500-/281836349094. I am not sure of the size of the brake bleeder though..

Any thoughts?

Bad idea for non-ABS too.

All the crap in the lines and calipers goes thru combi valve and MC bore.
Air trap in the MC is a big problem.

MC bore will act as a wide river or lake and allow the dirt etc to sink to bottom. GM Quick Take-up MC used in Fiero won't like this either. QT valve has very small parts.
Combi valve has small holes to plug and part to stick.

If you have a caliper stick because is full of dirt is relatively easy to clean out then get a new seal kit. (Let's ignoring rear piston problems for Fiero and some others for this.)

I've been using Gravity bleeding for decades... A bit slow but never have problems.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 11-02-2015).]

Larryinkc NOV 02, 08:18 AM
I just changed all the calipers on my 88. I used a hand pump vacuum bleeder with standard bleeder screws to get most of the air out of the calipers and lines. I installed a speed bleeder in each caliper after the vacuum bleed.

After all the calipers had speed bleeders I bled each caliper again with the speed bleeder until all the air was out. Very easy to do and brakes are great.

My vacuum bleeder looks like this set.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bra...231738874924&vxp=mtr

[This message has been edited by Larryinkc (edited 11-02-2015).]

Dennis LaGrua NOV 02, 06:49 PM
I believe that pressure bleeding works great BUT if you use a pressure bleeder (with the tank reservoir) getting a seal on the plastic MC tank with the flat plate (with the rubber surface) provided is very hard to achieve. That plate works great on MC's with metal tanks but not the Fiero plastic tank.
The Mightyvac suction bleeder seems to work the best but you must use heavy grease on the bleeder screws to insure that air doesn't get past them. Like Theocre said never let the tank go dry and use fresh fluid.

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

creaky78 DEC 01, 07:29 AM

quote
Originally posted by ElTee:

I've tried a few different methods to bleeding the system, and found that gravity bleeding by far worked the best. Wish I could get the $70 back for the Craftsman brake bleeder I bought. Good Luck!



Agree!! I've bled a lot of brake systems, this method works best, just requires a little patience.
Dennis LaGrua DEC 01, 08:40 AM
I've had good luck with the Russell speed bleeders. They are basically one way check valve bleeder screws. Just install them back them out 1/2 turn to open them, pump the brake 4 or 5 times then tighten them closed.

------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

OldGuyinaGT DEC 01, 11:24 PM

quote
As for the sequence: LR, RR, RF, LF is correct. The LR caliper is the farthest away due to the brake line being ran down the passenger side to the rear brakes. This means that the driver's side caliper is the farthest from the master cylinder. Next farthest would be the RR, then the RF and lastly, the LF with the shortest run of piping to the master cylinder. You may now resume your normally scheduled program...



quote
Remember to use the proper sequence (which is Fiero specific) - LR RR RF LF



I was always taught on other cars that the sequence was RR, LR, RF, LF, because the farthest caliper or cylinder (presumably because the longest line should be bled first). I know the longest line on the Fiero is to the LR. But the '88 FSM lists the usual RR, LR, RF, LF. Got me to thinking (uh-oh!) I can see where you would want to bleed the rears and then the fronts, but does it really matter which rear (or which front) you do first? Presumably you're purging all air from each line anyway. I used the usual sequence and everything seems just fine.
hunter29 MAY 06, 08:50 PM
Looking for comments on the above post..
hunter29 MAY 06, 09:07 PM
Yes, everyone says LR RR but my 86 FSM says RR LR as well, so is the book wrong?
Skybax MAY 06, 09:53 PM
My money is on the book being wrong, wouldn't be the first time (see 86-87 GT & 88 GT rear wheels being 30mm offset and not 35mm as the book states).

Yes most cars the RR is the furthest from MC, but the Fiero LR being farthest away from MC, but I think you're splitting hairs.

PS: What I find is the #1 thing never mentioned in brake bleed threads, especially when it comes to older cars, is you should tape a hockey puck or something similar to the floor below the brake pedal, so that when you are bleeding the pedal doesn't go all the way to the floor, because that cylinder the in MC bore and its seals are used to traveling a certain distance in the bore for many years, and if you max it out while bleeding you can run the seals into murky area where the seals don't normally travel, and while this adds a little more time to your bleed procedure it can prevent ruining a MC.
Patrick MAY 06, 09:56 PM

quote
Originally posted by hunter29:

...so is the book wrong?



Do you believe everything you read?

It's already been explained in this thread why "the book" is wrong.