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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 12:58 pm Post subject: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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Edit: with front drums and dual wheel cylinders. Just curious as air rises so I would think it would make it a little harder to bleed from the lower wheel cylinder rather than the upper. I don't have a Bently (yet) so would you bleed from the lower, then when no more air, crack the upper hose connection during bleeding? Or is bleeding from the lower sufficient?
Thanks,
Mike _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway.
Last edited by MikeyM73 on Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:47 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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guitarman63mm Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2008 Posts: 797 Location: Asheville, NC
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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The bottom screw is for purging old fluid that accumulates crap in it. You are correct, you can only effectively purge air from the top caliper screw. _________________ Jimmy
- 1974 Safaré Custom Camper. 091 trans + Dual Weber 34 ICTs + Pertronix SVDA + 1.7L 914 T4 engine. |
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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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Oops.. I'm so sorry.. I mis-spoke. This is for a friends bay window with front drums and dual wheel cylinders where the bleeder screw is on the bottom wheel cylinder. Same deal? _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway. |
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Amskeptic Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2002 Posts: 8568 Location: All Across The Country
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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MikeyM73 wrote: |
Oops.. I'm so sorry.. I mis-spoke. This is for a friends bay window with front drums and dual wheel cylinders where the bleeder screw is on the bottom wheel cylinder. Same deal? |
Each wheel cylinder deserves its own bleeder. Air can get trapped in either wheel cylinder (think of a car under water with an air pocket at the rear window)
Colin _________________ www.itinerant-air-cooled.com |
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aeromech Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 16971 Location: San Diego, California
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 8:04 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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I could be mistaken but doesn’t the rubber brake hose attach to the upper wheel cylinder and then a hard brake line inside the drum connects to the lower. That would make the exit want to be on the lower I think _________________ Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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HarryFD Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2012 Posts: 751 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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So, I have a question. This is the left front bleeder screw on my 1970 Bus.
How do you flush your brake fluid? Since it is on the bottom, if I open it, it is very possible to get air into the cylinders and then very hard to get it out.
What is the correct procedure? _________________ 1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300 |
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HarryFD Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2012 Posts: 751 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:09 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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So, I have a question. This is the left front bleeder screw on my 1970 Bus.
How do you flush your brake fluid? Since it is on the bottom, if I open it, it is very possible to get air into the cylinders and then very hard to get it out.
What is the correct procedure? _________________ 1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300 |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12727 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:08 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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HarryFD wrote: |
So, I have a question. This is the left front bleeder screw on my 1970 Bus.
How do you flush your brake fluid? Since it is on the bottom, if I open it, it is very possible to get air into the cylinders and then very hard to get it out.
What is the correct procedure? |
Following the Bentley prodecure(s!,) the brake bleeder screw should never be open without pressure on the brake lines, either from the pedal or power pressure bleeder. This way, you'll never let additional air in.
I have personally bled the front brakes on my early bay by the book, THEN by bleeding at the rubber hose/upper cylinder junction like you're thinking, then by the book again. While I may be slacking in my star adjustment, the system is solid and free of air…
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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HarryFD Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2012 Posts: 751 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:33 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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asiab3 wrote: |
HarryFD wrote: |
So, I have a question. This is the left front bleeder screw on my 1970 Bus.
How do you flush your brake fluid? Since it is on the bottom, if I open it, it is very possible to get air into the cylinders and then very hard to get it out.
What is the correct procedure? |
Following the Bentley prodecure(s!,) the brake bleeder screw should never be open without pressure on the brake lines, either from the pedal or power pressure bleeder. This way, you'll never let additional air in.
I have personally bled the front brakes on my early bay by the book, THEN by bleeding at the rubber hose/upper cylinder junction like you're thinking, then by the book again. While I may be slacking in my star adjustment, the system is solid and free of air…
Robbie |
Robbie. Thanks for the insight. I guess I was over thinking the whole thing. _________________ 1970 Deluxe Sunroof Bay Brilliant Blue/Cloud White
1973.5 911 Targa
2009 MB C300 |
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MikeyM73 Samba Member
Joined: December 06, 2016 Posts: 506 Location: Napa Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: Early Bay brake Q - Why is the bleeder screw on the lower cyl? |
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Aeromech, you're correct. I know the V-Dub Engineers were a very intelligent bunch of fellows but the logic escapes me as to why the one and only bleeder screw would be on the bottom cylinder. Unless, someone at some point in time, perhaps mounted a lower cylinder up top and vice versa which I doubt because all the photos I have seen show the bleeder screw on the bottom.
Robbie, that makes sense - after bleeding normally, give it another go by cracking the upper hose.
Can't be too difficult, right?? _________________ '73 Pop-top Westy, found sitting in a field for 10+ years, cleaned up, rebuilt furniture, reloved. Original 1.7 block/fully polished crank, 93mm 1.8L balanced AA pistons & cylinders, new 1.8L balanced rods, HAM 42/36 heads, Scat C25 cam & lubalobe lifters, Dual HPMX40s, R2C filters w/ Outerwears pre-filters, functioning thermostat & flaps, Pertronix Flamethrower III, 4-1 exhaust w/ Cherry Bomb 2" turbo muffler & OEM heater boxes, averages about 19-22ish on the highway. |
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