Hi All,
I have had some issues bleeding my brand new brake calipers (fancy that empi brakes giving me issues.) However, i am determined to get the problem solved and could do with your help.

all new empi calipers front and rear on 68 bug

I have a good amount of fluid at all calipers new master cylinder and new rubber lines. Made sure the steel lines were clear before i started.
Main problem is the caliper furthest away. It is the left rear. I doesnt want to bleed fluid at all. so i disconected hard line and made sure i have plenty of fluid coming (i do) so hooked up an old line to the air compressor and gave it a good blast. Seemed a bit gummy at first, but then got food air flow. Put line back on and got some where, but not great.

I am aware of the negative feedback about these rear calipers but want to atleast have a good amount of fluid running through. Do new calipers have any gunk inside them? I'm thinking like an anticorrosive grime smeared over them at the factory? If so what is the best way to clean them? I have let them sit (with fluid in them) for a week and will give it another go shortly however, do i need to take them off and give them a clean with something?

The fronts seems a little gunky too... This isnt my first bleed job, i have stripped wheel cylinders before and found a good pedal and flow rate and wondering if i need to do the same?

Hopefully not. Cheers in anticipation of your help

Obviously the answer to your question about gunk in the caliper has to be no,you say you have good fluid flow to the caliper,try crimping the other 3 lines with line locks and try to bleed that one caliper. If no success disconnect the steel tube at "t" piece,fill a clean squeeze bottle with fluid and bleed the caliper with that then reconnect the steel line to the "t' piece. You should have a reasonable pedal. You will probably have to allow for the pistons to work out of the fully in position.

take the nipple write out and poke a bit of wire in the bleed hole and get some one to push brakes.

so You still haven't gotten good flow???
to that rear caliper...

is that with the nipple screwed all the way out???

I remember Magnas had some sort of brake fluid grease on their rear disc brakes...
but it was compatible with the fluid...

if Brake fluid will squirt out that nipple hole then its a problem with the caliper...

try clearing the line again... You may have moved some junk and it may have blocked the line again...

How many bottles of brake fluid have You used..???

clean brake fluid coming out??

cheers

LEE

You can purchase a vacuum brake bleeder, i use one alll the time.

have you tried taking the brake switches out to get rid of all the air?

main thing is, if everything is OK

the brake master cylinder must be below the calipers..

Lee

Still having grief blokes,
Now i have good flow but still cannot find good pedal?
I have filled the resivous a number of times and am starting to wonder if there is enough volume coming form the M/C? I have heard of people using the BUS M/C as they bolt in... has anyone used the BUS m/C? got suggestions.
One thing i dont like about these empi calipers is that the bleed nipple is below the hard line input... does this sound weird to anyone else too? I am considering taking caliper off and doing it held up in the air so i have a definate path for the air to escape...

I've found that a standard bug M/C is borderline for 4 wheel discs... they'll activate all 4 OK, but you have a really long (and soft) pedal.

Type 3 M/C I believe is better (larger pistons internally, so it moves more fluid for the amount the pedal travels), and then Type 2 (bus) better again.

With the bleed nipple, well it should be the highest point the fluid galleries of a caliper... otherwise you won't get all the air out... period. And obviously any air in there will stuff your pedal feel.

Any chance you've put the calipers on the wrong side... as in if you switch them around, will the bleed nipple be on top ???

Finally, bleeding the whole system from scratch will take A LOT of fluid... like up to a liter or possibly more with stock'o calipers... even more for big calipers (my 944T system took about 1.5 liters I think)

Also you need to bleed them in the correct order... LR, then RR, then LF, then RF.

Ooops - comes across as a bit of a rant hey... it's not meant to be, just obviously I've had too much caffeine !!!

nipples should be at top ??
But 54 oval bugs have nipples at thw botom and you bleed then with a bit of vacuum hose fitted to nipple and other end in a half filled clear ,bottle of brake fluid . open bleeder nipple and pump about 6 times as it pumps the air out it can olny suck brake fluid back in. uno wat i mean.

Cheers guys, no don't worry it all makes sense, i'm with you about the air inside, they are marked L and R so i might take a pic and show you guys what i am talking about... i have already gone through a bottle and a half, as i have heard that it might take two litres with a new system,,,
i am considering

taking them off and holding them up to get the nipple in a better position,

Adding a residual pressure valve in the rear (2lb) to aid the piston/pad staying closer to the disc

or last resort

buying a bus master cylinder/ any advise or a part number here would be very helpful (with or without a residual pressure valve internally please) does this change peal effort or increase piston effect?/both?

i am thinking i should be able to get a result, i have considered cutting the disc down and doing a ford EA rear caliper conversion, but prior i should e able to get somewhere...

Chers guys will post a pic up soon

here are my oval empi brakes and they work fine and easy to fit on .
nipple at top/

if you clamp offall the rubber brake hoses and the master cylinder is good you will have a rock hard pedal.

not having any hose clamps, what do you suggest?

I through away a Chinese dual circuit MC about a month ago after tring to bleed it for a couple of days for the third time. Replaced with german problem solve in comarison it was like it bleed it's self.
PS I use ball bearings in the joins to blank off lines.