Brakes: Snapped Wheel Cylinder Bleeder

[2R2]

While I converted my Lark to DOT-5, I am still using DOT-3 in my '49 2R-5. After I rebuilt the truck's brakes back on 1996, I flushed the system every two years. Well, yesterday I realized I had not done this since 2007, so I decided it was time. The first wheel I go to, I snapped the bleeder clean off!

Yes, new wheel cylinders are available at $88 from SI, I want to fix what I have. Who has had success getting a broken bleeder valve out of a wheel cylinder? I am thinking of using an easy out, or I could try a left hand drill, but I am open to suggestions.

Help!

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

[raoul5788]

The bleeders are very soft, an easy out should do the trick.

[rockne10]

I have had success with an easy out and quantities of penetrating solvents. Heat can also help but, to do that, I would remove the cylinder and disassemble it first; honing and rebuilding is cheap.

[PackardV8]

The good news is NAPA has bleeder screws in their catalog. Once you remove yours, clean the seat by hand with a drill bit which just fits in the hole, then chase the threads with a bottom tap. A bit of anti-sieze on the threads and you're good for another fifty years.

jack vines

[Mrs K Corbin]

yup, with the bleeder that bad, remove and rebuild....
I've had pretty good luck with the new DOT 5 stuff, but I had to remove and rebuild everything plus flush the system before using it.....

[Dan Timberlake]

Is there any of the bleeder above the surface?
Before risking an easy out or drilling I like to soak stick fasteners with PB Blaster, then tap on the end with a hammer about 30 times as if driving the fastener in like a nail.
Actually, that is what I do whenever a bleeder screw is cantankerous, trying not to break it.

I have not figured out if the bleeder threads seize hardest, or the seat.
If the bleeder is seized hard enough to break, the teeny EZ out is going to be hard pressed to exert MORE torque. i'd proceed with great caution.

To prevent problems I've taken to put a thin smear of antiseize on bleeder threads (as long as I'll always be bleeding from MC to wheel, not the reverse) and trying to find rubber caps as used on foreign cars like Volvos.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5038/7052009107_b6ec0c832a_z.jpg

[SN-60]

Heat....heat...heat....and then jump in with an easy out! (cylinder removed from vehicle and disassembled)

[RDWEAVER]

Is there any of the bleeder above the surface?
Before risking an easy out or drilling I like to soak stick fasteners with PB Blaster, then tap on the end with a hammer about 30 times as if driving the fastener in like a nail.
Actually, that is what I do whenever a bleeder screw is cantankerous, trying not to break it.

I have not figured out if the bleeder threads seize hardest, or the seat.
If the bleeder is seized hard enough to break, the teeny EZ out is going to be hard pressed to exert MORE torque. i'd proceed with great caution.

To prevent problems I've taken to put a thin smear of antiseize on bleeder threads (as long as I'll always be bleeding from MC to wheel, not the reverse) and trying to find rubber caps as used on foreign cars like Volvos.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5038/7...ec0c832a_z.jpg

My car had these on all 4 bleeders. When I got new wheel cylinders they came without. I had wondered if they were OEM Stude but now I know where they came from. I thought they were a good idea so I did reuse them.

[53commander]

EZ out should do it, no heat unless you completely disassemble the cylinder first. Also worse comes to worse you can bleed it at the line.

[Neal in NM]

I take a few out a year. What is great is the taper at the bottom of the hole is the same angle as a drill bit. Usually I can get them out with a left hand drill bit. Be careful with a tap so as not to score the sealing surface. If doing it on the vehicle, bleed immediately to keep out metal shavings. Neal

[t walgamuth]

Bad bleeders can be drilled out and replaced with a smaller bleeder contained in a pipe thread fitting. You have to remove the cylinder, drill out the bleeder tap it for pipe threads and put in the new bleeder with that permanent lock tite.

[2R2]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Hopefully I will find some time in the next week to get out to my storage building and work on it.

thanks again!