I am currently under my car attempting to flush the brake fluid on my 2001 F350 and the passenger rear didn't let fluid flow until I turned the bleeder screw so much that it seems like air is getting in through the rear threads.

1) Do bleeder screws fail? If so, can they be replaced?
2) What happens if I remove a bleeder screw too far? Can I use my mity vac to remove the air that gets in? In my case, the only way the mity vac pulls fluid/bubbles is when the screw is so far out that it seemingly is pulling air from the threads.

Any help is appreciated as this is my first attempt at flushing the

 

They can get plugged.

I've had to use a probe to clear the bleeder passageway so fluid can flow, on my son-in-laws Mustang.

Stewart

 

OK - thanks.

Removed the screw, blew into the bleeder cap and confirmed a blockage which I cleared with a pin.

Put Teflon tape on the threaded part of the screw and reinserted.

Put a vacuum (with the Mity Vac) on the end and am now getting brake fluid with a substantial amount of air. After five minutes of pumping - air is still coming out.

Is this normal? When should the air stop such that I get solid fluid?

Thanks.

 

Something is not right.

 

One possibility is you have the screw too loose, or too much vacuum on the end and you're sucking air passed the threads, into the fluid, right back out the bleeder.

Try it without the vacuum and see how it works.

Stewart

 

Stewart,

Thank you for your guidance. I put Teflon tape on the threads and that seemed to solve the problem of sucking air in from the back side. I was pulling about 5-15lbs on the MityVac vacuum, but that didn't seem to do it. When my son came home from school, I pressured him to help out by pressing and releasing the pedal. Unfortunately, the pedal still seems soft to me.

When I got to the fronts, the holes (on the inside of the bleeder screws) were completely rusted over (suggesting water in the system). This worries me as I don't know what else might be impacted.

The local auto parts stores told me they don't stock generic brand bleeder screws for my truck. Got to the dealership ($10.72/each) and no dealership in California stocks the item, so it's a special order (2-3 business days). I ordered four. The good news is that the parts manager put in a call to the supplier and told me there was a remote possibility of the parts coming in tomorrow.

I'll give it one more shot before I take it to the local brake shop to take over. Frustrating because this doesn't really seem to be a difficult maintenance item.

David

 

Was it soft before you started the project?

Follow these Ford bleeding instructions before you throw in the towel and pay a shop to address your brake problem.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post12830723

Stewart

 

your bleeder screw should have a needle & seat type sealing surface the threads dont normally play any part in sealing in your brake fluid.I would consider replacing bleeder and possible caliper if surfaces are not sealing in fluid without aid of thread tape.

 

I think the real problem is why your son-in-law isn't flushing his own brakes.

 

He didn't know how. I was teaching him.

He did all the work while I instructed him.

Stewart

 

Ah. No problem then

 

Make sure your not sucking air where the hose pushes on the bleeder. I've had to smear axle grease on the bleeder before pushing the hose on to stop the air getting in, especially if it's rusty.

Is the pedal worse or the same as before you started. Does it firm up if you pump it up a couple times. did you road test it? I had a truck once that always felt spongy in the drive, but on the road it always stopped good. Think it just had an overactive power booster?

 

New bleeder screws did the trick.

A scan of my receipt (with the part number [F81Z-2208-AA]) is attached for future reference.

 

Reps for posting the info/invoice.

Stewart

 

good job, I bet it feels good to learn some new skills & save money at the same time