CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
Have an 87 Bertone. Replaced reservoir hoses, master cylinder and distribution blocks. Don’t see or hear leaks anywhere. Rears don’t seem to draw at all when bleeder hooked up. Blockage? If so, how do you clear it?
Brake bleeding tricks?
- Thread starter CandBMotorworks
- Start date
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
Oh and the hoses from the hardlines to the calipers are new and the calipers rebuilt.
kmead
Old enough to know better
Are you sure the reservoir hoses are not crimped? Try raising the reservoirs higher by disconnecting them and putting them on a box so there is some 'head' and gravity can help you.
Use a power bleeder by applying a few pounds of pressure directly to the feed hose after taking the reservoir off. You can make a pressure bleeder using a common 1 gallon garden sprayer:
Use a power bleeder by applying a few pounds of pressure directly to the feed hose after taking the reservoir off. You can make a pressure bleeder using a common 1 gallon garden sprayer:
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
So we had been able to get fluid moving through the rear earlier and it was drawing down the rear reservoir. We had a leak at the distribution block for the front. We removed and replaced that. Seem to get fluid moving through the front but not the rear and we are not getting any pedal pressure.
Also we took the bottom feed line out of the distribution block foe the rears on the firewall and we were able to confirm suction from each caliper to the distribution block, and by depressing the pedal we got a small amount of fluid out of the feed line.
Also we took the bottom feed line out of the distribution block foe the rears on the firewall and we were able to confirm suction from each caliper to the distribution block, and by depressing the pedal we got a small amount of fluid out of the feed line.
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CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
This is not my first brake job, nor the first time I have rebuilt the system for an X. I do recall last time it took a while to get the system primed but didn’t have anywhere near the problems I am having now.
Serhiy Luchkey
True Classic
I had the same issue except I couldn’t bleed the fronts, turned out to be a master cylinder, after rebuilding it worked perfectly
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
We haven't given up on the master (yet). I also got a new master for the clutch and haven't been able to get it to bleed, either. We have removed the pedal box and are going to see if we can bench bleed the masters. Also, we may be having issues with kinked hoses from the reservoirs so we are looking at revising that system, too. Stay tuned.
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
Update: We finally got pedal. Had to pull the master and bench bleed, reinstall. We used a vacuum bleed system to pull fluid down to the calipers. But ultimately what got it to work was old fashioned one guy on the pedal, pump a few times, hold, then open the bleeder.
We moved on to the clutch but as it turned out the clutch slave was frozen and when I pulled it out and did an insepction, the cylinder had dried crud in it and the piston was pitted. New slave is ordered and on the way.
We moved on to the clutch but as it turned out the clutch slave was frozen and when I pulled it out and did an insepction, the cylinder had dried crud in it and the piston was pitted. New slave is ordered and on the way.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Glad you were able to get the master to work without having to replace it yet again.
But sucks about the slave. It never ends.
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
While we are waiting for the slave cylinder to get here, I thought I would share pics of the refurb we did on the tires and wheels:
First the before:
And now:
Not sure how well it will show up in the photos, but the old wheels were faded, yellowed, and the lugs were yellowed, too. We stripped all of the paint and clear off, taped and repainted the centers with a charcoal color that matched as close as we could to good paint found on the wheels. We then clear coated them. Also did the same to the lugs, to make them disappear. I still need to figure out what to do about the center caps; the old ones were worn out, faded and brittle plastic.
First the before:
And now:
Not sure how well it will show up in the photos, but the old wheels were faded, yellowed, and the lugs were yellowed, too. We stripped all of the paint and clear off, taped and repainted the centers with a charcoal color that matched as close as we could to good paint found on the wheels. We then clear coated them. Also did the same to the lugs, to make them disappear. I still need to figure out what to do about the center caps; the old ones were worn out, faded and brittle plastic.
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
I think the center caps are pretty available in FIAT, but not so much in Bertone.
