cant get pressure in front brakes!

[Can Can Kev]

okay i got a new front brake line and drained brake fluid out and put the new line on, the line is installed properly and doesnt leak at either bolt on places, now i filled the master cylender with fluid and went at it at bleeding the brakes, well 2 hours of bleeding later no avail we have leny of fluid comming out the bleeder and very seldom a tiny air buble but the lever goes all the way to the grip with no hesitatior and there is no pressiure to enguage caliper, what do i need ot do or did i do wrong? HELP!

 

[zookieman]

when bleeding the brake make sure the bleeder screw is closed when you release the brake lever. if you are bleeding properly and still get no pressure, and the caliper is assembled right, and you have the right brake pads. Then something is wrong with the master cylinder. (I work in a brake manufacturing plant)

 

[zookieman]

when bleeding the brake make sure the bleeder screw is closed when you release the brake lever. if you are bleeding properly and still get no pressure, and the caliper is assembled right, and you have the right brake pads. Then something is wrong with the master cylinder. (I work in a brake manufacturing plant) if you have any more questions at all feel free to ask I know brakes inside and out.

 

[splatt]

If you have acsess(sp) to a vacuum pump that is the easiest way to bleed the front brake. That is what I ended up using on mine. Some others might have some other ways of doing it without one.

 

Steve

 

[MX-727]

Go to the local auto parts store and pick up a Mighty Vac. Makes the job quick and painless.

 

[Can Can Kev]

yes everything is working the master cylender is working there is fluid comming out just like any other time i would bleed the brakes and yes i know how to bleed brakes..... i even tryed tapping the caliper and marster cylender to dislodge soem of the bubles .... when u put a new brakeline on and drain and re fill the system is it normally like this, would a vacum pump make it real easy? how much are they and how do u use one......

 

[Can Can Kev]

oh and all i did was put a nw line on because the old one sprung a leak i didint touch or disassemble the caliper or master cylender... and they worked fine before the leak so there should be no rerason that they are bad.....

 

[Layton]

You simply still have air in them. Front brakes on bikes are hard to bleed without the Mighty Vac or something like it.

 

[Can Can Kev]

ohhh WEEEW! i thought somthin was wrong because i sat there bleeding them for a long long long time but i guess ill have ot pickup that tool or see if Kragen rents one.... thanks

 

[Can Can Kev]

the pump tools is lie ka hand sqeeze pump type thing right? its not electric? because all i could find was the hand pump type kind if thats all they make?

 

[DWreck]

Its nice to know that someone else is going through the same hell I am right now. Kev, I feel your pain. I started out trying to put on new front and rear brake pads and a new back rotor. After getting all of the bolts out of the rear rotor but the last one..... it stripped. I thought well at least I can put new pads on the front and bleed it and live with the back for my ride tomorrow. Here I am two hours later and still no pressure to the front brake.

 

[qwchrbeliakn]

I just finished bleeding the air out of the front brakes on a friends Honda. It's a pain since the piston is a little bitty thing that doesn't move much brake fluid.

After pumping the lever for 10 mins or so to avail, I noticed that the brake line rose up from the bottom and rounded out over and above the brake lever and master cylinder (i.e., the air was trapped in the bend near the brake lever because the bend was above the master cylinder.

I loosened the perch clamps and slid the lever into a position that dropped the bend below the master cylinder.

The brakes came to after about 4 more pumps.

Hope this helps,

tom

 

[Can Can Kev]

hmm i dont see how that could help mine there isnt really any bends where it can be stuck how do u use one of those vaccum pump tools just sit there and pump out fluid or do u have to sqweeze the lever and junk liek u normally do when u bleed them......

 

[JasonWho]

Hello, all. I am suffering from the exact same front brake bleeding problem. I have a 1994 Kawasaki KDX 200. The brakes worked fine, but since the motorcycle was purchased used, I thought it would be a good idea to drain and re-fill the front brakes with new fluid since I had no idea how old the old fluid was. The bike had 258 miles on it when I bought it, and I started fooling with the front brakes at 300 miles.

