Topic: 1978 CB550 Master Cylinder - Squirts?

[Ron I]

Hi, new to the forum and rebuilding a 78 CB550.  And no, this is not some perverted porn fetish thread  .

Anyway, I put in a rebuild kit on my 78 CB550, I go to bleed the thing, and with the reservoir cover off, fluid squirts right out of the smaller intake pinhole port in the reservoir if I pull the lever in too fast?  Is that supposed to happen?

On top of that, even after completely bleeding out all air out of the brake system, I am still able to pull the lever all the way to my handlebar, which was the case before and after the rebuild.  Is that typical for these bikes?  Every motorcycle I've ridden doesn't allow the brake lever to touch the handle bar, unless I give it an ungodly amount of force.

Any ideas?  Is the squirting/lever to the handle bar normal?

[Bluegreen]

Welcome to the forum

 The squirting thing is normal, at least on every SOHC master I've ever bled. And no, the touching the handlebar thing is not typical. Have you checked the caliper to make sure that the seal and piston are still good?

[Ron I]

Thanks, I thought i screwed up the master cylinder.  My sportbikes don't do this, so I was baffled.

I cleaned out the slave cylinder, and the seal seemed to still be in good shape.  Well, I have to say that it doesn't leak, so that means the seal is still good, no?

[Silverback]

Try putting a zip tie on the lever, holding it down over night. Air can get trapped in places that wont bleed out. This trick almost always works for me. Just did it on two spongy brake bikes last week and the brakes work great now.