Bleeder curiosity

[KA1J]

I'm in the process of cleaning the right front MC in the XJ11 & thought I'd look at the bleeder to be sure it was intact before painting. Looking at it, there's no hole in the side of it. That's a first, I see no inlet... Hole to the outside, yes but that's the only hole I see. It looks like a sort of collar right above the seat and there's maybe 20 degrees of it that is indented but there's no hole in that indent.

So I remove the bleeder from the left caliper and it's the same thing: I removed that bleeder and sucked & blew on the hole to the outside (whatever it's called, where the fluid comes out when you bleed) & there's no hole anywhere. I looked at the bleeder under a 10X magnify and there's nothing for an inlet hole I can see.

What gives?

[Shacknasty]

Either the hole is plugged or it is not really a bleeder screw. Post a pic so we know what yer dealing with.

[KA1J]

Either the hole is plugged or it is not really a bleeder screw. Post a pic so we know what yer dealing with.

Oh it's definitely a bleeder screw, no question; 8mm, has the standard mushroom head, perfectly matched seat so there's no leaking fluid.

Can't take a picture right now, my pocket sized Olympus died yesterday when it was in my pocket, the crystal must have gotten compressed maybe against my keys & something I was moving and it is now DOA. Ticks me off, it was a 12 megapixel camera too, took great macros...

[KA1J]

I was able to get a couple of photos of the bleeder ( actually I took maybe 20 shots to get these because I can't see through the broken viewfinder & let it autofocus (which still apparently works) & then shoot when I heard the beep...).

I picked out two views that show one side & then the opposite side.


This side shows the 20 degrees of the collar that's indented just above the bevel. What almost looks like a tiny hole at the indentation is an artifact, there's no hole there.



This is the opposite side and you can see the thickness of the collar


Nowhere is there a hole in the side of the bleeder. The bleeder from the other caliper also has no hole in it & is exactly the same.

Also, in the first line of the first post I said MC, I meant to say "Caliper"...

[crazy steve]

I've seen these overtightened enough to where the end of the bleeder has been collapsed. Not always to the point where the hole disappeared (although I have seen that at least once), but where it's been almost not there. I'd say that's what's happened here. Time for new ones...

[KA1J]

Hi Steve,

Time for new ones, yes, I guess that seems obvious now. I've never seen something like this though, not just one but two bleeders (haven't looked at the rear bleeder yet).

I just bent a wire to make a 90 degree bend at the end to see if I could find a blind hole at the bottom of the bleeder and nope, nothing.

This is just plain weird...

[Shacknasty]

Save yourself a little trouble when it's time to flush or bleed the brakes and get Russell speed bleeders. Only a couple bucks more and worth it...

[Aches n Pains]

What size Russell's would an '79 Special use? Any great sources?

Thanks,

Doug

[CatatonicBug]

I had the exactl same issue on my rear caliper when I first got the bike. Took me forever to figure out that the hole was nonexistent. Replaced the bleeder screw ($8 a piece from the dealer!) and all is good now.

Be aware with the speed bleeders that initially, with no fluid in the system, there is usually not enough pressure to open the valve in them when squeezing the lever. They work fine for the last bit of bleeding, but not when the system is still full of air.

[kevxs]

i couldn't see the holes in my bleeder screw either however, i had to pump my calipers full of grease through the bleeder to get the pistons out the pressure from the grease pushed the rust or whatever was blocking the holes out and now i have holes again.

try putting the bleeder screw on a grease gun and see what happens.

[jwhughes3]

look on bottom

not side - it should be in the ramped area to fit flush with coned area inside caliper - maybe overtightened and squished shut?

+1 on the Russel Speed bleeders from MikesXS - while I don't fully trust them and still kept the hose full of fluid as I pumped, it did seem to be easier to do one-person with a vacuum pump helping pull fluid through.

John