I have pumped out all the old fluid plus plenty of new fluid. To avoid a problem such as qwchrbeliakn mentioned, I took the front master cylinder off the bike and held it higher than the rest of the system. I believe I followed the service manual correctly to fill the system with new brake fluid. When attempting to bleed the system, I poured some brake fluid in the open master cylinder, then slowly pumped the lever a few times. The manual states that after a few pumps, the air bubbles inside the master cylinder will be bled off. I noticed that this didn't appear to be happening. After a few pumps, I noticed that if I barely pulled the lever in, several air bubbles would come up. Is this normal or not? I went ahead and screwed the cover down and tried to bleed them, but the lever would never build much pressure. I would pull it several times, then crack the bleeder valve open and the lever would go all the way in, then I would close the bleeder valve, then let go of the lever. It just won't build pressure. I would re-check the fluid level and have to add a little. I didn't run it completely out. After a few attempts and re-fills, it just won't maintain pressure.

Any ideas?

Thank you,
JasonWho

 

[Senior KX Rider]

MITYVAC.........MITYVAC.........MITYVAC........MITYVAC....... :scream:

 

[JasonWho]

Is a MityVac a little plastic jug with a squeeze handle? Do you just fill it up and inject the fluid from the bottom toward the top? Do you have to bleed it after the mityvac?

Thank you,
JasonWho

 

[Rcannon]

The Mityvac attaches to the bottom of the system and "sucks" the old fluid and air through. After my last two hour brake bleeding operation, I bought one. What these guys are saying is true. It works. I bought mine at autozone. I believe it was under 30.00 ....money well spent.

 

[wsmc831]

just get a syringe at a vet supply place, a small length of tubing that fits over the bleed nipple, and push fluid from the bottom.

I bought my mityvac years ago, still doesnt beat the back bleed.

 

[JasonWho]

OK, so you all are not talking about the little $8 one-man brake bleeding kit at AutoZone. I will have to look for one.

Thank you,
JasonWho

 

[CaptainObvious]

I second the syringe method. I use a 500cc syringe and some clear tubing. Before you start you'll want to make sure that there isn't any air in the syringe or line. Then simply attach the line to the bleed nipple and start pushing fluid through the system. Keep an eye on the master cylinder so it doesn't over fill (it fills quickly). Close the nipple, remove the line and bleed normally. They usually come right up.

 

[wsmc831]

I think the mityvac was about 35 dollars or so. It does work fine, but I've found the best way to get rid of all the air is to PUSH the fluid up, not pull it down.

cheap syringe and piece of tubing is all ya need. imop

 

[JasonWho]

On the syringe, would you tap it like they do on TV when they are about to inject someone? Could I find one at a feed and seed place or would I have to go to a veterinarian? How much is it? I don't have $30 or $35 for a Mityvac at the moment.

Thank you,
JasonWho

 

[Senior KX Rider]

You should be able to get one at a Feed and seed/Livestock supply place. i have used the syringe method too. It works fine

 

[DWreck]

Thank you all a million times over. Mighty Vac saved the day. Jason Who, the one I just bought says (Mightyvac VACUUM PUMP automotive tune-up and brake bleeding kit). It was $29 plus tax and it was worth every penny. I haven't ever had lever pressure like this! Between this and new pads it might be a good idea to order a new visor for my helmet. :eek:

 

[Can Can Kev]

okay guess i need a mity vac then! one question since it sucks fluid and stuff out u need to keep dumping in brake fluid correct so do u just keep the master cylender cover off and keep dumping in fluid? and since the mighty vac sucks all the air out u dont need to bleed them the normal way? after u use it your done right ??

Man i didnt think everyone else was having the same problem i was haha well this was a learning thread for me and some others .....