Author Topic: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING  (Read 32461 times)

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Offline sportsvan

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BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« on: March 20, 2011, 11:19:13 AM »
just rebuilt my rear caliper, new seals, respray etc. fitted it back on & i cant get the bleed nipple to seal (it leaks out fluid when i press the brake pedal.
before i rebuilt it the caliper was seized up. the nipple looks ok but i am afraid to tighten it down any more.  any suggestions please?   
78 750f supersport
78 xt 500
80 cb900fa
70 bsa royal star 500
2x 1970 mobylette 49cc mopeds
1972 mini clubman estate !

Offline 736cc

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2011, 11:22:40 AM »
Teflon tape

Offline phil71

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2011, 11:24:04 AM »
look at the taper on the bottom and clean it up as best you can. Sometimes those surfaces get pretty rusty over the years and just don't mate that well. clean the hole with a wire brush . Replace the bleeder if you can.

Offline phil71

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2011, 11:25:41 AM »
Teflon tape on a bleeder screw? That's okay to do ? Man, I wish I knew that last summer...

Offline sportsvan

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2011, 11:35:59 AM »
i am in england & am not sure what teflon tape is.  is it also called PTFE tape (the stuff plumbers use ?
78 750f supersport
78 xt 500
80 cb900fa
70 bsa royal star 500
2x 1970 mobylette 49cc mopeds
1972 mini clubman estate !

Offline MoMo

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2011, 12:13:13 PM »
i am in england & am not sure what teflon tape is.  is it also called PTFE tape (the stuff plumbers use ?

Same thing...Larry

Offline TwoTired

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2011, 12:13:42 PM »
Teflon tape on a bleeder screw? That's okay to do ? Man, I wish I knew that last summer...

No, not really.  Besides, it is not the threads that form the seal, it is the tip of the screw and the seat in the caliper that form the seal.  This is where you need to scrutinize to find your leak.

However, it could be that the threads are corroded and preventing  full closure.  Again close examination.

You do NOT want teflon/PTFE there and risk pieces floating around inside the brake fluid system.

Cheers,
Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
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Offline Helmet Hair

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2011, 01:09:17 PM »
Sportsvan, twotired is both right and possibly wrong, right in so far as the taper on the end of the bleed screw and the matching surface in the bottom of the screw port are where the actual sealing takes place and you need to take a very careful look at these surfaces to see if there's an anomaly on them which is allowing fluid to pass it.
Its common wisdom to change the bleed screws if they've been fitted for any appreciable time and they might have been difficult to remove, due to the pressure some people put on them when tightening them it can weaken the screw and cause it to shear next time you want to slacken it off to bleed the brakes.
I recently had a chat with a mate of mine on this very subject, he's a very experienced vehicle fitter, and he recommended using PTFE on the threads of the bleed screw, but do NOT use it on the sealing taper, you don't need much, just a couple of wraps round is sufficient, what the PTFE is intended to do is stop the steel bleed screw seizing into the alloy body, its not intended to act as a seal.
your problem is going to be something to do with the sealing taper on the screw and the mating surface in the caliper, concentrate on those, you could also try using some copper grease on the screw threads when reassembling.

Offline kerryb

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2011, 02:06:51 PM »
TT, please go back to the girl!  please...
intrigued by the wail...seduced by the scream.

Offline sportsvan

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #9 on: March 20, 2011, 02:27:24 PM »
thanks for the replies. tell you what i am going to do.
1.  clean the inside seating of the caliper (again) as it doesn't look bad anyway.
2.  try a new nipple.
3.  get my PTFE  (teflon)tape out. (i am a gas repair man so have loads of it !)

here's a useless fact for you.  i once worked in the house of widow of the man who invented or discovered PTFE  she lived in epsom surrey. (where the derby horse race is held)
strange, but actually true !

better still, i took my xt 500 out today for a good thrashing. great fun  :)
78 750f supersport
78 xt 500
80 cb900fa
70 bsa royal star 500
2x 1970 mobylette 49cc mopeds
1972 mini clubman estate !

bollingball

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2011, 02:28:16 PM »
 After you clean up the taper hole in the caliber you may want to try a speed bleeder they work good and come with the sealing dope on the threads when you look at them you will notice the dope does NOT go to the bottom of the threads so it does not get into the system like TT is saying. You realise where the crud in the hole is going to wind up when you clean it don't you ;)

Offline Really?

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2011, 03:13:45 PM »
I have also known it to be called virgin tape.  Seriously, lol.
I don't have a motorcycle, sold it ('85 Yamaha Venture Royale).  Haven't had a CB750 for over 40 years.

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Offline Steve F

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2011, 04:36:14 PM »
Please......don't use the PTFE Teflon tape.  Use some anti seize compound on the threads.  That's what it's intended for.  Teflon tape is for sealing tapered PIPE threads.

Offline sportsvan

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2011, 07:37:19 AM »
have now tried cleaning the seating in the caliper, a new bleed nipple, ptfe (teflon) on the threads. she still leaks when i put pressure on the brake pedal.
i did not buy a honda nipple, just a std m8 threaded one from my local car (auto) SPARES SHOP. will this make a difference? the original nipple had a stubby end but the new one is more pointed. (neither will seal though)

if everything else fails then i think i will use a short allen (hex) bolt with a copper washer to seal the caliper.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2011, 07:42:23 AM by sportsvan »
78 750f supersport
78 xt 500
80 cb900fa
70 bsa royal star 500
2x 1970 mobylette 49cc mopeds
1972 mini clubman estate !

Offline Whaleman

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Re: BRAKE CALIPER BLEED SCREW NOT SEALING
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2011, 07:41:38 AM »
Are you positive the small cone shaped piece of steel that seals to the screw did not fall out? The small piece at the bottom of the hole is a seperate part and the screw will not seal without it in place. Dan