200x front brake bleeding

[yaegerb]

Looking for some help on my 200x front brake. First some background.

1985 200x front caliper and master. Master is rebuilt and caliper is rebuilt. I am using a SS brake line.

So went out to add fluid and bleed and 4 hours later I am in the same spot as I was at 11am...NO FRONT BRAKES!

bled the breaks with a mighty-vac. No air in the lines and no pressure either. I then took off the master, ensured everything was in the correct place, reblew all the lines and master cylinder holes with air. I then re-bled and still no pressure. Piston isn't actuating...nothing.

All the lines are tight and fluid isn't leaking anywhere.

Can somebody tell me what I am missing?

Thanks in advance!

[Flyingw]

We all have been through this. There is an air bubble hiding probably in the master. Once I was trying to bleed my 350X front brakes and after about 3 hours of nothing, I was fit to be tied. Tools were flying across the garage and four letter words dominated my screaming.

Thy this, bleed initially at the banjo on the master first then bleed at the banjo on the caliper then bleed at the fitting at the caliper. Keep the master full but bleed it first at the master banjo.

[stroberts22]

I had problems bleeding brakes one time and it ended up being a bleeder screw that was leaking around the threads. I put some teflon tape around the threads and in 2 pumps had it bled after 2 days of pulling my hair out. Also I usaully take out the rubber thing in the bottom of the resovoir when I bled the front brakes. It seems to help me and I replace it once I get the brakes bled.

[El Camexican]

Make sure the bleeder is facing up and with the reservoir a little less than half full and turn the bars from lock to lock while slowly pumping the lever to see if any air bubbles come out. Also make sure that the hose is not higher than the reservoir (like if your forks are saggy and there is loop that is higher than the lever) as air will be trapped in there. FYI the best way to bleed brakes is from the bottom up if you have the right tools (which I don’t). To avoid stress I just pull the bleed screw, put a pan under the caliper and keep adding fluid from the top until it starts to come out the bleed hole all on its own. I call that a gravity bleed and it works pretty good. You just put the screw in and pump it up a few times after that and if you are lucky it may not even need a pressure bleed after that, but it won’t hurt to try. Remember, air is your enemy , you have to get rid of all of it and if you let that reservoir go dry for even a split second you’ll have to start again, although if you catch it immediately and shut the bleeder and add more brake fluid sometimes the air will come back up through the reservoir instead of having to be pushed to the bottom. Have fun.

[shortline10]

Yep the front brakes are a B**** to bleed . I use a large syringe and back bleed it from the bleeder nipple and it takes all of about 2 min :lol: .
The syringe that I use is from a ink jet filler and I attach a piece of 1/8" clear hose and connect that to the bleeder nipple slighty opened .
I learned this method after working on Harley Davison brakes

[atc007]

Yep,,if you're not reverse bleeding { Syringe} you have to bleed at the reservoir,,then the bottom brake line bolt,,Then and only then, the bleeder.

[yaegerb]

Thanks guys I will try all of the above. Great ideas and yes I had about twenty tools out and was ready to start throwing things. I don't remember it being this hard :(

[Dirtcrasher]

I use a syringe from a vet, A big daddy. I can bleed brakes in just a few minutes. I can force it up, close the bleeder, open the bleeder and pull it back out with bubbles. Just gotta have a hose that fits perfect and never let air back in the system such as the hose falling off or the master going dry.

[jb2wheels]

Another problem I had with the 350X (not so much the 200X) - the brake line loops up higher than the master cylinder and always gets air bubbles trapped in it.

What a pain that was...

[yaegerb]

So I just got back in from another attempt. Teflon taped the bleeder screw, took the caliper off and jiggled it, turn the bars side to side while slowly pulling the handle. Re-bled the brakes and don't notice any air coming out of the bleed screw and no air bubbles in the master reservoir. The fluid is oozing nicely out of the bleeder screw. Still no pressure.....

My hose isn't higher than the reservoir...


If there is no air in the line is the reverse bleeding with the syringe still worth a shot?

[El Camexican]

I hope the rebuild didn't get you the wrong sized parts...:wondering

[yaegerb]

I don't think so....the parts fit really well and they matched perfectly to my old set. I will take the master apart completely tonight and see if that's the culprit.

[shortline10]

The syringe is the only way I have found to do those front brakes . Have fun trying the other usual methods ! They just dont work for the 200x fronts .

[yaegerb]

The syringe is the only way I have found to do those front brakes . Have fun trying the other usual methods ! They just dont work for the 200x fronts .

I am getting a syringe tonight and trying that method after I inspect the MC. Thanks Mike!

[just ben]

don't bother,I'm just guessing here but it feels like it is building a little pressure yet the piston doesn't move? It is a simple problem with a simple solution. the problem is the piston is pushed in all the way and lfuid cannot get behind piston to put pressure on it. the easiest solution is to pull the banjo bolt all the way the use a pick or a small flat blade screw driver to push the piston out a little bit so there is a gap behind it, put the bolt back in pump them up and bleed out any air a few times and then enjoy having brakes. It is the most common mistake people make when changing pads or rebuilding a caliper,they always seem to push the piston all the way in. I have been guilty of it myself until I wised up.

[shortline10]

Yes this is a decent one
[http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261078028143




QUOTE=yaegerb;1148632]I am getting a syringe tonight and trying that method after I inspect the MC. Thanks Mike![/QUOTE]

[yaegerb]

3rd attempt proved successful. Took the master completely apart and it the plunger hole and grooves were caked full of garbage. Cleaned it thoroughly, put it back together and bled the brakes twice and we are good to go. Thanks everyone for your help. It is much appreciated!

[jays375]

I have had some luck with a Mighty Vac.Also old rubber brake lines can hinder the process.You can feel them really swell up when you pump it up.

[yaegerb]

Agreed, I bled the line with my mighty vac. I am not running the OEM lines. I upgraded to SS.

[jays375]

They should grab good.Thinking about braided lines myself.

[yaegerb]

Oh yeah, when I finally got the brakes done, there is probably 1/8...maybe a little more of pull before the brake is locked up...lol. I like them :)

[El Camexican]

3rd attempt proved successful. Took the master completely apart and it the plunger hole and grooves were caked full of garbage. Cleaned it thoroughly, put it back together and bled the brakes twice and we are good to go. Thanks everyone for your help. It is much appreciated!

You started this post with: "Master is rebuilt and caliper is rebuilt". How did you get from "rebuilt" to "full of garbage"?

[yaegerb]

Because when I rebuilt the master the little bits of rubber that you have to put on the plunger wouldn't fit into the bore of the master cylinder. It was 11pm and I was pi$$ed that the plunger wouldn't seat, so I put a tiny bit of gel lubricant on the rubber bits and forced the plunger in. Well, that lubricant ended up gelling/balling up when it hit the brake fluid and got in the grooves of the plunger thus the garbage.

My stupid fault.