Mostly new system, no pedal

amalgamator · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:16 am Post subject: Mostly new system, no pedal

I put on all new brake lines, master cylinder, booster, rear wheel cylinders, and rebuilt the front calipers. Tried to bleed system. No go. Came to find out they gave me a wrong master cylinder. (for a drum front). Put on correct MC.
Using a vacuum type bleeder, I can get fluid out of the rear, but not the front. Could the incorrect MC have wacked the metering/proportiong valve out of position? and if so, how do you reset it or check it? Or could there be another problem I'm missing? You guys are always a great help. Thanks in advance.

78 Hot Rod Elky · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject:

First off did you bench bleed the mastercylinder? and yes you could have locked the proportioning valve. If that is the case you will need a friend to help, their is a small button on one end of the valve that will need to be pushed in while bleeding the brakes, you will need to use the flat end of a screwdriver to push it in because it is small and will hurt your finger doing this. You may need to open all bleeders first before pushing then close while still holding it in. Then start your bleeding sequence.
It also may take a few tries doing this to reset the valve.

Good luck
Dan
_________________
78 Hot Rod Elky, Black Knight
68 Chevy longbed stepside
99 custom built Harley
Region 8 Director

amalgamator · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:55 pm Post subject: Yea I did.

I bench bled that MC after I couldn't get a pedal. Yea, I know, I should have done that first. And I know better too. Thansk for the info. I'll give it a shot if I can find a willing accomplice. Most all my accompices are in the slammer right now though. (Just kiddin') I'll let ya know how I make out.

amalgamator · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:18 pm Post subject: Hey Dan

Didn't find any "button" to push, but I did open both back bleeders and slam the pedal real hard a couple of times. (I read about this "trick" in another forum) and I finally have a decent pedal...BUT...I still can't get any fluid to bleed out of the front calpers. I cracked the fitting at the MC just to make sure there was pressure out of the MC to the front line. And there is. So...I guess I'll be buying a new metering valve. I don't know what else to do.
Thanks anyway.

78 Hot Rod Elky · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:24 am Post subject:

Sorry but I didn't even think about this--- did you try removing the bleeder completly from the caliper and clean it because those bleeders are prone to clogging. You will need a small drill bit to clean them, their is a very small hole on the bottom side of bleeder that no matter how much pressure their is it will not clean itself try that first or you can even buy them at your local auto parts.

Dan
_________________
78 Hot Rod Elky, Black Knight
68 Chevy longbed stepside
99 custom built Harley
Region 8 Director

amalgamator · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:35 am Post subject: Bleeders

Yea, I checked all the bleeders bro. I was at a cruise-in last eve. and saw that pin/button you were talking about on a 67 Chevelle that had the prop. vlv. near the MC. He had put on a chrome booster and MC and now has a real hard pedal that he's baffled about. But Mine doesn't have it. Talked to another guy who suggested opening the caliper bleeders and putting hoses on them and then into bottles filled with fluid and pump the pedal alot. He said it sucked the fluid from the bottles and brought an air bubble out of the syustem, then they were fine. Another wierd thing I read this morning when looking in the "El Camino Store" catalogue. It said something about a primary and a secondary valve. The later on the frame and the primary near the MC on a couple years that included my 69. I don't remember any other valve looking thing on the original system. 'Course I either trashed or turned in a core, can't remember, from the original. All this was over 2 years ago. The system sat empty til a couple weeks ago. Then all this BS started. Thanks again.