first time bleeding brakes and at wits end - plz help

[kotkinjs1]

I know I'm new at this but this shouldn't be rocket science - especially with a Mityvac, right?. I rebuilt both the rear caliper and master cylinder, reassembled everything tonight and put in brake fluid to fill the system up and bleed. I think it all bled fine but then when I go to retighten the bleeder valve it never seems to fully close -- there's always suction pulling the fluid out, now with a lot of bubbles, when it's as tight as I can screw it in without fear of stripping it. When I apply more vacuum it pulls more fluid and bubbles out.

Plus, when I put the little rubber cap on and pump the brake just to check what's what, after a pump or two brake fluid then blows the cap off and shoots out the nipple. So what could this be? Did I do something wrong? Is something wrong with the caliper? The nipple? It's in as tight as it'll go. Please help!

[joecoolsuncle]

go get a new nipple. the nipple end that mates to the caliper will rust and corode, then will not seat. you can polish it back to seating, or buy a new one. if you feel lucky with emory and working at the correct angle, go for it! better is to buy new one, remove old one, clean the hole in the caliper , install new bleeder, bleed, do happy dance.

[kotkinjs1]

it is a new bleeder screw, the one that came in the Brakecrafters kit.

[Rambozo]

Make sure it matches your old bleed screws, exactly. If not, get Honda OEM, to be sure.

[kotkinjs1]

ok so what I was afraid happened did happen - the female end of the bleeder screw in the caliper is stripped. Not totally but I fished out some aluminum shavings from inside and the bleeder screw now doesn't tighten all the way. So it's a shot caliper I guess.

BUT, I've got a spare caliper from an 83....I think it's an 83 because it's got 32mm pistons. Can I just get a rebuild kit for that year (seals, etc) and swap it plug and play style? I know the 83 had linked brakes where my 82 doesn't but the caliper looks the same aside from the larger pistons - and more importantly it's got a good bleeder screw male/female.

[Rambozo]

If you have a good local brake shop, you can take your caliper there and they can drill and tap for an oversized bleed screw. This is done all the time for truck and trailer brakes, that get corroded.

[joecoolsuncle]

ok so what I was afraid happened did happen - the female end of the bleeder screw in the caliper is stripped. Not totally but I fished out some aluminum shavings from inside and the bleeder screw now doesn't tighten all the way. So it's a shot caliper I guess.

BUT, I've got a spare caliper from an 83....I think it's an 83 because it's got 32mm pistons. Can I just get a rebuild kit for that year (seals, etc) and swap it plug and play style? I know the 83 had linked brakes where my 82 doesn't but the caliper looks the same aside from the larger pistons - and more importantly it's got a good bleeder screw male/female.

one thing to learn, no matter the fakebook reviews, is that junk companies are everywhere. its the reason OEM is always recommended. same as jet kits. FACTORY jet kits is a great example, and has cost those who do not know lots of engines. bleed screwa are almost always the same taper....unless some greedy new company decides to sell you chinese junk that doesnt even have the same taper or depth.

[LittleGoldy]

ok so what I was afraid happened did happen - the female end of the bleeder screw in the caliper is stripped. Not totally but I fished out some aluminum shavings from inside and the bleeder screw now doesn't tighten all the way. So it's a shot caliper I guess.

BUT, I've got a spare caliper from an 83....I think it's an 83 because it's got 32mm pistons. Can I just get a rebuild kit for that year (seals, etc) and swap it plug and play style? I know the 83 had linked brakes where my 82 doesn't but the caliper looks the same aside from the larger pistons - and more importantly it's got a good bleeder screw male/female.

Well sir, My 82 Aspencade has 30 mm pistons all the way around and the 83 Interstate has linked 32 mm piston calipers front left, rear. The right front on the 83 has 25 mm pistons and is solely operated by the front brake lever.

Does this mean mine are 100% factory correct? Not exactly sure but 2 82's both have 30 mm all the way around. I only have 1 83 so nothing to compare it too.
By the way, Brake Crafters is whom I bought my kits from too. I used all their parts to rebuild my 83 Brakes. I bought Galfer Stainless Steel Brake Lines and twice they shipped me the WRONG #$@*&^%$# Threaded end to couple to the hard line. Yes they made it right, BUT, they 100% knew which fitting it was supposed to be and shipped the wrong 3/8" X 16 threaded end twice. It is supposed to be a 10mm X 1.0 thread. I used my sizing tool to find out WTF was wrong and I was a lil unnerved by the incompetency, but, they finally got it right the third send. Now I know why they charge so much for brake lines. They have to make em 3 times to get it right. My 82 SS Replacement Lines where 100% fine.

[Johnyy Smoke]

Use white plumbers tape to seal bleeders screw, your drawing air.Regards, johnny

[Northern wing]

Not sure white plumbers tape is the correct idea. Brake fluid eats the tape and since his threads are stripped that would not be wise. As has been said, he needs a new caliper or get the existing one rethreaded with larger bleed screw.

[WingAdmin]

Use white plumbers tape to seal bleeders screw, your drawing air.Regards, johnny

Brake fluid will dissolve that tape, and the heat from the caliper will break it down and even melt it.

The problem is, the threads were never meant to actually seal the nipple. It's the angled (fluted) end that seats into a likewise-shaped receiver in the caliper, and that's where the sealing occurs:

Bleed nipple

When I've had a lot of problem getting a caliper bled (I use a vacuum bleeder) because it's sucking so much air past the threads, I'll just unscrew the nipple, put a couple dabs of brake fluid ON the threads, then screw it back in to coat the threads on the inside of the caliper as well. The brake fluid seals up the threads enough that air can no longer leak past.

[kotkinjs1]

Thanks all; the fix involved just getting a new rear caliper. Also got some speed bleeders to make the job easier in the future. They seem to work great.

[Sig45227]

Before reading through this entire post I was just going to say get some speed bleeders. I have had amazing luck with them on every bike I own.

I did however have one that failed. I kept pumping and pumping the rear brake when I redid my whole system last year with a new speed bleeder in it. No air or fluid would come out of the system, couldn't figure out what was wrong. I had an extra bleeder, put that in and everything worked fine Apparently something went wrong with their manufacturing process. I don't think the holes intersected or went all the way through, or whatever it is that acts as a one-way valve in there was damaged somehow. Anyways, glad you got it all back together! brakes can be a giant pain in the ass.

[Johnyy Smoke]

I disagree with admins reply.
The tape will seal the bleeder screw on initial bleeding. Otherwise you will simply draw air. I am some what surprised he would leave such a reply, as other post have proven otherwise. It will degrade (obviously) upon running the bike, but as a seal for initial bleeding, it works. The design of the screw works as it is supposed to, but definitely lacks the seal required for bleeding. Previous post over the years will conform this. Regards, Johnny

[WingAdmin]

I disagree with admins reply.
The tape will seal the bleeder screw on initial bleeding. Otherwise you will simply draw air. I am some what surprised he would leave such a reply, as other post have proven otherwise. It will degrade (obviously) upon running the bike, but as a seal for initial bleeding, it works. The design of the screw works as it is supposed to, but definitely lacks the seal required for bleeding. Previous post over the years will conform this. Regards, Johnny

Oh I didn't say it wouldn't seal it, but it will definitely dissolve over time.

[Johnyy Smoke]

I stand corrected, I missed were the threads were stripped. Tape will not work in this situation. My apologies to Admin. Regards, Johnny