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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Help on my Brakes on my 1979 1500

Hello. I have just got a MG midget 1500 and wasn't happy with the brakes on it so I replaced the brake fluid and bleed the brakes, but that is where the problems have started. After bleeding the brakes the pedal now goes straight down to the floor. I can't find no leaks. I have now found out that I have to bleed the brakes differently as I have Dual line system and have to switch on the ignition an wait for the brake warning light to go out. Sorry to be silly but where is this light? My car doesn't seem to have one. So can some one please tell me where to find this light and am I right to bleed the system differently to a single line system. Many Thanks.
N Allen

Seem to remember its on the radio consul - rectangular - think it even says Brake ?

Essential you get a copy of the Haynes manual.

Yes bleeding is different - yours has a 'shuttle valve' that closes off one line of brake pipes if fluid is lost from the other line - dual circuit.

As I remenber it - gently bleed both right brakes - front first then rear.
Do the same for the left side.

Then turn on ignition - brake warning light should be illuminated - very slowly bleed a right hand brake only - just enough to put out the light then tighen bleeder.

Best get that manual first !

R.
richard boobier

and an easy bleed
Alex Sturgeon

Not so 'eazi' with a dual-circuit as they don't supply a cap big enough to fit the reservoir.
Dave O'Neill 2

I took an old cap, drilled a hole in it & installed the eazi bleed hose to the modified cap...worked great, but DO NOT exeed the recommended pressure or you'll spray fluid all over the place (don't ask how I know!).

Dave
Dave Rhine ('78 1500)

Thanks for your help. My car didn't have a brake warning light so took the radio consul out and found a half wired light in there wired it up properly and now have a brake warning light. Only thing now the brake pressure warning valve switch is broken so still couldn't bleed the brakes. Thanks for your help everyone.
N Allen

You can still bleed the brakes, you just won't have a warning if one circuit fails.
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave

Exactly...forgot to mention my light has never worked & I haven't gotten around to fixing the problem just yet, but I do know I felt the last failure(rear flex line) when it happened, I didn't need the light to tell me about it!
Dave Rhine ('78 1500)

This thread was discussed between 02/04/2010 and 03/04/2010

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