Posted by peter gabriel
Tom: What was the problem with the Lusso that took 4 hours to bleed, and how was it resolved? Thank you.
Francoise Lusso 4hr bleed
Re: Francoise Lusso 4hr bleed
Posted by Tom
Hi Peter,
The booster and brake lines can sometimes airate with tiny bubbles (is that redundant?) if it's done too fast, or in the wrong order, causing a problems in bleeding the brakes. Some cars just seem to give more problems than others!
Tom  
Hi Peter,
The booster and brake lines can sometimes airate with tiny bubbles (is that redundant?) if it's done too fast, or in the wrong order, causing a problems in bleeding the brakes. Some cars just seem to give more problems than others!
Tom  
Re: Francoise Lusso 4hr bleed
Posted by Deane
I think it's essential to use a vacuum or pressure bleeder. You can make up a pressure bleeder yourself by modifying a reservoir cap, or buy a kit and modify it. Use 3-5psi of air pressure, no more, to force clean fluid into the reservoir and air bubbles out the bleeder screws, one at a time.
As an alternative, you can vacuum bleed at the bleeder screws also. That's what I did. But with vacuum, you get streams of tiny bubbles leaking past the bleeder screw threads, which confuses things. I think the pros all pressure-bleed.
It's typical to have to bleed all 4 corners of the car at least twice, in order, to get all the bubbles out. Doing this should give you a high, hard brake pedal.
I think it's essential to use a vacuum or pressure bleeder. You can make up a pressure bleeder yourself by modifying a reservoir cap, or buy a kit and modify it. Use 3-5psi of air pressure, no more, to force clean fluid into the reservoir and air bubbles out the bleeder screws, one at a time.
As an alternative, you can vacuum bleed at the bleeder screws also. That's what I did. But with vacuum, you get streams of tiny bubbles leaking past the bleeder screw threads, which confuses things. I think the pros all pressure-bleed.
It's typical to have to bleed all 4 corners of the car at least twice, in order, to get all the bubbles out. Doing this should give you a high, hard brake pedal.
Re: Francoise Lusso 4hr bleed
Posted by Pete
If you can get an old reservoir cap it is easy to make a pressure bleeder with an inner tube of a bicycle tyre.
Simply drill a hole in the cap and cut the valve out of the inner tube, and poke through the cap. Make sure you leave enough inner tube around the valve to seal on the reservoir top, when the cap is screwed on.
Screw the cap with the inner tube onto the reservoir and use a bike pump to apply pressure.
This is no where as good as a professional pressure bleeder as they use brake fluid, not air to pressurise the system. Obviously using air is not the best option, but it does work.
Some cars it is the only option, to pressure bleed, to get a good pedal. Jacking one end of the car up to help the air rise to the bleeder can help to.
Pete
If you can get an old reservoir cap it is easy to make a pressure bleeder with an inner tube of a bicycle tyre.
Simply drill a hole in the cap and cut the valve out of the inner tube, and poke through the cap. Make sure you leave enough inner tube around the valve to seal on the reservoir top, when the cap is screwed on.
Screw the cap with the inner tube onto the reservoir and use a bike pump to apply pressure.
This is no where as good as a professional pressure bleeder as they use brake fluid, not air to pressurise the system. Obviously using air is not the best option, but it does work.
Some cars it is the only option, to pressure bleed, to get a good pedal. Jacking one end of the car up to help the air rise to the bleeder can help to.
Pete