I've been working on bleeding the brakes on my rescue roadster. I had removed the OEM calipers and cleaned them up / installed new dimpled & slotted high performance rotors and new premium brake pads. While everything was apart I sucked out all of the brake fluid from the system (I thought all of it) with my new mityvac. Then I started putting in all fresh Pentosin Super Dot4 brake fluid.

I have already bled each caliper at least 6 times first trying to use the mityvac and later using the traditional bleeding method with my wife pumping up the brake pedal and then holding down the pedal while I opened the bleeder and closed it again. The brakes are still spongy and surprisingly I'm still getting some old brake fluid out during the bleeding procedure (the old fluid was a greenish color and new fluid is an amber color so I know). Obviously there remained a significant amount of the old brake fluid somewhere in the system (in the ABS box??) even after I thought I had sucked the system dry. I will try bleeding each caliper a few more times on Thursday (no time tomorrow as I'll be driving all day / too busy with my real job).

Just FYI . . .

I sent the following e-mail to speedbleeder@earthlink.net yesterday . . .

I want to order a set of FOUR stainless steel speed bleeders for my '05 Chrysler Crossfire SRT6. It has the stock OEM brake calipers. I THINK I need the SB8125L-SS front and the SB8125LL-SS rear. Please confirm as correct. THANKS for your prompt response . . .


This is the response I received today . . .

The size(s) for your application is as follows:

Front……SB7100-SS
Rear…….SB8125LL-SS

The application chart that I use for reference shows the SB7100 for the front

Any thoughts or advice on any of the above??

 

I just put 4 SB8125LL bleeders on my N/A yesterday.
They look correct for the rears, but are a bit long for the fronts, although they work fine.
Not sure if the bleeders are the same on N/A & SRT6.

The vacuum bleeder method will no longer work, seems the spring pressure on the non-return ball is too high, but they worked great with the push the pedal method.

Only wish everything I had was as stiff as my brakes are now.

 

Too much information LOL

 

Back to google.. search for valves.. LOL.

 

THAT's FUNNY!

 

Thanks for that information. I was wondering about that . . .

 

On my SRT I noticed they are longer than stock but work good.

 

If the spring pressure is too strong to use a vacuum bleeder, what good are these speed bleeders? You would only have the traditional pump the pedal and hold it while loosening the bleeder and then tightening it method. I don't see any advantage to buying these $60 speed bleeders.

What am I missing??

 

You can do it on your own using the pump method.

 

The springs/***** in the speed bleeders hold pressure against the caliper fluid.
The vacuum bleeder ( at least mine ) doesn't have enough vacuum to get the ***** off the seats.

My set of 4 where $33 shipped, not $60.

 

The website calls for 2 different lengths front/back.

 

So, I guess this was a pipe dream?

 

No, they work just fine by pumping the pedal, it's just that you can no longer vacuum bleed them.

Interesting thing : 3 of them worked without any resistance on the pedal, the forth one acted like I hadn't opened the bleeder, then all of a sudden it 'popped' and the pedal went to the floor. The ball in that one must have been stuck.

 

The stainless steel (my favorite metal) speed bleeders are $15 each x 4 = $60.

 

True. When I ordered, I stupidly thought the '-SS' on the part id meant stainless steel.
I was wrong - the ones I got are NOT stainless steel, they look like brass.

I don't do steel often, but when I do, I prefer Stainless.

Lesson learned.

 

So you loosen the speed bleeder, get into the car and pump up the pedal then when you push hard on the pedal it overcomes the spring and bleeds the caliper. Then when the pedal goes to the floor the speed bleeder seals itself back up and you can pump up the pedal again. Is that the procedure on how the speed bleeders can make bleeding the brakes a one person job?

By the way, I did a final bleed on all four calipers using the gravity bleed method until I saw only the fresh (amber) brake fluid dripping out. Brakes should be good now but won't be able to test drive the car until I get the wheel wells refinished and install the wheels / tires. Maybe later today.

 

Yes, essentially that's it, however I only had to press HARD on one of them. I opened each one 1/2 turn, then did 3 full pedals, then closed.
It used about 1/2 of the fluid in the reservoir.
I had connected a clear vinyl tube to each that went up about 6" before going down to the drain pan. Each one showed about 4" of fluid.

 

Correct. I had to press firm but not hard. Tighten it, loosen 1/2 turn, pump the brake all the way to the floor until you think all the air is out (I did 5 each), then retighten and you are done. I also noticed the threads seal a lot better than oem. I didn't think it would make much a difference over the buddy system, but all I can say is it worked and is very easy.