Hey gang...my bro and I are working feverishly to get the car together by christmas. We assembled the brake system and went to bleed it but nothing happened. We first tried the Haynes method of opening the top bleeder screw on the right rear brake and smartly pushing on the pedal and slowly releasing it...all while the bleeder screw was open. Nothing happened. Then we thought that maybe we could close the screw and just pump on the pedal to builld some pressure....also nothing happened. The fluid in the resevoir is not going into the system...HELP.....are deadline is fast approaching

Can you give us a bit more information what what you mean by "assembled the brake system"? Did you replace the MC? Brake lines? Do you have a proportioning valve iine (and turned so it works)? Have you tried bleeding the other brakes? Did you rebuild the brake calipers? Were they working before you "assembled" them?

Just some questions.

Yeah...okay. So we took all the rear brake lines off the car and the valve that mounts to the outer firewall. Then we removed the mc and replaced the rubber grommets on the top of it. The assembly was just putting it all back onto the car. The brakes worked great before we took them apart. I've bled some brakes before but we had a vacum pump and only opened the bleeder screw when the pedal was depressed. Heelllllppppppp.......?

Start with the wheel closest to the M/C, sometimes it helps to eleviate it. Work the pedal slowly, with the pedal at the top, moving it only an inch or two you will fill the M/C you can tell its happening by bubblels returning to the resevor.Once the res. is stops bubbling you will be pushing fluid into the system. One wheel at a time till you get to the farthest from the M/C. I had to do this on one car 4 times but the brake pedal is at the top and really firm.
:PERMAGRIN: Joe

I agree with above.

Also, If you are still having problems...you need to bench bleed the MC first.

This can be done in the car with two guys...

Get under the front end. loosen the lines to both front and back calipers at the MC...you may even need to take them off...

You need to ensure that the MC has n air in it before it will pump fluid properly...

Rich

Also,

Check to make sure, at the pedal cluster, that everything is lined up so you are actually pumping the master cylinder. It's easy for things to get missed and not lined up when reinstalling the MC...

Jim

Be careful with the resevor, you need to cover it with a rag, beause it can spit fluid on the fender.
:PERMAGRIN: Joe

QUOTE

Also, If you are still having problems...you need to bench bleed the MC first. This can be done in the car with two guys... Get under the front end. loosen the lines to both front and back calipers at the MC...you may even need to take them off... You need to ensure that the MC has n air in it before it will pump fluid properly... Rich

Do you pump the pedal once the lines have been cracked?


thANKS for aLL THE help

yes, slowly..

I do it on a bench, I put my fingers over the brake line holes...

I push down slowly on the push rod part of the master...

You will feel the pressure change once you get the air out of the master cylinder.

In my experience, if you have air in most MC's you cannot get it to push fluid.

It can be done in the car, if you have two guys and you are patient...

Once you see a good shot of fluid coming out of the MC, you will tighten up the lines, fill the resevoir again and start bleeding at the fronts...get the fluid into the system...

I would suggest that you bleed the fronts by removing the lines from the calipers first...get fluid up there...

Then once you have the fronts full of fluid, do the same to the rear...

then, once you know you have fluid to all wheels, start bleeding the calipers at the rear passenger side first...

In this order.

Rear PS
Rear DS
Front PS
Front DS

I would say do it four times minimum through the calipers...

You will end up with an air pocket in the proportioning valve that you need to be ready for...

during a test drive, be in a safe area and prepare to loose alot of pressure in your brakes...

stop you car aggressively ten times minimum...push that pedal hard...you need alot of force to move the air past the proportioning valve...

Then you will feel the pedal go to the floor...pump them up and go home...

Now bleed out that last bit of air...

It is the lovely 914 bleeding method that I use..it works...and you will have more confidence if you take the time and do it right...

Do not forget to set the venting clearance on the rear brakes...

Good luck

Rich

Thanks, all. We got it. The MC was fine. It helps a lot to start with the front left.

what's the venting clearance?

QUOTE (adammtb @ Dec 24 2005, 11:08 AM)

what's the venting clearance?

Book says 0.008"(total).......use 0.004"(total) for best performance.

Also double check that the brake bleeder that is being used is on top. (I forgot if 914 rear brakes have top and bottom bleeders). Anyway be sure to used the top bleeder.

With the pistons pressed into the calipers, another trick is to place used pads (thin) in the rear. Then see if the fluid can push the pistons twd rotor.

Bleed it at the master cylinder first. Just crack the lines, one at a time. Once that's done, move on th the wheels. The Cap'n