So...it's a DIY gone terribly wrong

Putting the car away for the winter, started to change the brake fluid. Got to the front caliper - tried to loosen the bleeder valve and SNAP. It breaks right off. Not sure how this happened, I just changed my brake fluid a few months ago and didn't tighten them that hard. Man - this sucks.

So...what do I do now? Do I try to drill it out and use an Easy Out? Do I drill it out completly and use a Heli-Coil to re-tap the thread? Need some suggestions please...

 

Sorry to read about that.

I'm no help in what is the best method for your bleeder. I've used both an easy out and a heli coil before but not on brakes. My experience is the easy outs seem to break and you're no further ahead.

Why not call a shop or two and ask how they do them.

 

Try an easy out first & try to preserve the OE threads..... (gently with the right size E-O for the job).


Barring that I'd tap a new oversize thread before using a H.coil.
(the caliper would likely have to be dismantled)

 

FFFFFUUUUUUUU#####KKKKKKKKK

The e-z out snapped...just like everyone said it probablly would. I was really easy on it as well and the thing is loobed to the nines.

So this is what I am planning - there is a shop not far from my house.

http://www.thebugshop.org/bsfqtool.htm

Basically it involves MIG welding a nut onto the end of the broken bolt then using the nut to get the bolt out. Not sure how well this will work but I'm desperate and I really don't want to drill out the hole and put a Heli-coil in or something else.

 

^that sounds like a good next step, although that guys patience is incredible! I'm with you on the drilling etc.

 

Yeah - if that doesn't work then I'm going to suck it up and buy a new caliper. I'll be poorer, but wiser...at least that's how I'm justifying it.

 

Good luck with it. I had no idea how common broken bleeder valves are until I tried bleeding for the first time and got stuck with two frozen front bleeders and went forum-ing for solutions. You'd think that manufacturers would figure out a fracking better way to make the bleeders so that they don't get stuck after a few winters and then break off!

I've given up on mine for now... but I'd like to know how yours turn out after do the welding thing.

 

FU@KER came out. They guys at TAPP Auto in Ottawa were able to weld onto it and it came out. He first had to weld onto the easyout and get it out, then weld another nut on so he could drill a hole, fill it with weld, and then unscrew the nut. Took him about an hour and a half. I have new bleeder valves in it now, and I bled the lines. Everything seems good. No fluid leaks, pedal feels very firm, and panic stops don't have a mushy pedal feel. I held my foot on the brake for about 30 seconds really hard, and the fluid didn't drop in the master cylinder, so I am thinking I'm out of the woods.

Word from the wise, use anti-seize on your bleeder valves. What we think happened is that I tracked the car a couple of times at Shannonville and I only had DOT3 brake fluid in there and I had some serious brake fade and I'm sure the fluid boiled. The boiling probablly caused the bleeder to seize. Lesson learned, replaced with DOT4.

 

Honestly, if I didn't have the brembo's which are about 2K each from Nissan in Canada, I would have bought a whole new caliper. For regular calipers it simply isn't worth the trouble, risk or aggrevation. PM rick@riverside and get yourself a new one.

 

Glad to hear that elrooko. I run dot 4 in mine too.

 

Awesome. Glad to hear it all went well. Although that whole multiple welding thing still sounds like a real pain, even for the shop.

I had the G sedan smoking pads after about 10 laps... Without a better brake setup like Brembos a stock G sedan is not really ready for track days.