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Brake Problem on a 1500

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capitalcitycars

Jedi Trainee
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Ok Guys. You have been batting a 1000 helping me with my problems during this restoration. So once again I turning to the bullpen for relief.

My partner and I spent 20minutes bleeding the brakes with no gain in pressure. The master cylinder, hard brake lines, pressure switch, drums, pads, shoes, rotors have all been replaced. No leaks are coming from the system. Any thoughts on what's wrong or what I can try. Thanks!

BTW: Thanks in part to this forum, one more Midget is alive and running. I took her for it's first drive, in an abandoned parking lot, soft brakes and all, in more than a decade. "Murphy" purrs and corners nicely!
 
You're doing the bleeding from longest to shortest lines, yes? And have adjusted the rear shoes to where they need to be for least travel?

Just contemplating all that *could* be affecting you.
 
Wonders if the break pads will reach to the drum? Bet they been turned a lot of times. Can you adjust em tight?
 
Did you bench bleed the master before you installed it? Did you adjust the rear shoes out hard against the drums while bleeding? Try a vacuum bleeder yet? Are you sure the master cylinder is pushing fluid?
Jeff
 
The master cylinder was bench bled before installation. The master cylinder is pushing fluid. The rear was bled then the front. Now, I will double check the rear shoes. That's a start. Has anyone gone to a break shop to have the brakes bled there with a power bleeder? Thanks!
 
Brian, I've used a power bleeder in the past with good success, but now I use my vacuum bleeder. Thirty minutes tops from a totally empty system to a rock solid pedal. Add another five minutes for the clutch.
Jeff
 
Vacuum bleader?? Where? what?
 
I've always used an Eezi-Bleed, pressure as opposed to vacuum. Likely no difference in the end result.
 
I used a vacuum bleeder for my brakes. One of the problems with the old fashioned method is that the PDWA (brake failure switch) on a 1500 gets shifted if you do it the two person way. The manual does talk about centering it again, but on mine (and a few others, from what I gather) the switch latches in place so the centering procedure in the service manual doesn't work. I found you have to unscrew the electric switch from the valve body to let it snap back. The vacuum bleeder worked quickly, didn't disturb the PDWA, and only had to do it once (amazing, considering it was bone dry and I had also switched to DOT 5 fluid, which folks swear is hard to bleed). I agree that if the rear brakes aren't adjusted properly the pedal will feel soft. Good luck!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've always used an Eezi-Bleed, pressure as opposed to vacuum. Likely no difference in the end result.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doc., I'm lazy, and I had both a 12V and a 110V vacuum pump begging to be used, so I went that route. I use a 1.5 Pt. spaghetti sauce jar for a container, with fittings soldered into the cap. I just pull 30" of vacuum on the closed system, and let 'er rip. I've got a remote bleeder for the clutch on most of the cars, so I don't even have to crawl around to do that.

Brian, don't forget to readjust the rears after you get everything bled. It's embarrassing. Or so Ive been told. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angel.gif
Jeff
 
*SNORK!*


...I'll take that under advisement, Jeff. The Elan clutch slave is a "mother."
 
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