Leaking Bleeder Screw

Harsh · 09-10-2007, 05:01 PM

I have a problem with lever travel. When I pull the lever it goes about half way before it engages. The lever has felt like this since I put the gsxr front end on my bike (mid April). I just finally decided to get the lever to where I wanted it to be. Right now I have the lever set all the way out so that it won't make contact with the grip when it is fully squeezed. Any other position and the lever will touch the grip when fully squeezed. The stopping power is great once it engages, but it just takes too long to get there.

I have an 99 GSXR 750 front end on my bike (02 Suzuki SVS) which has the 6 pot calipers and has steel braided lines.

Upon the suggestion of some friends I went out and bled the piss out of the brakes (filled the reservoir twice) and the lever was in the same place. So completely distraught I decided that there was something else wrong. I was cleaning up and noticed there was a little fluid on the threads of the bleeder screw. So I took a rag and wiped it off. Just as I was removing the rag I noticed a little bubble of fluid come from where the bleeder screw goes into the caliper. The bubble that I see is extremely small and you would be hard pressed to see it if you weren't looking for it. I made sure the screw was tight, which it was. I watched for a bit and I could see a little bubble every now and then.

What do I do? Do I have to replace the caliper, the bleeder screw, coat the screw threads in something?

iwannagofast · 09-10-2007, 06:58 PM

use teflon tape.

Veefer97 · 09-10-2007, 08:57 PM

Teflon tape will not work as the threads are not the sealing component of the system. You may have to replace the bleeder screw. It has a taper at the end and that gets jammed into the caliper. If the taper is corroded then there is a path for fluid to go through the bleeder screw. Your soft lever may be caused by a mismatched master cylinder to calipers. Another cause of soft lever is improper bleeding. To bleed the master cylinder, bleed brakes normally then remove the master cylinder from clip on. Hold master cylinder horizontally and slowly squeeze the lever. A bubble will come out into the reservoir. That buble was traped inside the master cylinder between the hole in the banjo bolt and the top of the cylinder.

Harsh · 09-11-2007, 03:29 PM

Thanks Veefer I will give that a try. I have heard of air getting trapped there, but it is usually gone after a couple of refills of the mc.

Liquids · 09-11-2007, 03:43 PM

I've used teflon tape for that problem before on my rear caliper and it worked great.

Veefer97 · 09-11-2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liquids

I've used teflon tape for that problem before on my rear caliper and it worked great.

Did you place the teflon tape over the tapered portion? Just curious as I was thinking of placing it over the threads but that should not work. While that may work I would rather buy a new bleeder screw.

Liquids · 09-11-2007, 04:42 PM

just over the threads. it actually suggests to do that in my factory shop manual