leaking bleeder...what now?
 

I just did a front brake system rebuild, calipers with new seals and pistons and all. everything is fine except one bleeder is leaking. pulled the bleeder and the tip seems smooth. Looking down into the bleeder hole in the caliper, the mating surface seems ok, tough to see. I torqued the bleeder down to spec, it still leaked. [:'(] Torqued it down past spec, still leaks. [:@]
Am I buying a new caliper?
Does anyone make a hone that is designed to refinish the bleeder seat in the caliper?
any help, comment, wise cracks would be welcome.

Cheers,

jim

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

Had the same prblem just a couple of weeks ago.........put a new brake line on and could not get the sucker to bleed, air coming in from someplace??????


I put some teflon tape around the bleeder valve, tightened it down and cracked it, bleed in 10 minutes and have not had a problem yet, after about 500 miles.
I am going to check it probably this week to see if the tape is holding up, had folks concerned that I had to use the tape. The sealer they have on there succks, the liquid stuff sucks. I checked the threading and I am not cross threading or using a different type of threaded bolt. This was happening with the stock one and a new speed bleeder valve.
I guess give it a try, see what happens;)

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

thanks for the input, my problem might be differant. It wont stop bleeding. No problem bleeding out the air. I am done with that, but now it wont stop leaking brake fluid.

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

Is it keeping pressure in the line? Bleeding out but, not sucking air back in?

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

Bleeding out, no air back in, very slight leak, leaks more when I pull the brake lever hard.

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

It seems like you'd be getting air back in to?????????WEIRD......PM shovelheadbob, he helped me a bunch;)

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

Jimbo, I have seen calipers that had a brass seat (actually it was an insert). If your caliper had one of these brass inserts it could have come out without you knowing it when you did the caliper rebuild.......................BG

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

thanks for your replies,

Got it figured,
'02 road king dual front brakes, took the front brake system apart, cleaned and rebuilt. (Also did polished stainels rotor, z plus pads from Lyndall russell braided lines....
I did not pay attention to which caliper which bleeder came from.
Just on a try, I swapped the bleeders left and right and no more leaking. [sm=icon_cheers.gif] The bleeders wanted to be in the caliper they came from.
thanks again, your ideas kept me going,

Jimbo

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

OK gents, I have pretty much the same problem 2000 Eglide, except I only swapped pads, I DID NOT rebuild calipers, nor swap nipples, I only loosened the bleeder nipple enough to bleed brakes which worked fine, let the bike sit for a few days and note the left brake nipple is seeping fluid around the threads. Tried retorqing, over torqing, nada, still leaks, enough that over a few hours a small weep of fluid starts to go down the side of the caliper. Any ideas? I was thinking new nipples? I've done brakes on cars and A/c for a few decades, never seen anything like this. That'll teach me to work on my bike...

RE: leaking bleeder...what now?
 

Still no problems.......about 10,000 miles later....I guess the teflon tape works:D