Brake Fluid

[HealeyRick]

For all the methods of bleeding I've tried, I've found replacing the bleeders with Speedi-bleeders to work best of all. One person brake bleeding by depressing the brake pedal without having to involve SWMBO with potential marriage-ending shouting matches, "No, not down, up!!!" You can find them here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Austin-Healey-3000-Brakes-Only-Speed-Bleeders-/273985513425 although there are plenty of other sellers if you know the thread sizes. They are already coated with a sealant, so they don't leak. Crank open one bleeder at a time, and you're done.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I've not tried these, but I've replaced a few wheel cylinders over the years, and some come with bleeders that use different-sized wrenches. My BJ8 has 3 bleeders that take a 7/16" wrench--ratcheting end wrenches work well--and one that takes a 3/8" wrench. I don't know if the size or threads of the screws are different, but the 'nut' size is.

 

[HealeyRick]

I've not tried these, but I've replaced a few wheel cylinders over the years, and some come with bleeders that use different-sized wrenches. My BJ8 has 3 bleeders that take a 7/16" wrench--ratcheting end wrenches work well--and one that takes a 3/8" wrench. I don't know if the size or threads of the screws are different, but the 'nut' size is.

I agree, Bob, I've had the same experience. I think the bigger nut sizes are preferable, more meat that doesn't round off as easily. I prefer to use a six-point socket with a 1/4" drive on the bleeders.

 

[steveg]

For all the methods of bleeding I've tried, I've found replacing the bleeders with Speedi-bleeders to work best of all. One person brake bleeding by depressing the brake pedal without having to involve SWMBO with potential marriage-ending shouting matches, "No, not down, up!!!" You can find them here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Austin-Healey-3000-Brakes-Only-Speed-Bleeders-/273985513425 although there are plenty of other sellers if you know the thread sizes. They are already coated with a sealant, so they don't leak. Crank open one bleeder at a time, and you're done.

Rick,
If you use these and are pumping the pedal, how do you tell when the bubbles are done?

I like pulling the fluid out with a syringe - will have to try it with the speedi-bleeders.

Last time I tried them 15+ years ago, the thread sealant leaked after a couple of bleeds.

 

[HealeyRick]

Rick,
If you use these, how do you tell when the bubbles are done?

I like pulling the fluid out with a syringe - will have to try it with the speedi-bleeders.

Last time I tried them 15+ years ago, the thread sealant leaked after a couple of bleeds.

Steve,

Same as the standard ones. Attach a clear tube to the bleeder and put it in a glass jar. Have someone watch until the bubbles disappear, although guilty confession w/o a helper, I sometimes just keep pumping enough fluid through until I think I'm good. They can leak after a few bleeds, but you can also buy the sealant to recoat the threads.

 

[steveg]

Steve,

Same as the standard ones. Attach a clear tube to the bleeder and put it in a glass jar. Have someone watch until the bubbles disappear, although guilty confession w/o a helper, I sometimes just keep pumping enough fluid through until I think I'm good. They can leak after a few bleeds, but you can also buy the sealant to recoat the threads.

Didn't see a speed bleeder sealant per as such on amazon. Wonder if Permatex Thread Sealant would work - it claims to work with hydraulic systems.

Edit - here it is:
https://store-speedbleeder-com.3dcartstores.com/Thread-Sealant_p_19.html

 

[red57]

Every time I read about folks using Speedi-bleeders it seems like there are a lot discussions about methods of getting them to seal - sounds like more work than they're worth . I have not tried them because I've never had any problem with the old fashioned way of bleeding - get pressure & hold, crack bleeder & close when pressure is gone, pump for pressure again, repeat. If you never release the pedal with the bleeder open, you cannot draw air in thru the bleeders so trying to seal the bleeder threads with teflon tape or anything else is not needed.

For one person bleeding, all you need is a stick - just get pedal pressure & prop the pedal down with a stick (I brace the stick against the bottom edge of the dash), go the the cylinder you are working on, crack valve, when dribbling stops, close bleeder, go back & pump pedal and brace with stick again, repeat. No pressure bleeder, speedi-bleeder or any other accessories needed - just a stick and a wrench w/drain tubing.

When I was racing I bled brakes 15 or 20 times (or more) a season, before & after each race weekend and any other maintenance/rebuilds as needed. I had to do it myself so I developed the above method and it never failed to work just fine - only downside is you get a bit more exercise going back & forth to the pedal and the various cylinders.

Dave

 

[John Turney]

I bought a clutch slave cylinder remote bleeder at a CHW auction a couple of years ago. It came with a Speed Bleeder. Worked like a champ, so I bought more for all our vehicles.

I find that having the container to collect fluid from bleeding located above the axle works best. The air will rise to the top of the clear tubing and if there is any backflow into the cylinder, it will be brake fluid.

They do have a sealant. It works better than Teflon tape. http://www.speedbleeder.com/install.htm

 

[Martinld123]

Good deal; glad to help. As for the 'block pedal in place for 24 hours' technique, it makes no sense to me, based on my (limited) knowledge of physics. Air is lighter than BF, obviously, so in a can, for example, air would float to the surface (or the fluid would settle to the bottom, if you prefer). But, there are many turns in a brake system and, in some places the air would have to travel up, then down, or vice versa (or both), to get past some of the turns. It seems to me, putting pressure on a bubble would force it to travel opposite to the direction you want it to; or, more likely, the bubble will be compressed smaller (note pressure bleeding pushes bubbles out the bleeders at the wheels). If there's any benefit to this, it's likely that just letting the BF settle for a day would be the cause. But I'm open to any rational explanation how this works (it's alleged that silicone brake fluid can somehow absorb air, so it's possible letting it sit for a day would allow some air to percolate up).

Bob here is my brake shoe. Still having problem so wonder if this rough area on toe or is it heel of brake pad could be causing shoe not to release until I turn hub a couple of turns. Thanks Marty

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Looks to me like the shoe lining is just a little oversized (this is what brake shoe 'arcing' is supposed to prevent). My feeling, since finding someone who can arc shoes is almost impossible, is just install and let them be 'arced' by the drums. I have no idea if this is a good idea or not, but it's never caused me any problems that I know of. The alternative is to grind or sand--beware the dust--the edges.