There seems to be a million opinions about how to bleed Shimano brakes.

This is what I did last night, and a funny thing happened with one of them….

Shimano funnel screwed on with a 10mm of oil. Attached a large syringe to caliper full of oil. Pushed all the old oil up into funnel, plug in, unscrewed and discarded. Screw funnel back in, fill with oil. remove lower syringe from tube and attach bag instead.

Now at this point the front brake behaved itself.. Pull brake lever, loosen caliper nipple 1/4 turn, oil goes in bag, tighten, release lever and repeat a few times. Done.

Same with the rear brake… pull brake lever, loosen caliper nipple 1/4 turn….. lever goes to bars and wont come back…

Vacuum? Eventualy I pushed a fresh load of oil back up into the cup, and the lever popped back out. Tried the reverse bleed back into the caliper and it jammed again!

Sorted now, but never had it happen before…

I don’t remember pulling the brake lever in before opening the bleed screw but I rarely need to bleed my brakes. Not a method I’ve come across before unless I’m tripping.

Master piston sticking in the lever.I’ve seen it lots recently.Got 4 faulty levers to send back under warranty at the moment.

Is that the Epic method?

I never do it that way but my Shimano bleeds are world class, if I say so myself. 🙂

*Remove caliper
*Pump pads together a little
*Fit the funnel
*Fit syringe to caliper and bleed upwards giving the lever a few snaps now and again and the hoses a tippety tap
*Remove syringe, then funnel
*Prise pads apart just enough to straddle the disc and refit caliper
*Get rad

Very solid lever feel every time.

This is what Epic say about that section of their bleed.

Step 9

Open the bleed nipple 1/4 turn once again. After a short while fluid level in the lever syringe will drop as fluid and any remaining air from within the brake calliper will enter the plastic bag. Close the bleed nipple before all of the fluid drains from the lever syringe.

Do not allow all of the mineral oil to drain from the lever syringe as this will introduce air into the brake and you will need to repeat the entire process. Ensure that a minimum 5ml of mineral oil remains inside the lever syringe at all times.
Tapping the calliper body and brake line with a screwdriver handle or similar may help to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. It may also help to move the position of the calliper at this time.
Step 10

Once there is no more air bubbles mixed with the oil leaving the calliper vent tube, temporarily tighten the bleed nipple.

Step 11

With the brake lever depressed, open and close the bleed nipple in rapid succession (for approximately 0.5 seconds each time) to release any air bubbles which may still remain in the calliper.

Repeat this process 2-3 times. Then, whilst still holding the brake lever to the bar, tighten the bleed nipple to 4-6Nm (35-53 in.lbs). Remove the tubing from the bleed nipple and replace the rubber bleed nipple cap.

Step 12

Operate the brake lever 4-5 times allowing it to snap back into its resting position. This will encourage any air bubbles within the master cylinder to rise up into the lever syringe. The normal condition is for the brake lever to be stiff at this point.

Step 13

Loosen the lever unit fixing bolts so that you can rotate the lever unit freely on the handlebar. Set the brake lever unit on the handlebar so that it is horizontal (parallel to the ground) and repeat Step 12 to checkthat there is no remaining air.

Tilt 30 degrees above and 30 degrees below and repeat Step 12 again to rid the system of all remaining air bubbles.

Repeat the process of rotating the lever unit whilst operating the lever until there are no more air bubbles exiting the bleed port. Temporarily tighten the lever unit fixing bolts with the lever in the horizontal position.

*Remove caliper
*Pump pads together a little
*Fit the funnel
*Fit syringe to caliper and bleed upwards giving the lever a few snaps now and again and the hoses a tippety tap

😯

you leave the pads in with all that potential oil in the syringe to soak them if things don’t go exactly to plan?
you are richer than me! i remove pads and replace with a bleed block every time

I’ve had this happen on my brand new XT brakes while using the Epic bleed method (hold in lever while quickly opening bleed nipple, lever pulls all the way to bar).

The bleed instructions that came with the Shimano funnel don’t mention this particular step so I’m wondering if its even necessary. I get a perfect bleed simply by pushing through oil from the calliper to the lever.

EDIT – just re-read the Shimano instructions and they do mention the “pull lever to bar while rapidly opening and closing the bleed nipple” step.

Epic need to write idiot proof instructions that won’t get them sued. It’s unfair to compare a bullet pointed method to a lawyer proof one.

Kind of agree with bleeding on pads – although my personal experience with Shimano brakes is that I do get a better feeling bleed on pads and disc not bleed block. In practice this has to be dimensions, the Shimano bleed block must be wider than a pair of pads and a disc. Of course, this means that sling with almost everyone else I tend to overfill Shimano for lever feel. Got to be having an effect on the brake as designed even if it’s not outright blowing lever seals a la Formula.

Had this on my XTs, lever ended up doing noting,like it wasn’t connected.

Quick squirt of fluid back from the caliper end and all was well, well, as well as new XTs can get anyway..

you leave the pads in with all that potential oil in the syringe to soak them if things don’t go exactly to plan?

Yup. Everything wrapped in rag and things usually seem to go to plan. 🙂