fireman

I thought I knew how to bleed brakes, but I guess I don't.

I installed the LS1 brakes and have not been able to get these brakes bled since. I did use C5 banjo bolts as the LS1 Fbody bolts were not available seperatly. I was told they would work.

I got some LS1 Fbody bolts in my hand and am ready to try these even though they look the same as the C5 bolts. Do I need to use both brass washers on the bolt? Do I need to "index" the bolts?

And lastly, how exactly do you bleed the brakes on an LT1 Fbody with LS1 front brakes?

Thanks very much, my fuggin' car has been on jackstands for 3 months now.

respectirocz

u definately need 2 brass washers for each banjo bolt
the corvette caliper and ls1 caliper are essentially the same in design so the threads of the banjo bolts will line up and fit for either one

if your car has abs theres a special procedure for it, that i'm not familiar with

if it doesnt, the start with the farthest from the master cylinder and work your way up

if your system is completely dry, make sure you bench bleed the master cylinder, and you make have to bleed the brakes 2 or 3 times

the best method, in my opinion is a hose and a bottle half filled with brake fluid

StephenDeli22

1. Turn the car on and pump the brakes four or five times.
2. Shut Car off
3. Work calipers furthest away from the master cylinder. While bleeding DONT LET MASTER CYLINDER GET EMPTY.
4. Put a box wrench on the nut and then a clear hose leading into a glass jar over the wrench.
5. Have someone pump brakes till they cant no more and make them hold it. Crack the bleeder screw and let fluid out. The person pumping the brakes cannot lift otherwise it will suck air in and ruin all your hard work. Close bleeder.
6. Repeat above until no more air is seen/heard through the tube.
7. Move and do all the other calipers.
8. Repeat all above and do it again for good measure. Remember not to let that master cylinder get low. I refill it every other time I crack a bleeder screw open.

This is how I do it. You should bleed the ABS module but I didnt. Maybe someone else will chime in on that.

fireman

When you say turn the car on and pump 4 or 5 times, start the motor or just turn the key to the on position?

When I have tried to bleed it before, it just seems that the fluid coming out of the bleeder valve isn't coming out that fast. We bled it at the ABS unit and it shot out like crazy.

What it does now after trying to bleed a couple times, is the pedal just slowly goes to the floor as if I'm losing pressure somewhere. I see no leaks anywhere though. My brake system worked perfectly before I switched to the LS1 setup too.

I will try this method with the existing bolts when I get home and post my findings.

Thanks

rngilliland

One washer goes between the brake line and the caliper and one between the head of the bolt and the brake line. Make sure the bleeder screws are at the top of the caliper. If the master cylinder has ever been run dry you should bench bleed it.

Start the car without pressing on the brake pedal and make sure the abs light goes out. Do that a couple of times. That cycles the pistons in the abs module or something like that. I don't remember exactly. If your abs light doesn't go out it may not be possible to completly bleed the brakes.

With the car off bleed the abs module then the calipers starting with the farthest from the master and moving to the closest to the master. Then bleed the abs module again.

That is for a car without traction control. I have seen information that a Tech I or II is needed to properly bleed a car with traction control. I don't know if that is true or not.

fireman

This may be my problem, they are at the bottom of the caliper. I guess I thought the caliper would only go on one way.

Can someone else verify this before I go out and try to switch the calipers around?

Dave K

absolutely.... if the bleeders are on the bottom they won't bleed the brake cylinders at all. Switch the calipers around.

rngilliland

You have the calipers on the wrong side of the car. Swap them and you should be able to bleed the brakes.

StephenDeli22

I have always been told that starting the car and pumping the brake forces air to the calipers. So using the power brakes helps you there. Then you turn the car off and bleed them. Dont know if its true but thats how I have always done it.

fireman

Well, I switched the dang calipers and got 'em bled.

Thanks guys, this forum is greeeaaatt!