Seized Bleeder - Front Brakes - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jefe · 12-09-2008, 09:36 AM

3sfe (91 automatic)
Just had a rear brake line rupture. No time to do it myself so I took it to a shop. They spliced in a new line.

Long story short, brakes are spongy so I assume there is some air in the line. Mechanic told me he couldn't bleed the front because 1 bleeder valve is broken off and the other is seized. I asked him if he could pull the hose off the caliper and bleed from that and he said no because you have to bleed from the highest point (the bleeder valve). He also said that it's a closed system so the front should not need to be bled since there was still some fluid in the master cylinder.

1. Do I need to replace the bleeder valves to bleed the front? I don't think so.
2. If I do need to replace them can i just drill them out?

Thanks.

Doctor J · 12-09-2008, 11:43 AM

Unless you have NEW brake pads on front , you can remove calipers without disconnecting the lines, and push cailper pistons back in to their bores using C-clamp. This will force fluid and air bubbles out of the front calipers back to the master cylinder.
Reassemble the brakes, and inspect the fluid in the master cylinder:
if air bubbles are present then the air have gotten into the front brake system due to low fluid level.
[the system is tandem but if fluid level gets to low the air can get in, as there is nofull hight divider inside the reservoir.]
Siphon the fluid out, add fresh fluid and pump pedal to bring the pads back to the rotor.
[do it slowly so the pads won't get crooked]

TBayToyotaBoy · 12-09-2008, 02:43 PM

I've often found that retracting the pistons with a c-clamp (which I do every time I replace pads and/or rotors) can actually introduce some air into the system...my absolute recommendation is that you check www.rockauto.com for calipers and replace them--they're cheap and good.

I recommend this because those broken/seized bleeder valves will come back to haunt you. Get rid of them (I've never tried drilling them out).

Doctor J · 12-09-2008, 04:43 PM

Have not heard about introducing the air this way but have had one time fluid leak at the caliper around the piston [89 Civic].

fredk · 12-09-2008, 10:15 PM

just get a couple calipers

TBayToyotaBoy · 12-09-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredk

just get a couple calipers

Ah, sweet vindication! It's nice when someone--anyone, really--agrees with me.

jefe · 12-10-2008, 12:11 PM

Thanks for the info everyone. The guy who spliced the line has the car so if he doesn't get it right this time I'll try Doctor's approach. If that doesn't work I'll think about new calipers (getting stingy since I'm aa I approach 270K miles!).

gary91camery · 12-16-2008, 09:43 AM

I have tried to drill them out before(twice) and using an "easy out". First time I put the ole rust buster stuff (don't remember the name) and broke off the "easy out". 2nd time on a different car I drilled them, heated them with a torch and then broke off the "easy out". Believe me you can not drill out an easy out without screwing up the calipers!
My advice is to replace the calipers with new ones!