Hey Guys....I installed power brakes on my 1953 ford...Just having a bit of trouble getting any brake peddle. Do I need to prime the master cylinder first then on to the wheel cylinders..And how is the best way to prime the Master? Thanks....Scot
Master should be primed on a bench so you don't get brake fluid on your car. That said, you need to push in theplunger untill you get fluid coming from all the ports. It will take a few pumps. Then connect the lines and bleed one corner at a time, starting with the furthest bleed valve from the master, and working closer.
oh.. and power or not, you do NOT need to have the motor running to bleed the brakes. power and non power brakes bleed the same way.
Check the Tech Week winner (Da tinman). Jay has the slick trick for bleeding brakes in about 10 minutes. Stu
We recently bled some brakes and used the "Speed Bleeder valves" like Summit and others sell. Never had it so easy and never got the lines bled so completely as with these. You just crack them open a little and the check ball inside lets the air and fluid out but keeps more air from getting ****ed back in. I was skeptical at first, but now I am a believer. http://www.summitracing.com/search/...uct-Line/Russell-Speed-Bleeders/?autoview=sku Don
Just an idea, I had a bad time bleeding brakes on a 2500 truck through an abs unit.***uming you have an air compressor. My solution was to take the old master cylinder cap, drill a hole in it, screw in an air line fitting. Next completly turn down your air regulator so that no air is flowing, slowly turn the regulator up to about 3-4psi turn off the air compressor and bleed it down. Fill up your master almost to the top, crack all 4 bleeders open, put the air hose onto the cap, hook up the air hose, turn on the compressor, keep an eye on the master level, and the bleeders, once the bleeders start dripping, undo the air line, tighten up the bleeders, top off the master and your done. This is kind of last resort, but it does work.
There is a better solution than using the air hose. Cost will be under 20 bucks if you catch the yard sprayer on sale at Ace or some other hardware/ yard supply store. http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/bleeder/index.htm You can build your own pretty easily and the only bad part is that you have to set up a different cap for each master cylinder. No pissed off wife because you drag her out the garage and away from dancing with stars to help bleed the brakes either. Otherwise it is bench bleed the master cylinder as someone said previously. Then put it on the car and fill it. Have the helper slowly pump the brakes several times and hold the pedal down while you open the bleeder that is furthest away from the master cylinder line wise. then go to the next closest and work you way around. NEVER let the master cylinder run out of fluid no matter which method you use. If you do you will have to start over.
I"ve always primed the master cyl by making up lines that go from the output and back into the master bowl. Have them curve right back into the bowl, somewhere near the bottom. Clamp the master in a vise, fill the bowl(s) and push in with a wood dowel or br*** punch slowly. You'll be able to watch the bubbles come from the lines, you'll never uncover the pistons and introduce air back into it. Master cyls 'used' to come with cheapo plastic lines and fittings just for this procedure, plus some had a little spring thing that slipped over the edge of the bowl and held the little plastic lines in the right position. Your bleeding will take a lot longer and won't be as complete if you don't have a good prime on the master. It has always worked for me. All this is ***uming that you don't have a pressure bleeder. Bill
More info is really needed. If you are using the stock '53 manual pedal, the ratio is wrong for power brakes. With no vacuum ***ist, the master (single system for '64) has to bottom out (with the system open) before the pedal hits the floor. The stock '53 6 +:1 ratio will prevent this, as common power ratios are in the 3-4:1 range. Is the master new or rebuilt? If these parts were simply taken from a '64 truck, STOP! You really need to use new or rebuilt parts, not 48 year old stuff. The use of a new or much newer booster/dual master combo would be the best, but the pedal ratio still has to be changed or modified to be correct. The above has to be verified before a good bleed can be accomplished.
I bench bleed with the master in my bench vise, fill it up, keep the cover off. Then I hold 2 fingers over the line ports, work the pedal rod in and out, watch for the bubbles to stop rising out of the reservoir ports and call it bled. Bob
This is correct. On disc brakes, once the system is bled, start the car to get the power ***ist to fully push the pads out against the rotors. I then give the fronts a quick bleed, one shot each wheel. Bob
The $20DIY hardware store tank bleeder looks like a Tech Winner to me. I have kludged up a pressure bleed on tough systems in the past. Do that to oil prime engines or fuel pump/gas lines as well.
i'm guessing you have drum brakes on all wheels? before you try and bleed the brakes you need to make sure the brakes are set up, if i have trouble bleeding i set the brakes up tight and then when i'm done bleeding i reset them to where they should be.
$20 "Garden sprayers" and similar tank bleeders are not the best way to bleed brakes. You want to keep air out of brake fluid, not force air into it. That's why a correct brake pressure bleeder cantains the fluid in a sealed bladder, and is much more expensive. Cheap isn't always best. Better off to simply pedal bleed.
I used a pressure bleeder in a couple of shops I worked in since we often worked alone and had to get the work out fast. Otherwise, I do it the old fashioned way. I did brake work day in and out for 10 years and can count the problem-bleeds I've had on one hand. Bob
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