Irish Mini Owners Club

I have a 83 mini with no brakes. Bought the car off a fellow who could finish the restoration on it. I have finished now bar the brakes. I made new pipes all round the car. I have tired to bleed the brake and i cant get a pedal. It has drum brakes all round. I have plenty of fluid at all the bleed nipples but when i close them i dont have a pedal. I thought it was the master cylinder so i bought and replaced it. Started to bleed again but still not joy. I have tired a few different methods to bleed the brakes. I even used a bleed like the uses air. Has anyone ever came up with this problem before. Cheers for any idea in advance.

The mini system was notorious to bleed at the best of times, you need to start at the longest line from the master cylinder working towards the shortest, the best way is still using the second person operating the brake pedal, use nice slow pumps not quick rapid ones, if you still are having problems, open the two rear nipples and let it drip bleed for a while, this can help, also look around at all the unions for leaks, this can cause a weak pedal, also check the slave cylinders on each drum for leaks. Also make sure the drums are adjusted properly, as this has a major effect on the brake pedal, adjust the brakes so that the fronts lock up, then back off 1/4 turn, for the rears adjust till they lock up then back off again 1/4 turn, once bleed, rear adjust the rears so that when you have pressure on the pedal the rears will just (using effort or a bar) turn.

Another way to get air out of the system is to leave the brake pedal depressed and take the cap off the master cylinder and keep topping it up, leave it like this overnight and you should see some results. Obviously has to be in a dry place or you'll mess up the brake fluid. Also are you sure their are no leaks in the system that will allow air into it

Thanks for the feed back ;ads. Will try that way briain thanks again. Checked the whole system today and found no leaks and checked every join and all are sealing no problem. I adjusted up the brakes as u said GTM but still no still no joy. Also when i adjust up the shoes in the back and the back it off 1/4 the shoe rub the drum quiet alot. It is about 1/2 a turn before u can turn the wheel freely. Any ideas

This could be quite normal, the shoes have worn unevenly, the main thing is that they are adjusted properly so that the minimal pedal movement operates the brakes, I would try a drip bleed on it, use the same method as Briain sugested but you dont have to depress the pedal for it to work, also leave the cap on but just sit it onto so that no crap gets into the master cylinder, you shouldn't have to do it for long say and hour or so. Another question is, when you depress the brake pedal, are you getting fluid out of the release nipples? I would say you have a big air lock in the system caused from excessive brake pedal action, make sure the resevoir is topped up and not allowed to run empty, when you are bleeding. Try the drip bleed, then bleed normally using nice slow controlled pedal movement.

What i would suggest is take a vice grips, wrap the jaws in tape to stop them cutting the pipe or buy the correct tool for clamping brake pipes. Clamp one of the flexi pipe leadin down to the front calipers. Pump the pedal, if no difference swop clamp to the ther front pipe, if u find a difference in the pedal then u can determine if the calipers are weaping or not.

It does'nt have calipers as it has drum brakes front and rear, he already said that there was no leaks, its an air lock, unfortunatley its just a pain to get out of a mini system

I have a Brake Master cylinder cap modified with a valve on it.
The valve will allow you to connect a pump and push the fluid down to each cylinder under a small bit of pressure.
It works a treat for me
Your welcome to it if u want to borrow it,
Im in Longford/Athlone area.

Did you fix the problem?