RE: [alfa] Brake Bleed Procedure

[Gilbert Gagne <gil5941@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

An absolute must before you bleed the brake calipers is to fill and 
bleed the master cylinder, and this also applies to clutch master 
cylinders. This is done by hand before it is installed. Obtain tube 
fittings for the master cylinder at the parts store along with two short 
pieces of vinyl or rubber hose to return pumped fluid back into the MC 
reservoir. Clamp the MC in a vise or you'll run out of hands. I find it 
helpful to pinch the hoses as the MC plunger returns so as to ensure 
that the MC refills from the reservoir. Keep pumping by hand until no 
more bubbles appear in the hoses. Now you see why clear vinyl hoses are 
a better choice. After the MC is bled and re-installed you can proceed 
to the calipers. I usually start with the closest one. You will need 
help for this step. Connect a short piece of hose between the bleeder 
screw and a collector jar. Open the bleeder screw and holler "down" to 
the person operating the brake pedal. Have him repeat "down" when the 
pedal reaches the floor and hold it there untill you close the bleeder 
screw and holler back "up". The pedal operator then releases the pedal 
and hollers "up" and leaves it up until he hears "down" again. Repeat 
this cycle until no more bubbles appear in the vinyl hose between the 
caliper bleed screw and a collector jar. There is no need to run the 
engine during this process. Repeat this process for the remaining 
calipers. Do not re-use the fluid collected from the calipers as it is 
contaminated and new fluid is cheap anyway. I usually figure on a quart 
of fluid for the whole process. Dispose of used brake fluid responsibly 
as it is toxic.
Gil Gagne
Port Orange, FL
1985 Spider
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