Topic: Flaming backfires!

[ic455]

I think I will pull the tensioner off tomorrow and see about it.  The wires and caps are pretty much gone, I took off the #1 cap to see how it was looking, and it appears that the inside of the wire is gone to goo (black substance that looks/feels like tar inside wire surrounding center wire, even after cutting 1/2" off the end thinking it was aome type of insulating compound).  The rear brake is a drum, I pulled the wheel off a little while ago (in the dark, LOL) and went inside the hub to get a look.  The shoes are pretty much toast, but the worst part is that what appears to be the lower shoe retaining plate was just bouncing around inside the drum and is seriously mangled from the experience.  I saw it and thought "no wonder the brake wasn't working"  

The front is, of course, hydraulic disc, but the caliper piston is seized and the master cyl. needs to be rebuilt as it cant produce enough power to force the piston out of the caliper.  If I just had a compressor I could use the old air trick....dang it!  Also, the inner brake pad seems to be seized to the piston:  Is there some way that it is fastened to the piston?

[750goes]

#$%* are you gonna have some fun.....

I don't know about the rear but the front is starting from top to bottom..

Front Disc Brake
1. can you move the brake lever on the bars - if so thats a bonus... make sure there is fluid in the reservoir.
2. check the brake lines from top to bottom for any leaks, particularly around the joining sections of the brake lines - you may be lucky here and just need some new crush washers if they are leaking..
3. undo the bleed nipple on the caliper and let some fluid run out (fingers crossed) - don't pump any out..is the fluid the same colour as iin the reservoir? do the bleeder up again.
4. if the disk pad seems unable to move with pumping - take the whole caliper off the bike, attach a grease gun to the brake line connection directly on the caliper, and pump the crapper out of it... if the piston does not move then it may well be corroded in place (hope not)...
check the inside of the caliper where the pad is located - if this is stuck/corroded - don't hit it with anything yet. soak the whole unit in some kerosene or diesel for a few days with the bleed nipple out... then try the grease gun method again.... if after a few attemots it won't come out - you may need another caliper...(I got two of them so far)....

[ic455]

Heh, trouble is that the bleeder is completely seized as well.  On top of that it is totally rounded from many unsuccessful attempts at removal by PO.  Brake lever moves okay, even pushes fluid out with the caliper off, but just kind of runs out of the line instead of spurting as it should.  All lines are ok, but it seems as if there was maybe a bit of water in the system at some point, or just really old fluid (brown, very dirty).  Been constantly spraying penetrating lube around the pad hoping it will seep down to the piston, been sitting in shed that way for a couple of weeks now.  Thanks for the help!

[750goes]

If the bleeder is siezed you may need to look for another caliper - my first major rebuild item on the bike was the front caliper with  a broken off bleed nipple also siezed

It finished up breaking an easy out off in the bleed nipple, then I got lucky and the local wrecker found one for me..and rebuilt it as well....

[ic455]

If the bleeder is siezed you may need to look for another caliper - my first major rebuild item on the bike was the front caliper with  a broken off bleed nipple also siezed

It finished up breaking an easy out off in the bleed nipple, then I got lucky and the local wrecker found one for me..and rebuilt it as well....

Finally got the inner pad loose, and got the piston to compress (expelling water and old brake fluid in the process).  Now to soak the bleeder for a couple weeks and hope it'll cut loose.  If not I guess I'll try the easy out and then I'll end up looking for one, I'm sure

[750goes]

If you got the piston to move- then try and pump it out, if it comes out then soak the caliper - it may help in unfreezing the nipple as well..good going     

[ic455]

If you got the piston to move- then try and pump it out, if it comes out then soak the caliper - it may help in unfreezing the nipple as well..good going     

Thanks!  Hooked it back up to the line and pumped for all I'm worth and still no dice.  With the caliper off I can finally get a pretty good stream of fluid when I grab the brake but it doesn't seem to have enough umph to move the piston....maybe the air inside is unable to escape even though I tried bleeding from the line fitting.  I think I'll try to get to my buddie's garage and use his compressor to see if I can pop her out of there

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

IC,

If you haven't used the grease gun trick you really need to do this! MUCH more substantial results than using an air compressor plus it will ease out rather than shoot out if/when it breaks loose. You gotta trust an old WKY boy. If you can't get the bleeder out yet don't worry, leave it in and use the hole the brake line goes in for the grease gun. Unscrew the head and Hopefully it will thread right in there. Just don't bugger the threads by trying too hard. Threads may not match perfectly but it may still work. You can always use small vise grips on the bleeder. I used a small single hand grease gun. Use a full grease cartridge. If the grease gun doesn't work then you may need to give up at that point. When the piston comes out determine whether or not the caliper bore is salvagable. If it is salvagable and it still contains the bleeder screw which you are still unable to remove, I believe the good folks at Speed Bleeder will remove this for you for the price of a Speed Bleeder which is around 10 bucks! SERIOUSLY! Call them 888-879-7016 and look them up at SpeedBleeder.com. Super folks!! You'd think they are WKYians too. Let us know if I am incorrect but I do believe they had been offering this. I am a Speed Bleeder Believer! 

Jerry

[mrbreeze]

Hell.....how can you beat that? I say go for it.

[ic455]

I'll definitely check them out!  Gonna try the grease gun idea for the piston as soon as I get a free minute or two.....Thanks!

[CrisPDuk]

Here's a tip on the bleeder thats worked for me on several occasions.

Get yourself a stove that works outside, and an old pan.
Fill the pan with paraffin or similar, bring almost to the boil and leave the caliper in there simmering for half an hour or so, enough to get the whole caliper up to the paraffin's temp.
Let the caliper cool down, and you should be able to loosen the bleeder using the correct tool.

It works better on Honda calipers, than most older stuff because the aluminium body expands off the steel bleeder, allowing paraffin to get down the threads.
You definitely need to do it outside though, both for the safety of your house and any relationship you may be in