Moss Motors, Ltd

joel,

I believe that somewhere in that thread to which I referred you earlier, there is a description of bleeding the master. Have a look. I know I've put it somewhere. If you can't find it I'll rewrite it for you. This will also tell you if the master cylinder is doing its job.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

motorbill,

I wasn't able to find an ACCUAL descripion of bleeding the master.  It appears to me though that all I have to do in crack open the lines where they meet at the master and pump the pedal?  should i open and close the lines in the same manner as I would if i were bleeding the brakes?  should I open all the lines at once or just one at a time?

joel

joel,

Don't pump the pedal repeatedly with the lines cracked open. You'll accomplish nothing but the introduction of air into the master cylinder. You can do both lines at once, however while you are retightening one air will be displacing fluid in the other unless you are extremely quick. First try it one line at a time. Do the one furthest from the pedal. Use the same procedure as you would on a wheel cylinder or caliper. It's a pain because you really need two swings of the wrench to get things open well. If you can, start closing the line fitting while the fluid is still being ejected by the downward stroke of the pedal. Some American and Japanese cars actually have bleeder nipples right on the master cylinder. I gotta admit, this is a nice idea...

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

motorbill,

tried to bleed the master. got some air and fluid out of both lines for the front (so I assume that the m/c in working properly?).then tried to bleed the calipers again...no luck.  so I disconected the lines from the master and from the flex hoses, sprayed brake cleaned through lines and through the flex hoses into the calipers, then I blew them all out with an air hose.  I have reconnected the lines but not yet tried anything else since it was getting late. 

When I was bleeding the master, I noticed that I could here air when the pedal was depressed.  I ried to find the location of it, I assume it is coming from the servo unit. I think this is normal, right?  I can hear the air, not feel it. 

joel

bled the brake lines again.  alot better now. Not sure I'm 100% happy with the front calipers though.  they stopped the rotor from turning though when the pedal was depressed, so it's alot better than it was before.  but, still a work in progress.  Found that the left rear drum is still not working though.  took the drum off and found that the wheel cylinder is not working properly...this will be my next task.  I'm gonna take it apart and see if I just need a rebuild kit or if I need the whole thing.  I think either way that I would probably be happier by just buying 2 new wheel cylinders.

joel

I got the wheel cylinders apart and bought the rebuild kits for both drums.  The only concern I have before bleeding the lines again is that according to the diagrams in my manuals, the seal ont he piston goes on so that the high side of the seal is towards the center of the wheel cylinder.  However, I tried and tried to get the pistons pressed into the cylinder with the seals on this way with no luck at all.  I could get the pistons in about half way and then they woould just pop back out.  So, I put the seals on the other way and the pistons went right in.  So the question is, is this going to cause me problems?  If so, what is the trick to get the pistons in the cylinder with the seals on the pistons in the proper direction according to the manual?

thanks,

joel