After swapping to the Dodge 3500 MC I've finally had a chance to bleed the brakes but I'm having troubles. I'm effectively bench bleeding the MC by having it hooked up to the Jeep but I have no lines connected to the MC. I filled it & when I pump the pedal I get air coming out of the ports but not fluid, but if I just let the fluid sit in the reservoir long enough it eventually all leaks out of the ports, what the hell? :confused:

oh yea, I've fried it w/ the motor running & not running; no difference.

Did the MC come with a bleeder kit? i.e. 2 fittings with nipples on them and 2 hoses that from said fittings back up into the reservoir? What this accomplishes is it allows air to come out, and when you release the pedal it sucks fluid back in, instead of air. If you're pumping the pedal and allowing air to go back in when you release, you're not accomplishing anything. The other method is to have someone hold their fingers over the ports, letting off when you push the pedal and then plugging them when you release the pedal, so air can't get back in.

Did that make any sense?

Ary

I did mine the same way but I bought the cheapie NAPA bleeder kit, nipples and tubing. I pumped it until there was no more air then connected the main lines. Bled each one at a time (unfired), then once again with the engine running.
The M/C will gravity bleed itself for some reason, that's why some folks who have problems with air in the lines will wait a day only to find it good to go.
Mine was similiar, a little squishy and the next day perfect, go figure.

Did the MC come with a bleeder kit? i.e. 2 fittings with nipples on them and 2 hoses that from said fittings back up into the reservoir? What this accomplishes is it allows air to come out, and when you release the pedal it sucks fluid back in, instead of air. If you're pumping the pedal and allowing air to go back in when you release, you're not accomplishing anything. The other method is to have someone hold their fingers over the ports, letting off when you push the pedal and then plugging them when you release the pedal, so air can't get back in.

Did that make any sense?

Ary

You can also do this with each wheel bleeder. Run tubing from the bleeder screw to a Snapple bottle half full with good fluid, make sure the tube is submersed into the fluid and pump the brakes without screwing the bleeder back in. When you let off the brake pedal it will not allow air to be sucked back into the bleeder and for some reason the next pump will get more air besides the fresh fluid the tubing sits in. I don't understand how it works but it does.

Yeah, the NAPA bleeder kit is the same thing that I'm talking about. Fortunately Pepboys includes that kit free of charge inside every MC box :D Gotta love it, now if only they sold the Dodge 3500 unit so I could use my commercial account and save some $$. Been playing with the 'Vette unit since it only cost me $15, but I think I'm gonna go to the Dodge MC and stock messing around.

You can also do this with each wheel bleeder. Run tubing from the bleeder screw to a Snapple bottle half full with good fluid, make sure the tube is submersed into the fluid and pump the brakes without screwing the bleeder back in. When you let off the brake pedal it will not allow air to be sucked back into the bleeder and for some reason the next pump will get more air besides the fresh fluid the tubing sits in. I don't understand how it works but it does.

That's very interesting, doesn't make sense to me either, but I'll try anything once! Good timing on this info 'cause I've got to bleed my brakes tomorrow.

Ary

P&T I am running the Dodge 3500 Master on mine, did'nt have any problems bleeding the brakes. I just bought a vaccum pump bleeder kit from Autozone worked great. BTW you will love the big master cylinder on the trail.

Hold your finger over the MC ports with light pressure and have someone pump the brakes. Once you get a solid flow of fluid hook the lines up and bleed each wheel cylinder. Worked fine on my Jeep (I have the E-350 MC) and on my GMC dually.

I ended up putting short hard lines on it & having those submerged in fluid & it took maybe 3 pumps of the pedal to have it flowing like a champ.

Thanks fellas. :beer: