Hey everyone. I am working on a 59 Nash Met. I've never bled a system like this before. It's all stock. It has a Lucas M/C. The M/C is the lowest point in the system......mounted underneath the floorboard. Obviously it won't gravity bleed. Is there anything special I should know before I start? I've just never worked on a hydraulic system like this before. I have already bench bled and installed the master...... I guess I should just wait till I have another person and do up and down pressure bleeding?? I'm just getting impatient. Working alone sucks sometimes. thanks for any help. Hitchhiker
One way to do this alone is to put a small hose (clear is nice) and put it on the bleeder - with the other end submerged in a container of brake fluid. Crack the bleeder & cycle the pedal - you'll be surprised at how well it works by doing just that.
great idea! i'm strugglin with the bleedin brakes alone too. i'm gonna try that out.... soon as it stops rainin.
I had to do my model A chassis the same way..and the only person too..Im sure it looked funny, glad no one was watching
I agree it sucks working alone. To get around the bleeding task on my pickup I adapted a $10 garden type pump sprayer. The one I used was a 1.5 gallon unit. I cut the hose at the spray wand and modified a spare M/C cap to hook up to it. Hook everything up and pump it up about 25 strokes to check for leaks. Depressurize by unscrewing the pump. Pour in a couple of pints of fluid and pump it up again and start bleeding. It works real well with DOT3. I understand air can be induced into DOT5 using this method.
a "mighty vac" works well when you're working alone. Here's what I've done when working all alone. Grabbed my wife's adjustable, spring loaded clothes rod. It screws in and out to adjust length. WEdge it between the pedal and the front seat-back. Leisurely shuffle to your bleeding screws and open one at a time. The spring in the clothes rod will keep it planted on the pedal even if it goes to the floor during bleeding. Works for me. PS..never "pump" the pedal up...you're just introducing air into the fluid and it will take a few minutes for it to get out of the fluid...just a simple, single stroke and wedge the pedal down..
The problem with Mets in general is they have two wheel cylinders in each wheel but only one has a bleeder valve so you can't get them bled easily even with another person around. Best trick to bleed those %&##@% things is after you bleed them best you can, then pump them up and jamb a 2x4 or something like that between the pedal and the seat and let it sit overnight so it forces fluid to the non-bleeder cylinder. You may have to do that more than once as its a sucky system to bleed. Every Met owner has problems bleeding that system. If you run into problems call Paul Reeder @ Metropolitan Restoration Service in Hartleton, Pa. 570 922 0012. Not only is he a great helpful guy but knows these things inside & out and is the best place for Met parts. I'm also working on one as we speak.
I've had a lot of brake problems..so I've learned a lot about bleeding brakes go to a large animal vet. and buy a BIG syringe, and some 1/4 inch hose from the auto parts store. fill the syringe with brake fluid open one bleeder put the hose on the bleeder and slowly back fill the MC with brake fuid. now the next one ............ any one want to buy a $60 mighty vac????
Great... I have the whole brake system on my 58 met torn out and I am getting ready to go back up with it. I guess I will be having the same problems too. Maybe I should tear all the stock stuff out and up grade to a more modern system. . Tim
FWIW,,I think you will find your MC is Lockheed or perhaps Girling. I could be wrong Lucas is the crowd responsible for warm beer,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,old joke,,,,,,,,,,
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