Date:         Tue, 24 Dec 1996 06:45:13 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Diebolt <jdiebolt@up.net>
Subject:      Re: Bleeding Bloody Brakes

>How do you do a "bench bleed" of the master?
>What are the symptoms of air in the master?
>and how is it different than air in one of the lines?
>Anbody do a PRESSURE bleed, by applying pressure to the resevoir?
>If so how much pressure? before things get ugly, and messy?
To bench bleed a master cylinder you need a screwdriver and some fluid and
something to hold the cyl. in place. Fill the small hole for the inlut of
the master, it will onlt hold a little bit. The hold your finger over the
outlet ports, only worry about one half at a time. Installing the switches
will also give you one less hole to worry about. The push in with your
screwdriver where the pedal linkage goes. If you get any fluid out of the
outlet ports it's bleed.
The symptoms of air in the master are very much the same as air in the line
or for that matter as air in the cylinders or calipers.
I have used a power bleeder many times they are great for changing the
fluid (yes some people actually change it very two years like the book
says). You don't want to exceed 10 PSI. If that don't do it find the problem.
I've also used the jar and hose method when noone was home to help me.
Always worked fine for me.
Are the rear brakes adjusted properly? Are the bleeders for the calipers on
the top of the caliper? If there are two bleeders on the calipers are you
using the top ones? Some vans have two, one I guess is for draining. I have
seen some "home" mechanincs install the calipers on the wrong sides,
leaving the bleeders on the bottom. You'll never get the air out then.
Greetings from Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Jeff & Jean-Marie Diebolt
jdiebolt@up.net