letting gravity bleed the brakes

[MarkyB]

That's very old school, counting the number of clicks the handbrake has on it has little or no bearing on how effective it is.
I thought it had died out when they introduced the roller brake testers.

[bmcecosse]

Indeed - but 6 clicks is quite a lot - but doesn't affect the operation of the parking brake.
To set it up - you should - slacken off the handbrake cable adjustments - then (after checking the lever connection to the cable is 'free' - and the piston not seized in the cylinder) adjust up the brake itself until 'just' rubbing - and then adjust up the cables again.

[Ratbag]

link here:

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s03001001.htm

Vehicles with 3 wheels with a service brake operating on ALL wheels and a parking brake operating on at least one wheel which were first used:
i) before 1 January 1968 ** 40% 25% 16%
ii) on or after 1 January 1968 ** 50% 25% 16%
** First figure is SERVICE BRAKE, then: Vehicle with a single line braking system, and: Vehicle with a split (dual) braking system.

bmc, i think the efficiency is more than the wheels locking but i am not sure what it is yet, but i am trying to find out, if anyone else can let us know then please reply to thread!

Yours only got 3 wheels then?

[xpress]

lol ratbag, i couldn't afford a reliant robin, so i decided to make my own! no, seriously, here's the figures for the "four wheeled version" of the morris 1000, it's the same figures for the four wheeled version and the 3 wheeled version! lol.

Vehicles with 4 or more wheels having a service brake (foot-brake) operating on at least 4 wheels and a parking (handbrake) operating on at least 2 wheels. 50% 25% 16%

additionally,

NOTE 16% parking brake efficiency equates to a vehicle holding on a gradient of 1 in 6.25

and

Vehicles first used before 1 January 1915. One efficient braking system required.

does anyone have a 1915 morris minor?

[MarkyB]

Does a bull nose Morris count?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Cowley

No I haven't .

[charlie_morris_minor]

gravity will not work on a standard moggy or one fitted with wolseley brakes if that is the only mod.

gravity will not push fluids uphill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The bleed nipples are at a very similar hight to the master cylinder and by the time you put on plastic tubing I feel sure the highest point will now be above the hight of the master cylinder..

They are not the only problems, the brass 4 way union at the front of the car which the brake light switch fits in sits on top of the chassis leg and is certainly higher than the master cylinder, and the brake fluid will not clear this point.

so even if you can bleed the rear cylinders the front cylinders will not bleed

so unless roy is not telling us something about his method, to overcome this, or has a remote reservoir mounted high on the inner wing.. it will not work

[MarkyB]

Syphon?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphon

[bmcecosse]

Well done Marky - it is indeed a syphon - and it works. Much the least hassle way to bleed brakes - and drink coffee.
But each to their own... horse - trough -drink springs to mind.

[xpress]

back from trying to melt off some melted dust cover on a caliper, yuk!

ok, i would rather do this than carry an eezibleed kit around with me, bmc could you tell us exactly how you achieve this miracle, do you just pump on the footbrake (how hard, how many times), and then walk casually round to the first nearside rear wheel cylinder, (while drinking tea), and then how many turns you undo the bleed nipple, at which point, magically, the morris syphon gushes out the air, no fluid, (and for how long you leave the said bleed screw open), in order to achieve such beautiful, firm lovely brakes.

(my brakes activate quite low to the floor, maybe an inch from it is that normal?)

;)

[bmcecosse]

Jam jar with a little old fluid - tube on nipple and into the jar below the fluid level. Pre-charge the brakes with one good pump - open the nipple half a turn and watch what happens. You 'may' need to give the pedal one long slow pump down and then very gently back up to get it started. Then sit back drink tea/coffee/G&T...... and watch for bubbles going down the tube. I can only say it seems to work for me..........

[xpress]

assuming that the bubbles have stopped, how long do you normally leave it like that/drink tea for with the bleed screw open? ;)

[xpress]

.. and can you go all round the car bleeding the brakes/drinking tea; without pumping the brakes any further?

[bmcecosse]

Just repeat the whole business for each nipple - starting at the rear nearside. Of course - you may need to take a 'comfort break' if you drink too much tea..... And if the pedal comes up firm at any point - no need to carry on.

[xpress]

tea break and a comfort break, then firm brakes, bmc style!

[charlie_morris_minor]

changed my mind on this post..

glad it worked for you.. now all you need to do is sort your hand brake.

[bmcecosse]

It's gravity that powers the syphon!

[lesrollins]

When using the syphon method do you need to leave the master cylinder cap on or off ? as I seem to be having trouble bleeding the brakes so I might try this method !
I have locked all the brakes up with the snail cam and then went around all the brakes trying to bleed them. Foot on brake, loosen nipple, tighten nipple, foot off brake. I thought I had got rid of all the air eventually as I had good pressure on the pedal But went to the car today and the pedal travelled all the way to the floor after a couple of pumps pressure is good again so there still must be air in there.

[MarkyB]

It shouldn't matter as there is a hole in the cap (on the side where a spanner would operate).
It sounds like air is finding it way in somewhere, what hasn't been replaced recently?

Pull the rubber boot off the master cylinder and see if any fluid is coming out.

[bmcecosse]

Your bleeding method is good - so yes it does seem you have a leak past seals somewhere......

[les]

I had a similar problem once, for months, after leaving the vehicle for a few days the pedal needed one pump first thing to get a hard pedal. I could not bleed it out, then I decided to adjust the shoes again making sure they only just cleared the drums. This was the answer. Maybe you should bleed with the shoes not so hard on, then adjust up in the end. It seems the wrong way on the face of it, but in my case it worked.