Brake Bleeder

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Think I lost a couple of the caps. Havn't tried to source replacements, which is likely to be a huge and futile PITA here.

IIRC I rubbed them with sunflower oil and aluminium then wrapped them in a couple of layers of thin aluminium chocolate wrapping. I thought of using the caps off the tiny toothpaste tubes you get in hotels, but I can't now remember if I did.

The plug in the bottom of a "classic" BIC ballpoint pen tube might also be a possibility, or maqybe a wee square of insulating tape pinched on. Or a bit of bleed tubing plugged with RTV, chopstick section, little rolled ball of foil, etc.

Re antisieze on the threads, you can't get antiseize here, but I'm not entirely comfortable with oil-based stuff that close to the brake internals anyway, though I guess it should be OK with a bit of care.

I use a wrap of PTFE thread tape. In the past I've also applied earwax.


Sometimes I chuckle at what you're willing to do. I get the picture in my head of someone pinching every penny so that in retirement they can live like the rich and famous--because they're sitting on some gold mine.


Fat chance..but I suspect even if I was rich (or at least not poor) I wouldnt behave vey differently. I had a pretty well paid gig in Treasury and Capital Markets network support in London for a few years and I lived pretty frugally. Not buying a house was a mistake though.

That said, necessity is a muvva, and I dont see what you mean re brake nipple nurture above. All makes sense to me.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I vote no just because I wouldn't want that stuff getting in my brake fluid.

With quality zinc coated bleeders, you shouldn't need anti seize.

*How does a cap prevent the threads from rusting? Some aren't even a tight fit so one could argue they keep junk and moisture in...


Look at a bleeder screw carefully and how it works. It is not drilled all the way through it actuall intersects with a hole in the side.
Water can go down the hole in the top and come out under the threads causing them to rust, the rubber caps do help prevent this but they have to be in good condition.

Anti Seize will not go down into the caliper or fluid if used only on the threads. If anything it will be pushed out with the fluid out the bleeder top.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Originally Posted By: maverickfhs
Call me cheap, but can't a piece of hose, sealed from other side be used on the bleeder valve or anything similar?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLvKbarVtwhUvKCEzK79P2ex9rWVRxVcTl&v=n1NvtUwfRJc

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I vote no just because I wouldn't want that stuff getting in my brake fluid.

With quality zinc coated bleeders, you shouldn't need anti seize.

*How does a cap prevent the threads from rusting? Some aren't even a tight fit so one could argue they keep junk and moisture in...


True, but at least on my discs the bleeders sit up. I think water can pool in there and do its thing quickly. I mean, when I did the fluid a year ago fluid came out--the caps fell apart, so they were left uncovered. One year later and nothing comes out. So they went downhill real fast.

So you're in the camp of just replace, no anti seize. I think all my vehicles use the same size, so I wonder if I could buy a ten pack or something.


Proceed at your own risk.

I've lived on a dirt road for many years before they finally paved it. Never an issue with an uncovered bleeder accumulating debris.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: andyd
:

Heck, Ducked rubs aluminum foil on stuff

Sure do, (with sunflower oil as a binder) because it works.

I'm cautious about sunflower oil on threads though, because its too strong an adhesive. Hence the PTFE tape (and/or earwax)

PTFE tape also tends to reduce air leakage via the threads when pulling brake fluid with a syringe.

 

[eljefino]

What if I smeared some RTV down the bleeder hole to water proof it? Should be easy enough to pick out later with a drill bit. Worst case I just pull the darn bleeder and put a new one in, which beats buying a caliper or trying to ez-out 1/2 a snapped screw.

The next time I open said bleeder, there'll be lots of pressure on the pedal, so any remnants/ contaminants will shoot out with the first stream of brake fluid.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I vote no just because I wouldn't want that stuff getting in my brake fluid.

With quality zinc coated bleeders, you shouldn't need anti seize.

*How does a cap prevent the threads from rusting? Some aren't even a tight fit so one could argue they keep junk and moisture in...


Look at a bleeder screw carefully and how it works. It is not drilled all the way through it actuall intersects with a hole in the side.
Water can go down the hole in the top and come out under the threads causing them to rust, the rubber caps do help prevent this but they have to be in good condition.

Anti Seize will not go down into the caliper or fluid if used only on the threads. If anything it will be pushed out with the fluid out the bleeder top.




You do bring a good point. I never thought of it like that.

 

[mk378]

I have had some rust on the inside so badly that the little hole was blocked by rust and they would not bleed.

 

[zorobabel]

I can see you working on the brakes and grabbing some earwax with your long pinky fingernail or maybe a screwdriver

Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: andyd
:

Heck, Ducked rubs aluminum foil on stuff

Sure do, (with sunflower oil as a binder) because it works.

I'm cautious about sunflower oil on threads though, because its too strong an adhesive. Hence the PTFE tape (and/or earwax)

PTFE tape also tends to reduce air leakage via the threads when pulling brake fluid with a syringe.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
What if I smeared some RTV down the bleeder hole to water proof it? Should be easy enough to pick out later with a drill bit. Worst case I just pull the darn bleeder and put a new one in, which beats buying a caliper or trying to ez-out 1/2 a snapped screw.

The next time I open said bleeder, there'll be lots of pressure on the pedal, so any remnants/ contaminants will shoot out with the first stream of brake fluid.

I would not use RTV, I would get a cap. Before I used RTV I would put some silicone grease in there. Not packing it, but just sealing it.

Once you crack them and bleed (if it has ever been done before) they seem to be OK, even if they are rusty. If you are bleeding every two years that should be good enough to keep them from seizing again. I think getting heat cycled for years in the rustbelt without being touched is what causes them to seize like that.

Best advice I ever got from this board was to tension the bleeder with a wrench and hammer the top of the nipple. I broke bleeders off in both calipers before I combined that trick with acetone + ATF.