BLEEDING THE BRAKES The fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir must be maintained at a reasonable level throughout the bleeding operation as, if the level is allowed to drop excessively, air may be drawn into the system through the master cylinder. Use only fresh brake fluid for topping up. Never reuse fluid which has already been passed through the system.

Single Line Braking System

1. Remove the filler cap from the master cylinder reservoir and top up the fluid level as required.
2. Attach one end of a bleed tube to the bleed valve at the left-hand front brake and immerse the free end in a small quantity of hydraulic fluid in glass jar.
3. Open the bleed,valve about three-quarters of a turn. Depress the brake pedal rapidly through its full travel and then allow it to return to the fully released position. Hydraulic fluid should have been pumped into the jar; if not, open the bleed valve further.
4. Continue depressing and releasing the pedal, pausing for a few seconds after each stroke, until the fluid coming from the bleed tube is completely free from air bubbles.
5. Finally, with the pedal held down to the floor, close the bleed valve. Take care not to over-tighten the valve; tighten it only sufficiently to seal. Remove the bleed tube and refit the dust cap on the bleed valve.
6. Bleed the right-hand front brake next in the same way, then the rear brakes, finishing at the rear brake nearest to the master cylinder .
7. Finally, top up the fluid reservoir and refit the filler cap, after checking that the vent hole in the cap is clear.
8. If even after bleeding, the brake pedal is still 'spongy' or goes right down to the floor, this indicates that air is still present in the system, and the bleeding operation should be repeated. If subsequent attempts at bleeding still fail to produce a satisfactory result, the system should be checked for leaks, as air is obviously being drawn into the system.

Dual Line Braking System

The dual line braking system may be split either diagonally or front to rear. However, in either case, the bleeding procedure is similar to that already described for the single line system, only the sequence of bleeding being different.
The bleeding sequences for the various dual line systems are shown in .
The pressure failure warning switch should be removed from the PDWA unit before commencing bleeding. When bleeding is completed it may be necessary to reset the PDWA as detailed under the appropriate heading previously.
On models which have a master cylinder with an inbuilt PDWA, if a new master cylinder has been fitted it may have a plastic spacer fitted between the pressure failure warning switch and the master cylinder body. The system should be bled with the spacer in position, then the spacer discarded.