You could dress up your existing ones with some trim paint and labels similar to the below:
Set of 4 Silicone Stickers Bertone Badge for Rim Center Caps, Phone,car Interior, Tablet Black - Etsy
This Car Accessories item is sold by Deyaautoaccessories. Ships from Bulgaria. Listed on Mar 6, 2024
www.etsy.com
Or like this:
Metal Stickers Car Wheel Center Cap Stickers Set of 4 Bertone 1 Vintage - Etsy
This Stickers, Labels & Tags item by LogoCarHouse has 5 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Spain. Listed on Apr 10, 2024
www.etsy.com
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CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
I had already been looking at the second of the items you suggested. The caps that came with these wheels stick up over an inch from the face of the wheel. I looked to see if I could remove the centers to put new ones over the top but the centers wouldn't come out (or wouldn't without destroying the whole thing). Meanwhile the black plastic is old and brittle and already broken in places on some. So I ordered some of the new flat plastic caps from Midwest and the Etsy centers and will put it all together when it gets here.I think the center caps are pretty available in FIAT, but not so much in Bertone.
You could dress up your existing ones with some trim paint and labels similar to the below:
Set of 4 Silicone Stickers Bertone Badge for Rim Center Caps, Phone,car Interior, Tablet Black - Etsy
This Car Accessories item is sold by Deyaautoaccessories. Ships from Bulgaria. Listed on Mar 6, 2024
Or like this:
Metal Stickers Car Wheel Center Cap Stickers Set of 4 Bertone 1 Vintage - Etsy
This Stickers, Labels & Tags item by LogoCarHouse has 5 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Spain. Listed on Apr 10, 2024
Even without the centers, though, we are really happy with the way these phone dials look on this car.
Back on track, I got the clutch slave and installed it but haven't had a chance to bleed or set it yet.
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
I got one of the postive pressure bleeders with the "European" cap but couldn't make it fit our reservoir. So we got a Harbor Freight vacuum bleeder (instead of our old Griot's Garage hand pump bleeder) and jerry rigged it with a coolant bleeder to connect to our compressor. That allowed us to keep somewhat consistent vacuum without constantly having to hand pump, and with some finagling we were able to get fluid flow and finally to get brake pedal. We did pull the pedal box and re-aligned the hoses to ensure that they weren't being pinched, and fussed until we were finally able to get the system to seal. Fingers crossed that this works for a while.
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
Other projects...since we had the steering column and wheel out of the way, and the needles were bent and falling apart, I decided remove and to do a bit of rehab on the cluster. Unfortunately I forgot to take the "before" photos, but what you are seeing here is a little Testor's enamel paint to "fix" some fading on the guages. For the tach I added a darker orange to the faded dots from 7-8k, and for the battery voltage I added a lighter yellow-orange to fix the faded areas at the top and bottom.
Thanks to a thread elsewhere on the forum I have found and ordered some Plastruct triangular rod off of Amazon. When it gets here I will rebuild the speedo and tach needles.
From a search on the site I have seen that it is possible to replace the larger bulbs with LEDS. What about the small "ricebulbs?" Is there a PnP version of those available? Does any one know the PNs for these?
Thanks.
Lowtechprime
Retro Grouch
I find 'reverse' pressure bleeding works best to remove all air from the system... Generally easier with 2 people so you don't overflow the reservoir, but it can be done alone... Air flows up!
Also recommend always replacing the rubber hoses with braided steel Teflon lines whether your racing or not.. Rubber hoses can be pourous depending on the brand/quality, plus they degrade internally contaminating the fluid, plus even when new they balloon somewhat when pressure is applied... All bad. A Teflon line will never really degrade or need replacement, plus is non pourous and won't balloon. They're not even expensive anymore, so there's really no reason to ever have rubber brake lines on any car...
KBabcock
True Classic
The bleeding has been the bane of my project, having a devil of a time getting the peddle firm. Have bleed it at least 5 times...front end up, rear end up, pumped fast, pumped slow (Fast was better) nothing. Can't use a power bleeder because my reservoir tank has feed nipples held in by rubber grommets so pick up this vacuum bleeder. Recommended by member of this board...we shall see.
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SuperTopo
True Classic
Paging 3D Printer People....
I had downloaded this same 3D file and was planning to print them out and install them on a instrument cluster Jeff was good enough to provide. I read about a guy who did it, he uses the original base, gently preyed off the needle then super glues in the printed needle to the old base. I think...
xwebforums.com
Lowtechprime
Retro Grouch
This is the kind I use... You bleed from the calipers up to the reservoir, so it doesn't matter what the reservoir is. You attach to the bleeder valve...
Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
Yep I thought I had mine bled but took it out on Sunday and it was mashed potatoes. Gonna try again today.