Bleeding brakes?

[Grant]

Travis, my dad found that the seals in the proportioning valve were bad when the car was sitting around for a while. He replaced the seals, and all seemed well. If for some reason, it got worse again, I would not discount the proportioning valve.

Look around the engine bay for leaks dripping from the proportioning valve. If that seems to be the problem, I would just buy a new proportioning valve and consider his repair a failure.

good luck!

[Travis_k]

The proportioning valve is right by the master cylinder like a normal car, correct? The only fluid I see at all in thats area is just around the top of the reservior, thats it. When I talked to your dad he proportioning valve leaking, but I have looked and still dont see anything. Maybe I should just repleace it anyway, who knows.

[Gubi]

Travis: pull the black rubber cover off the rear of the proportioning valve. If it's full of fluid then you've got a problem.

If you put your finger over the cover and have someone work the brakes, you should feel small motion of the valve closing and opening if the valve is working.

[kredden]

Travis,

I had problems the first time I bled the brakes with a pressure bleeder and wasn't actually sure what I was doing wrong. Finally got them bled the old fashioned way with someone pumping the pedals.

I just flushed the entire system two weeks ago using the pressure bleeder and the only problem I had was that it was not making a god enough seal where it screws onto the reservoir and started pissing fluid out there when I got to about 10 PSI on the bleeder. Once I fiddled with that and got it right things went fine. I had the car up on jack stands so that the rear was a fair amount higher than the front. Pressurized the bleeder to about 12 PSI and started with the two bleeder screws on the rear passenger side (LHD car, so caliper farthest away from the master), then did the other rear, then passenger side front and finally driver side front. Then did the clutch slave.

The brake pedal should never get anywhere near the floor on these cars and should have a nice hard feel all the time. Maybe yours needs some Viagra? ;-) You're sure you are not running the reservoir below the min when bleeding right?

Kevin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis_k I still have not been able to completly get the air out of the brakes, nor do I see any fluid anywhere it doesnt belong except some of the top of the master cylinder reservior? I almost think that the fluid that I am loosing is leaking out of the reservior somehow. Is is just normal for these cars to never be able to completly get the air out of the brake lines? I bough the car from the original owner and he said that the pedal felt like a normal car when new, but after working on the brake system and replacing parts that he was never able to complety get the air out so it felt like it did when new. The way it is right now on a hard stop I can press the pedal completly to the floor and not even come close to locking up the wheels. The 2 questions I have are 1. Are there any special requirements for bleeding the brakes on a non ABS milano using a pressure bleeder that are different from others cars? and 2. Has anyone ever had fluid leak out of the master cylinder reservior even though it doesnt have any visible cracks in it? I would take it to a shop but the only one close enough that id have time to drive there pretty much said if I wasnt prepered to spend at least $1k to sell or junk the car, and I dont intend on doing either one of those things so thats not going to help. lol I really like this car, but but I just wish the brakes wernt so bad. grr

[Travis_k]

When I bought the car the pedal would go down quite a bit farther than a normal car, but I was told it had been like that for quite some time and had not changed even though most of the hydraulic system had been replaced. Using the pressure bleeder was the only way I could get enough air out to get the brakes to work at all. I think there are basicly 2 problems, one that there is still a little bit of air in the system, and two that there is a small leak somewhere but I cant see any fluid where it shouldnt be.

[Grant]

Kredden, don't you have a Verde? The Verde's seem to have a much higher engagement point.

[kredden]

Yes, sorry, I was talking about the brake pedal (I just edited my last post to specify that).

I've never driven any Milano's except Verde's so I can't compare, but I do think they have a very high engagement point for the clutch. My Spider is the exact opposite, just off the floor. Took me forever to be able to drive the Verde smoothly.

Kevin

[Travis_k]

It appears that the proportioning valve is the problem, im going to replace it and see what happens. Now if I can just get the speedometer to work, its be happy.