Only able to bleed one caliper on GS1000E

[Guest]

Just fitted a new master cylinder. Connected it all up using new banjo bolt and crush washer. Filled with Dot4 brake fluid. Started to bleed left caliper using an adapted squeeze trigger, it pulled fluid through and removed air bubbles. Getting a good feel on the brake lever stiffens right up with half movement. Moved across to the right caliper and connected up the squeeze trigger but unable to draw any fluid despite repeated tries. Tried the conventional way of bleeding as well but not drawing any fluid. Open to any suggestions please.

[Agemax]

if you are getting a stiff lever after just bleeding the left caliper then the right caliper must be siezed. it probably needs stripping and cleaning the pistons and sliding pins.
also check the bleed nipple is not blocked with corrosion. take it right out and see if fluid flows then

[sedelen]

also check the bleed nipple is not blocked with corrosion. take it right out and see if fluid flows then

If you do this, squeeze the lever slowly, that brake fluid tends to ruin every finish known to man.

I had a stuck pad on my 1100, but then I whacked the caliper with a rubber mallet.
It no sticky no more.

[Agemax]

If you do this, squeeze the lever slowly, that brake fluid tends to ruin every finish known to man.

I had a stuck pad on my 1100, but then I whacked the caliper with a rubber mallet.
It no sticky no more.

you do not even need to pump the lever, if it trickles out with the bleed nipple removed then the nipple is blocked

[gs79]

Will do, have just noticed with loosing the bleed screw a quarter turn on the right caliper it seeps a small amount of brake fluid, I suppose if that is the case it will be drawing air in

[Agemax]

Will do, have just noticed with loosing the bleed screw a quarter turn on the right caliper it seeps a small amount of brake fluid, I suppose if that is the case it will be drawing air in

is it seeping through the nipple or from the threads on the nipple?

[gs79]

from the threads on the nipple Adrian

[Agemax]

i would still say the nipple is blocked. pumping the lever is forcing fluid to weep through the threads rather than out the nipple itself. you need to remove it and make sure all the holes are clear

[sedelen]

i would still say the nipple is blocked. pumping the lever is forcing fluid to weep through the threads rather than out the nipple itself. you need to remove it and make sure all the holes are clear

Swap the bleed air nipples and see if the problem follows.

[Agemax]

Swap the bleed air nipples and see if the problem follows.

surely that would just be counter productive. if you swap nipples and thee problem follows then he will still have to remove the blocked nipple again to clean it then bleed the left side again.
by simply removing the right side nipple, if cleaning it out then refitting it cures the fault then he has fixed the issue and only has to bleed the right caliper.

[azr]

Are you actually getting pressure at the lever when you're trying to bleed the right caliper?

[gs79]

Thanks for the replies guys, I will remove the bleed nipple on the right caliper and clean as necessary. azr, there is no pressure at the lever when trying to bleed the right caliper my friend.

[chuck hahn]

2 minute nipple cleaning that i do..Heat the nipple with a propane torch till its almost red hot, then dip it in water..do this twice. The heat and water bath will instantly crack all the crud and rust out. Rinse in some carb spray and blow some air thru the ports.

[azr]

By all means the nipple could easily be plugged but it's funny how many times I've had this happen and others and it turns out to be just air in the line making things a pain. The best method I've ever used for bleeding brakes to avoid/fix these problems is using a syringe. Once you know the nipple is clear connect a hose to the nipple and then the syringe and pull till all the air is out and you're getting a good amount of fluid. You may need to pull off the syringe a couple of times and get rid of the air you sucked out before you have decent fluid flow and then it's easy to bleed the brakes as you normally would by pumping the handle.

[gs79]

Great, I will give it ago tomorrow, many thanks chuck and azr for the advice.