Air in the brakes - is the Halfords one-man-bleed useless or is it me!!

[jonahnaylor]

Hi have bled the brakes on my Series 3 previously with a "one-man bleed kit" from Halfords as usually the missus is out and I don't have anyone to grab to help when I happen to work on the car.

It has worked reasonably well in the past. But I've just replaced some brake lines and put some new brake shoes and pistons on...

This time when I've tried to bleed the breaks with the one-manner I get constant air bubbles in the tube. To the point where I've gone through a ton of DOT4 trying to get the air out to no avail.

I've tried not undoing the nipples very much but can't eliminate the air. The pedal needs pumping a few times on a test drive before I get any brakes at all and it is quite a soft and spongy experience. But the reservoir stays full, master cylinder looks ok and dry and the brakes do work with the air in - just not very well.

Now here is what I hoped someone with more experience could advise on! If the brake reservoir is always full and not depleting and I can't see any leaks of brake fluid anywhere on my new unions and lines - can air still get in somehow? Or is it just that the one-man bleed is a load of rubbish and is fit for the bin??

I'll borrow a friend to try to bleed them again to see if we can get better results doing it the old "two-person" way instead, but it still is on my mind that I've missed something with the new brake pistons or lines...

Thanks for any advice

[Ex Member]

Have you adjusted the brakes properly?

[Gazzar]

It's possible that something isn't sealing, and you are drawing air in, rather than fluid through the system.