Cheburator

Just got the shark back from the garage where I fitted SS brake lines to the rear - the front were already fitted by the PO. I could not bleed the brakes myself because I was running out of time so I left it to the garage.

Test drove the car and it stops better than ever, but I am bit worried because the garage mentioned that they could only open the outside bleed nipples of all 4 calipers. With me not being there they were reluctant to try and crack open the inner ones thus they proceed to bleed the system until new fluid came through all four calipers.

Having read previous posts it seems that in theory I should have air in the system, but I can assure you that the car stops better than ever (repeatedly). It is worth mentioning that I had the rear calipes completely off the car and I just let the fluid drain from them when I took the rubber hoses off...

Am I missing something?

Many thanks,

Alex

AO

Did you let the fluid drain out of the calipers? If not, you might be okay, but it's a matter of time. Eventually you will need to bleed the inner side. If you let the fluid run out of the caliper, then you MUST have air in the system.

Cheburator

I did let the fluid out of the calipers and I don't think that I have air in the system... Otherwise the car would not stop... Believe you me, I drive this thing very hard, harder than probably 95% of this list...

Alex

P.S. They used the two man method...

AO

If there was air on the inboard side and you could not bleed it out the top, then it's still there. Physics. It may stop nicely, but that could be becasue the lines are stiffer and your braking force it being applied to one side of the rotor, but at a higher force than the two side could beofre. Wait until you get your brake nice and hot... I promise you will have significant fade if there is air in the system.

Cheburator

But the two chambers are inter connected with the little solid pipes, surely the inner bleeding nipple is for ease of use?

Bill Ball

The bleeders on my 89 are 10mm, nothing like the wimpy 6mm found on many other brakes that are easy to round. No sure why they were relucatant to open the innner bleeders.

Cheburator

If I was there we would have cracked them open... Question now is though, do I need to re-bleed the brakes... I will repeat for the n-th time - the car stops like never before...

the flyin' scotsman

the easy answer is Yes............the calipers have 2 bleed screws for a reason.

Get yourself a power bleeder and you'll be all done in an hour.......getting the wheels on and off is the largest part of the effort.

BTW some 928s in North America are also driven very hard.........and stop hard too!

Cheburator

Thanks for the advise. I was hoping that I could do without jacking up the car and removing the wheels...

I will enlist the help of the girlfriend - it works on my other track car

When it comes to driving hard - I doubt that many 928s in the U.S. get driven at Autobahn speeds more often than not (150mph+) and do more than 110 laps of the Nurburgring per year The comment anyway was tongue-in-cheek...

AO

If you look at where the brake line comes into the caliper, you'll see it's about in the middle of the inboard side. Since air is lighter than brake fluid, if there was ANY air in the inboard portion above where the hose attaches to the caliper, it will be trapped in there. Any air on the outboard side will be bled using the outside bleeder, but that air on the inboard side will still be there. Sorry, but there's just no way to suck it out via the outboard bleeder.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Cheb the connector pipe is only at the bottom of the caliper so IF there is air in the rear half of the caliper you can bleed the top of the front half forever and NEVER get the air out of the back half. Basically the shop bled out half of your brakes now you need to do the other half. I can only wonder how bad your brakes must have been before because the difference in feel from stainless brake lines is minor.

the flyin' scotsman

There's a lot more to North America than the US............the 2nd largest country in the world where our Autobahn extends for thousands of km's with no traffic.

Anyway, get you brakes done once and forall then you can drive as hard as you want, wherever you want in complete confidence.

My wife helps often with working on the car but with a power bleeder its a solo effort.

Garth S

The Brembo bleed nipples are most frequently 11mm: After you remove the wheels, It is likely that the inner nipples will release; however, to improve your chances, I would drop an 11mm 6-pt socket over the bleeder with a 3/8" power bar ( vs. a ratchet). This will allow a better grip of the bleeder and minimize the risk of rounding off or snapping the screw as you try to work it back and forth until it releases.
Then rebleed inners - and outers.

IF ... the nipples are truly seized, I would then attach tygon ( clear) tubing to the outer bleeder, dismount the caliper and turn it upside down! Immerse the hose under brake fluid in a bottle - and bleed the caliper. When it runs clear, flip it right side up and continue to bleed to be certain the outer half remains clear.
Doing this with a pressure bleeder can be preformed freehand. If done with an assistant pumping the brakes, the pads must be blocked open ( eg - on the rotor).
This will work to chase the air from the inner half via the connecting pipe .... which you have temporarily placed on top ......

Daniel Dudley

I expect your brakes have very little to no air in them if they are as good as you describe. However, if you have water in your fluid and you use them to the point of boiling, you could experience severe fade at the worst time. Brakes can last a very long time if you keep the water out. They will corrode between the piston and the caliper. I would also say go for the bleed. If you did snap a bleeder, you are in the same boat you are now. Gently shock them open. LOL

Bill Ball

Right, as always, Garth. I said 10mm. They are 11. Anyway, much bigger and easier to loosen than the tiny ones on other cars.