Brake bleeding sequence

tigger · Post by **tigger** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:11 pm

Afternoon all

I have to replace a front calliper, so I'll be getting my eezibleeder kit out anyway and I thought I might as well bleed some new clean fluid into the system all around. Couple of questions aimed at anyone who's bled bongo brakes:

1. What's the sequence for bleeding all 4 corners?
2. Any known issues with bleeding bongo front callipers when replacing them, or do they bleed easily? (some designs of calliper are real b*ggers!)
3. What grade of fluid to use? (can't remember if it specifies on the reservoir cap)
4. Anything else bongo-specific to look out for? (I've done brakes on various vehicles in the past)

Many thanks!

tigger

Post by **francophile1947** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:18 pm

Hi
You usually start with the calliper that is furthest from the master cylinder and work your way inwards.
Dot 4 is the fluid to use.
Not heard of anything peculiar with Bongo brakes so good luck, it should be nice and easy with an Eezibleed. Just make sure you've got a brake spanner because the nipples can round off easily.

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:19 pm

There wasn't a cap that fitted the reservoir in my easibleed kit so I had an accomplice hold a plate over it which I had made for my motorbike reservoir.

You might want to check that you have one that fits or knock something up first...

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:15 pm

tigger - workshop manual confirms what franco says. Start with wheel furthest from master cylinder and move towards it in sequence

I want to replace my fluid (the car for all you jokers, not MY fluid

) using eezibleed so v. interested to get hear how it goes (+ is it practical for one person on their own and can it be done without having to take wheels off unless working on the the brake assembly).

Good luck

Mike

Yamaha · Post by **Yamaha** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:08 pm

At least you've already got the funnel and pipe, Mike!!

Mike

celt and kaz · Post by **celt and kaz** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:35 pm

Just a little trade tip, if you don't have an Ezi Bleed, and you have lots of air in the system, for example replacing all brake pipes or having replaced all the brake hoses, start from the wheel nearest the master cylinder, bleed out most of the air, then return to the furthest and work back to the nearest.
Always best though to use an Ezi Bleed as bleeding brakes by pumping the pedal can sometimes work out time consuming and expensive as the seals in the master cylinder can get ruined during the bleeding operation. This is due to the fact that the internal bore of the cylinder can form a wear ridge due to the fact that during normal braking the pistons' travel is constantly to the same point in the cylinder. So when you start to bleed the brakes the piston is now forced past the wear ridge, which basically rips off the sealing edge of the seals so allowing fluid to bypass them, poor brakes, rebuild needed etc,.
As franco said, DOT 4 fluid, make sure you use a brake spanner to loosen bleed nipples, or a hex socket to loosen then a normal spanner, and most important of all, don't get any brake fluid on your paintwork. It makes an excellent paint stripper.

ebygum32 · Post by **ebygum32** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:58 pm

don't forget the little rubber cap ontop of the bleed nipple

and if your quite flexible you can reach the nipples without taking the wheel off

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:23 pm

V interesting celt and kaz - I remember learning all that the hard way on my old Morris 1000. Problem with that car was you could get all the seized pistons, leaky seals etc cleaned out and running well, new drum linings etc. and the brakes were still naffing useless going down a steep hill due to brake fade. Mind you, at least you could get a bruised foot standing on the brake pedal cos the hydaulics were rock solid

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:25 pm

Oh and Yamaha, I dont think so. Dont want to get any left over brake fluid in contact with anything delicate when I next use the funnel for its original intended purpose

tigger · Post by **tigger** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:34 am

Hello again - quick question

Anyone know the size (inside and outside diameters) of the copper washers that go either side of the brake pipe union bolt (calliper end) to seal it? I had to re-use the old ones and as a result it's weeping a bit (not good.) I know I could take 'em off and measure 'em, but if anyone knows the size I can buy them today and fit them tonight!

For the record:

If you need a new front calliper, Japarts can supply them direct from Japan for £200 plus a tenner postage. Which seems to be over £100 cheaper than Mazda UK (but still expensive).

Easy to fit if you're happy to work on brakes. A brake clamp hose is a useful tool here.

Seemed easy to bleed - expelled all the air straight away using Gunson Eezibleed pressure bleeder.

BUT - it's a b*gger to get an air-tight seal using said pressure bleeder, even reducing the PSI from 20 to 15. None of the stock caps fits (as pointed out by someone already). So I drilled a 3/8 hole in my own cap - first I had to sand down the embossed writing on the top to get a seal on the air hose union. I also removed the rubber sealing gasket from inside the cap - perhaps I should have left it in a drilled it too, but I didn;t want to damage it. Then I used the thickest rubber seal from the Gunson kit, plus a flexible rubber diaphragm that I had to make. Took ages to get it to work. But once it did, it bled in in minutes.

cheers

tigger

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:16 pm

Glad you got it done OK tigger - good news. I'd be v interested in any pics of the mods you had to make to the Gunson as its hard to visualise it in words and I (and others no doubt!) will have to face teh dreaded Gunson in due course.

Happy motoring

Mike