Trying to bleed brakes but no lever pressure HELP

[Connor_ferk1]

I have a ktm 200exc that has the brembo brakes on it. The front brakes have been working , but they are very spongey and in need of a good bleeding. So I loosen the bleeder screw and start pumping my brakes but no fluid was squirting out. So I kept unscrewing it until it came out then when the screw wasn't in I would squeeze the lever and fluid would shoot out. (Now the lever was so light to pull, no pressure). Then I tried putting the bleeder screw back on and pulled the break lever and there was no pressure. It can't be that my brakes need rebuilt cus they were working fine before I took the bleeder screw out. I tried to see if the screw was clogged but I couldn't tell. I couldn't see any light through it though. I need help ... No brakes now. This is very frustrating you guys prob understand!! The bike is never finished with maintenece, there's always more!

[Jx3]

Today I was with my old neighbor in his friends shop and we had to bleed the brakes from the caliper. And we had to tilt the bike so the brakes were above the resorvoir and the air could rise to the top

[boomman]

Chances are that your nipple was clogged. Did it have a little plastic cap on it?  If not then you probably had more crap crammed in there than Richard Gere's keister. Do a search to find out how to do it right.  You pretty much did everything wrong.  It's too much typing to do. You can learn anything on youtube.  Good luck.

[gimped up]

Chances are that your nipple was clogged.

I hate clogged nipples!

[Fatt_Tones]

I hate clogged nipples!

 

Me too, but it's sure fun trying to em unclogged ?

[zotis777]

Pump it, then hold it down as you unscrew the nipple and after it squirts quickly shut the nipple. Only one the screws turned back in your can let the lever out. How I've always done it and it works perfectly

Edited May 5, 2014 by zotis777

[Connor_ferk1]

The nipple doesn't work as a nipple should. It's pretty much a bolt cus it's clogged. The air seeps out cus I can't tighten it quick enough because I have to screw it all the way back in

[zotis777]

So take it off and blast it with carb cleaner

[Beau 88]

Take out the bleed screw and clean it so you can blow air through it , thread it in like normal but only about 2 turns ( leave it loose ) fill the reservoir and do nothing just keep it full until it starts running out at the caliper with no air , just a steady stream of fluid. tighten the bleed screw and replace the reservoir cap . Pumping the levers makes it worse if you don't have help especially it just sucks air back through the bleed screw.  ?

[handreasen]

I hate those damn nipple covers more then anything! I like to see the nipples!

[Fatt_Tones]

I wasn't going to respond because there's an infinite wealth of info on the net about how to properly bleed brakes. But, I feel guilty for high jacking your thread with nipple jokes. So here goes:

DO NOT pump the brake with the bleeder screw open. When you depress the lever the system becomes positively pressured and therefore fluid is displaced and should issue from the nipple. But when you release the lever a vacuum is created and if the bleeder screw is left open air will be drawn into the system.

Air is compressible, liquid is not. Hence the lack of firmness when you depress the lever.....you have somehow introduced air. Even a tiny air bubble can render your brakes useless. Since the passage through the bleeder screw is plugged, I'm guessing that you had it backed off so far that air was drawn in from around the threads perhaps?

So remove the nipple and clear it with a piece of wire, contact cleaner, compressed air, or whatever means. Then replace it. Then remove the master cylinder cover and be sure there's plenty of fluid in there to start, and keep it that way throughout the process. If you run the MC too low you can introduce air that way as well. You will then pump up the brake lever and while holding it against the bar you will open the bleeder on the calliper a quarter turn of so, then immediately close it. Once closed then, and only then can you release the brake lever. Repeat, repeat, repeat.......keep an eye on that MC level.

FYI that can take FOREVER to get the brakes back, if ever. So personally, I would first attach a vacuum bleeder to the nipple to draw out any crud that may have made it's way in. If the nipple was plugged with crap, some of it may have made it's way in when you were messing around, so I would want to draw it out. But vacuum bleeders can cost more than they're worth, so just do the aforementioned procedure a few times then get your butt down to your local Wal-mart or whatever automotive store and buy yourself a 60cc syringe and a short piece of like 3/16" or 1/4" (can't recall which size fits on the nipple) vinyl tubing. Shouldn't cost you much more than $5. When you get home do an internet search on "Reverse Bleed Method". Armed with your new tool and knowledge you should have your brakes back in a matter of seconds, and even better than before...

I'm sure you'll find lots of good info, but if not there's a couple pictures outlining the method in my cr rebuild thread:

https://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1078156-spring-rebuild-pictorial/page-4#!IGJVC

Lol.....don't think I have ever said "nipple" so many times in one post...

Edited May 5, 2014 by Fattonz

[Still Bill]

Put a zip-tie on your lever overnight to hold it down hard.  The next day your brakes will be perfect.

[Connor_ferk1]

I did that last night. I will check it this evening hopefully it worked

[95jersey]

+1 on the vacuum pump.  They can be found at any automotive store and are a must have.  Attached a hose to the top of the nipple and suck the air out until you get a solid stream of fluid (make sure you keep an eye on the MC that is it properly filled or you will just suck more air).  This way there is no lever pumping required and this is the ONLY sure way to get out all the air.  Once you have some consistent solid fluid in the tube, tighten down the nipple and you should have perfect lever response and engagement.  Takes about 15 minutes if you have a lot of air in the line.

 

I tried this without the vacuum pump and it seems near impossible.

[3 legged hyena]

Harbor freight ,,vacuum pump kit. Cheap , works great. Remove the bleeder , put it in a vise and clean out carefully clean out with a drill and 1/16" bit , or better yet , take bleeder to a local mc shop or napa and match up a new bleeder.

[Connor_ferk1]

You guys are all giving me methods on bleeding my brakes. I know how to bleed them if the nipple was working correctly

[Beau 88]

You guys are all giving me methods on bleeding my brakes. I know how to bleed them if the nipple was working correctly

Clean it out, piece of wire, compressed air, spray can. 

[Fatt_Tones]

You guys are all giving me methods on bleeding my brakes. I know how to bleed them if the nipple was working correctly

Sorry about that. Your question gave me the impression that you didn't know...

[Beau 88]

Sorry about that. Your question gave me the impression that you didn't know...

I did also considering there is air in the lines and you really don't need a bleed screw if the brakes are bled as described above simply take it out until it runs out steady and screw it back in . 

[boomman]

You guys are all giving me methods on bleeding my brakes. I know how to bleed them if the nipple was working correctly

????  So you know how to bleed brakes but couldn't figure out that the nipple was clogged?