Trying to bleed a S...
 

[Closed] Trying to bleed a Shimano MT 401 brake

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Following the Shimano manual, but no oil flows through the system. I can't even force any through with a syringe ..... so it seems something may have seized internally?

according to the manual, oil should flow through if you open up the bleed screw, but nothing happens

the lever is new

any ideas?

thanks


 
Posted : 03/12/2020 11:35 pm
 PJay
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The system needs to be open at both ends - the funnel on the lever & the bleed screw open on the caliper (a 1/4 turn is usually enough).

In you're draining the system through the caliper operating the lever helps (you can also back off the syringe plunger a bit too to general some 'suck').


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 10:04 am
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Yes I have the funnel attached and bleed screw open. Nothing happens even if I nearly take the bleed screw virtually out - and I have tried suction

Do I need to do anything to the nipple the syringe hose connects to??


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 11:49 am
 Yak
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Take the bleed nipple all the way out and fill the funnel. Then you will know if that's the blockage.


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 11:56 am
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Last time this happened to me, I'd connected the funnel on the front brake and opened the bleed nipple on the rear caliper 😂


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 11:57 am
 Yak
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^ haha, yeah done that too 🙂 .


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 11:58 am
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Faaaarrrrkkkkking hell - what a complete ****t!!!!!! That’s it !!!!


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 12:17 pm
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Haha! Plenty of us have been there!


 
Posted : 04/12/2020 12:53 pm
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sorted! (red face.......)


 
Posted : 05/12/2020 8:46 am
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Made me chuckle anyway. Thanks.


 
Posted : 05/12/2020 9:52 pm
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Chuckle? This has made my day!

I am so glad for confirmation that stuff like this happens to other people too.


 
Posted : 05/12/2020 10:18 pm
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I aim to please......


 
Posted : 06/12/2020 8:41 pm
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If you have a syringe and a bit of pipe(8mm or 6mm?) Reverse bleed it,

Remove reservoir cap/filling point, and have a bit of blue roll handy.

Attach spanner onto nipple and pipe inside the spanner, slacken the bleed nipple and pump the fluid from the syringe up to the res until overflowing.

Can use the blue roll to absorb a bit of fluid if the res is full.

Tighten nipple with pipe still connected, and test lever feel, repeat if not happy

Never fails the reverse bleed method, and very quick to boot!

Edit: just reread the 1st post, sometimes you have to unscrew the bleed nipole a little bit further for the nipple to work.

If no joy remove nipple and use a compressor to clean or dislodge anything blocking it


 
Posted : 06/12/2020 9:06 pm