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MG MGA - BRAKE BLEEDING

I need to rebuild my master cylinder. My question is how to get excess fluid out of the unit before I take it apart. I presume I would try to bleed thru a brake nipple to get it low enough or gravity bleed. Any other ideas.
Thanks
Jeff
JEFF BECKER

Jeff

I 'borrowed' a syinge from our health centre and syphoned it out in 'armfuls' at a time.

Other times I use a length of clear plastic piping and suck it out, stopping before I get a mouthful! - not good health and safety practice.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Jeff

Like Steve i used a syringe

Dominic
dominic clancy

If you do not have a syringe, try a turkey baster, or one of those old battery testers.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

A plastic syringe can be bought from any chemist or medical supplies shop, and it costs next to nothing. Best thing to use for emptying the M/C.

Frank
F Camilleri

More time, but I'd bleed each brake since you'll be putting new fluid in when complete.
Steven B

I know this may be old but I'm restoring from frame up with all new B/Pipes and M/C. Is it recommended to use Silicon fluid since everything is clean and unadulterated..Or Lockeed...
c allen

There are masses of arguments about silicon fluid in the archives. Worth a read of this article: http://tinyurl.com/coov6fp

Many of us here are strong advocates of silicon fluid. I have been using it without any attributable problems for 16 years. Others have used it a lot longer. Since you are doing a full restoration you may also want to consider that silicon will not attack your brand new paintwork on the firewall shelf below the MC.

Steve
Steve Gyles

The master was drained by using the brake bleeder screw. All New guts installed Next question is my gasket in the front that holds the pistons in is cracked. Do I need to replace it?. Since it does not hold pressure and as long as the master is not leaking, should it matter. I am using silicon in the system and the fluid that came out is clear and NO corision
JEFF BECKER

When changing fluid type you need to empty the entire system, clean the pipes with alcohol, blow it out with air, and replace all rubber parts in the whole system including brake and clutch hoses. Any bit of rubber that was in contact with the original fluid had to be changed. The cracked paper gasket is the least of your worries.
Barney Gaylord

Is there an alternative to bleeding the brake system other than pumping the brake pedal in sequence from the furthest cylinder?

Stephen Lofaro

Yes, there are several alternatives.

Open bleeder, have helper push pedal, close bleeder, release pedal, and repeat as necessary to flush the line, hold pedal down and close bleeder when finished.

Open bleeder, put finger over bleeder to serve as a check valve, have helper push pedal repeatedly as required to flush line, close bleeder.

Open bleeder, attach hose, position hose in bottle with a bit of fluid and hose end below fluid level, pump pedal as required to flush line, close bleeder, (no helper required).

Install check valve bleeders. Open a bleeder and pump pedal as required to flush line, close bleeder (no helper required).

Apply a pressure bleeder (style of your choice) on the reservoir, then open each bleeder in sequence to flush the lines (no helper required).

Use a Mityvac on each bleeder to pull fluid through the lines (no helper required).

Use a low pressure injector (trigger pump oil can or Mityvac in reverse) to push fluid into a bleeder to flush air backward up to the reservoir (no helper required).

Connect a hose between clutch slave bleeder and a brake bleeder (hose clamps advised), open both bleeders. Pump brake pedal to reverse bleed clutch circuit. Pump clutch pedal to reverse bleed brake circuit. (No helper required).
Barney Gaylord

I have been using my wife's Turkey Baster to drain the Master before pulling lines.....works great..no mess.
Thomas Koch

Tom,
How does your Turkey taste after using it to drain brake fluid!!! Even I have used kitchen items but I never, never tell my wife.
JEFF BECKER

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2013 and 13/07/2013

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.