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11/15/2018 8:14 AM  #1


Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

Checked all the connections, reverse bleed all the wheels....still soft pedal.  I'm narrowing it down to the master cylinder now. So I found a couple of youtube videos on bleeding the MC in the car and read several forums that say this works.  Bench bleeding is preferred but this should get the job done.

Looks like it's just a matter of connecting a fluid line from the fluid resevoir the front drivers side bleeder screw on the caliper.  Then pump a million times and make sure your fluid level doesn't run low.  Anyone do this before?  This sound about right?

 

11/15/2018 8:26 AM  #2


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

I've always "Bench Bled" my master cylinders in the car, but the way I did it was connect the lines from the MC into their corresponding reservoir on the MC (just like you would when doing it on a bench) and then pumped the brake pedal very slowly until there were no bubbles.

 

11/15/2018 9:19 AM  #3


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

Michael H. wrote:

I've always "Bench Bled" my master cylinders in the car, but the way I did it was connect the lines from the MC into their corresponding reservoir on the MC (just like you would when doing it on a bench) and then pumped the brake pedal very slowly until there were no bubbles.

That would mean I would have to disconnect the existing lines going into the MC.  Not impossible but I'm likely to booger up the threads or pinch a line.  I'll try the hose to the caliper method first.

     Thread Starter
 

11/15/2018 12:53 PM  #4


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

It can work, but is much slower than bench bleeding.  The air has a much longer path to get out, and the air has to travel down rather than up, which it isn't really inclined to do. 

In my opinion it takes a couple minutes to pull the master, rig up some lines and bench bleed it.  That's a better option than fighting the air for hours, and in the end possibly ending up pulling it to bench bleed it anyway. 

The trick with loosening brake lines is penetrating oil like Sili Kroil.  Then I use a pair of vice grips like these on the fitting:
https://www.amazon.com/Tools-VISE-GRIP-Locking-Wrench-Cutter/dp/B00004SBBD

These will allow you to break the fitting lose without rounding off the nut as an open end wrench will certainly do, and even a flare nut wrench can do. 

 

11/15/2018 5:44 PM  #5


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

I feel your pain  Trem Wa........I have the same issue
. "I Think"....do'in it like Michael said would be less messy. 
That's on my list of car stuff to do..........replace MC.
6s6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

11/16/2018 2:15 PM  #6


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

Bleeding a MC by running a tube from the bleeder does absolutely nothing if bench bleeding is what you want to accomplish.  Simply bleeding the caliper would do the same thing.
Sal, why not just follow the ***** directions and benchbleed the ****** thing?

If you want to bench bleed it in the car, just undo the two ports and run a hard line from each port to each respective bowl, below the liquid level.  Pump the pedal fully and slowly for a few minutes, then hook the lines back up.  Simple as that.

I suggest gravity bleeding starting at RR, then LR, then RF, then LF, then repeat.  It takes about one beer per wheel.  Just don't let the MC run dry in the process.
After those 4 (or 8, however you repeat the process), you might want to wait a while before hitting the road.


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

11/16/2018 2:25 PM  #7


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

MS wrote:

Bleeding a MC by running a tube from the bleeder does absolutely nothing if bench bleeding is what you want to accomplish.  Simply bleeding the caliper would do the same thing.

No and Yes.

If you are going to bleed the MC by way of the caliper you are probably going to go through about 1 gallon of brake fluid before you get all the air out. These brake fluid reservoirs hold maybe 8-10oz fluid.  Which means you will be doing a lot of manually recirculating of fluid back to the reservoir unless you plan on buying all that brake fluid.  Putting the hose from the caliper to the fluid reservoir just means you are only concerned w/ keeping the fluid level up.  Plus you can just look over the dash to see the hose and the air running through the line.  In essence, it saves you a step.  But to your point, you will still end up pumping the brake about 1000 times.  Will follow up when I'm done.
 

     Thread Starter
 

12/02/2018 10:06 PM  #8


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

 

12/03/2018 12:37 AM  #9


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

You can "bench" bleed the MC (on the car or off)  by running the lines into the reservoir and pushing the plunger.  However, if you use clear tubing, you will see that often, the fluid doesn't make it into the reservoir before getting sucked back down, so it takes a lot of time.  You can speed that up considerably by pinching the lines when the piston is released.  A better way, and one that I recently used on a 64 Chrysler, is the new method Cardone describes here:

http://www.cardone.com/tech-help/brakes/how-it-works-and-best-practices/master-cylinder-bench-bleeding-procedure


Cheap, Fast, Good:  Pick Any Two
 

12/03/2018 6:53 AM  #10


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

There are also cheap one way valves designed specifically for bleeding brakes you an buy at most auto parts stores.  You can also use a small plastic syringe to inject the tubes with brake fluid so they are full before you start bleeding.  Drugstores have those little syringes for giving medicine to babies. 

 

12/07/2018 3:51 PM  #11


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

I put them empty so I don't dribble nything on the paint, fill it and crack the flare fittings and let gravity do the work. I use a rag to catch the fluid


I'm not a complete idiot.....pieces are missing. Tom
 

12/08/2018 4:07 PM  #12


Re: Bleeding Master Cylinder in Car

I just use plugs to avoid drips.  Then quickly pull the plugs one at a time and thread in the lines.  Some sheet plastic with rags on top ensure nothing gets on the paint.   

 

Board footera


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