caliper bleed screw leaking...?
#16
Burning Brakes
If the mating surface is damaged, at the very least, you need to have a new surfaced machined to match the bleeder surface. Re read the part about how a bleeder seals. It has nothing to do with the threads, all they do is offer a means to apply force to the mating surface.
To answer your question about looking at the bleeder hole, remove the solid line from behind the caliper and use a vacuum hose cap (small rubber cap) to stop the flow from gravity. You can use another one in the caliper to stop the flow there too. When you've stopped all the flow, remove border screw, clean out fluid and take a look.
I'll reiterate that I don't think you'll find a problem but you can do this for piece of mind.
To answer your question about looking at the bleeder hole, remove the solid line from behind the caliper and use a vacuum hose cap (small rubber cap) to stop the flow from gravity. You can use another one in the caliper to stop the flow there too. When you've stopped all the flow, remove border screw, clean out fluid and take a look.
I'll reiterate that I don't think you'll find a problem but you can do this for piece of mind.
#17
Doable by a professional machine shop, of course. If it were hydraulics on a crummy car or piece of lawn maintenance equipment it could be a DIY.
#18
Race Director
#19
The first thing I would try, is removing the offending bleeder, make sure there is no dirt or debris on the threads of the caliper, clean the surface where the bleeder contacts the caliper with brakekleen, and replace with a new bleeder screw, flush the brake system, paying attention to making sure there's no fluid residue on the caliper when you're done. Bleeder screws are not expensive.
As an aside, I figure you'd have to have "GI Joe grip" (if you're old enough to remember the newer generation GI Joe dolls from the 70's) to over tighten a bleeder screw to the point of stripping and causing a leak. The 10 mm open end wrench in most toolsets is not a very long handled wrench. At least on my Craftsman set, it's fairly short. And I typically tighten mine very tight and never had an issue--I used to track my 01 Turbo and flushed brake fluid 4-5 times per year for 4 years without incident.
I'm betting a tiny piece of grit coupled by much higher caliper heat causing some expansion in the aluminum "might" cause it to seep. It would have to be very slight, otherwise you'd introduce air in the brake system. It's also possible the bleeder screw has a crack in it (although, again, that would probably cause air in the system too).
#21
i plan on bleeding the system this weekend. i'm just baffled as to why the symptom showed up only now (as stated, i clean my calipers after every event or every 2 wks, whichever first, and havent bled them or touched the screw since april).
ok, stupid question alert but...how do i back out screw all the way to examine it without fluid getting all over the place or at the very least, constantly draining into a bottle? i.e. 1/2 turn is usu enough to get it flowing, i can imagine it's worse/messier if the screw is backed out completely.
ok, stupid question alert but...how do i back out screw all the way to examine it without fluid getting all over the place or at the very least, constantly draining into a bottle? i.e. 1/2 turn is usu enough to get it flowing, i can imagine it's worse/messier if the screw is backed out completely.
I had to replace a broken bleeder screw on my 67 Corvette and was surprised at how little brake fluid ran out.
I also suggest pulling the brake pads out first. You don't want to get brake fluid on them.
Clean up the caliper and rotors with brakekleen when you have the new bleeder installed--a big flat box works best because it can catch the brake fluid and the brakekleen too, so you don't make a mess all over your garage floor.
#23
Rennlist Member