Not enough brake fluid??

Could not enough brake fluid cause "spoginess" in my brakes?? I have bled them completely and have NO air in it...Im positive of that! My handlebars make the reservoir tilted awkwardly so Im not sure I have enough in there....thoughts??

 

Sponginess after attempted Bleeding means:

A) There's still Air in the System
-or
B) The Master Cylinder needs New Seals.

If you have spent a lot of time trying to get a firm Brake Lever.
Your Master Cylinder Seals aren't making Hydraulic Pressure.
You need Master Cyl. Kit
AFTER you disassemble the Master and inspect the Bore for NO Pitting.

 

Don't forget those old brake lines. They brake down internally and expand when you apply brakes. Thus the spongy feel.

 

Think it just might be the lines...I have rebuilt and replaced everything else!

 

PM Chacal, he has brake line kits, OEM or braided stainless.

 

With OEM Lines you should be able to bleed the system and get a firm Brake Lever.
Unless the Lines are leaking like they've been trampled by the Rockette's wearing Golf Shoes ... the System should be able to be Bled and maintain firm Hydraulic Pressure.

There isn't enough expansion in OEM Lines to negate pressure enough to cause the Brake Lever not to become firm enough to operate the Caliper.

Given that you have spent much more time than is normally required to Bleed the System of all Air Bubbles and develop hydraulic pressure at the Brake Lever, ... I doubt replacing the Brake Lines for Stainless Wrapped Lines is going to cure your problem.

With a Master Cylinder that is working properly, ... is is not an endless fight to Bleed the System and get the Brake Pressure up.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but if I get the "fountain" when bleeding brakes, that is NOT a good thing, right??? Because that kept happening....

 

"The Dancing Brake Fluid Show" means you need a Master Cylinder Rebuild.

That means the Seal that keeps the Fluid from leaking-out the Brake Lever end ... is supplying Pressure to the Fluid that the Main Cylinder isn't, ... so rather than Fluid being pushed OUT ... into the System by the Main Seal ... It remains static ... and the Fluid in the Cylinder gets compressed and looks for an easy way out.

It sprays out the Replenishment Orifice.
Looks like Old Faithful.

 

Maybe, it's because it's 10pm or maybe it's because I've been awake since 430am, but I didn't understand a word you just said Rick. Are you saying if I try to bleed my brakes from the 'grease fitting' looking bit, and it sprays out in a solid stream, I have a bad Main Seal??

My front brakes are still considerably spongy, even after I bled them until after brake fluid started coming out in a solid stream. But something deep down inside tells me there is still a lot of air in the brake lines. I can look at the system and guess how much fluid should be in the lines and I can tell you I wasn't even close to that when brake fluid started coming out as mentioned above.

 

No.
I am NOT saying that at all.

An extraordinarily large plume of Brake Fluid being expelled from the Master Cylinder Replenishment Orifice is a clear indicator that the Master Cylinder's MAIN Hydraulic Seal is bad.

Rather than the Main Seal applying Pressure to the Volume of Fluid in the System, ... the Main Seal Fails.
When it does there is insufficient movement of the Brake Fluid to the Caliper, ... the Master Cylinder remains nearly full.

The Secondary Seal, which applied Pressure and also prevents the Master Cylinder from leaking out the Brake Handle end,, ... applies Pressure to the Volume as a whole.

With NO room in the Master Cylinder due to the malfunctioning MAIN Seal to have applied Pressure to the System, ... the Master Cylinder is too full and the Fluid under Pressure of the Secondary Seal needs to escape.

That Fluid fountains out of the Cylinder Replenishment Orifice under Pressure.
It sprays upward.
Under Pressure!

 

Rick, I've always been a little confused about this very issue of "Old Faithful". Is there NEVER supposed to be any fountain? I read somewhere that you will get a fountain either pushing in or pulling out, and only one of the two is correct. What do you do if you rebuild and still get a fountain?

 

i bled the brakes in a bike once and air got trapped at the fitting between the master cylinder and the flexible brake line. no amount of bleeding out the caliper would help. ended up cracking open the fitting while applying pressure on the brake lever to get the air out. i think it must be a relatively common problem. something to try before you start rebuilding anything...

 

After 9 hours of sleep I re-read your post and follow up, Rick. That makes a lot more sense! Haha! My brain wasn't screwed on last night. Well at least I know I don't have that problem.

 

A little spurt from the small relief orifice at the start of the pull is normal. A geyser from the replenishment hole (the large orifice) indicates that the master cylinder piston isn't sealing.

Very common problem on the Maxims, that rise in the master cylinder outlet likes to hold air. Turning bars all the way to the left with the bike on the side stand gets it closer to level and may be enough to get the air out without opening.

 

I Flush the Brake System when the Fluid in he Sight Glass begins too darken from age.

I evacuate the Master Cylinder with a Bubble Syringe. An Ear Syringe better-known in Biker circles as a "Little Baby Snot Sucker"

With the Master Cylinder empty; I spray the MC out with Brake Kleen.
Syringe out Brake Kleen
Kleenex- Dry the Reservoir. Windex soaked Q-Tip the inside of the Sight Window.

Add Clean Fluid to Brake Reservoir -- 1/3 Full.
Remove Bleeder furthest from MC
Tape Threads with 3-Layers Teflon Tape.
Puncture Tape over Bleeder Valve Hole.
Install Bleeder.
Re-Fill MC to 1/2 Full.

Attach Tight-fitting Rubber Hose connected to Vinyl Hosed
ONE WAY VALVE
One Man Bleeder Tool

Submerge One Way Valve in Brake Fluid.
Fill MC to 3/4 Full
Open Bleeder
Pump Brake Lever and watch New Fluid get pumped into and out of the System.
Watch Fluid exiting Caliper
When all bubbles and New Fluid is seen being Pumped-out of the Caliper, ...
Close Bleeder.
Pump Lever and establish Hydraulic Pressure.
Pull Lever toward Handlebar.
Open Bleeder.
Let Lever get pulled to handlebar.
Close Bleeder.

New Fluid / NO Air.