Best approach to bleeding the brakes

[DanEC]

Speed bleeders were my ultimate solution (ERAChase was right I'm afraid) because one of the GM front calipers had such worn out threads on the bleeder port that I couldn't keep it from sucking air back in with either reverse pressure or vacuum bleeding. It would have bleed OK if I had had someone pump the pedal and hold while I opened and closed the bleeder port - but I stumbled across Dorman speed bleeders at Pepboys and it was easier picking them up than scheduling a time with my wife to assist with the bleeding effort. Except for the worn out caliper issue they would not have been necessary.

Bleeding the uninstalled slave cylinder shouldn't be a problem - may even be easier since you can hold it up high with the bleeder at the top and get the air out easily. As the manual suggests, just slight movement of the clutch bellcrank by hand will pass enough fluid to get the air out.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Speed bleeders were my ultimate solution (ERAChase was right I'm afraid)...

Why would you 'be afraid' I was right Dan? I would only offer you things that:
A. Work.
B. Make a job much easier-anytime they needed doing.
The defective caliper should not be the only reason to change to speeds. They just plain work and eliminate a second person, pedal pumping and nose-jacking the car. And I know Doug at ERA does that but I never found that necessary. My car was always level on stands and with my vacuum bleeder, was a one-man operation and not an ordeal. And always got a rock-hard pedal.
There's a lot of wives tales and internet BS out there and following the hackneyed consensus usually prevents you from trying alternate, improved methods.
It took me a few years to discover this 'better way' and it was way before there even was 'internet BS'...

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Why would you 'be afraid' I was right Dan?

I dread being caught in the middle between you and patrickt. I feel like the squirrel in the middle of the road with a car coming on.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I dread being caught in the middle between you and patrickt. I feel like the squirrel in the middle of the road with a car coming on.

Lame. That should have nothing to do with either of us trying to help you.
Which we both do.

[DanEC]

Yes you do - each in your own way.