ZL1 Brake bleed gone bad.... - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

KaBoom1701 · 11-16-2015, 04:01 PM

Well this was a fun weekend.

So in preparation for the up coming track day at Chuckwalla I decided to change the fluids I'm my ZL to get her ready.

Oil change good.

Clutch fluid reservoir fluid swap went well.

Manual tranny fluid change went well.

Brake bleeding was going well until I was on the last caliper (front right) outside bleeder valve and snap...I barely touched it and the top half of the value snapped off...I almost crapped me pants....couldn't believe it.

Best I could tell is that when I first bought the car I took into my local Chevy dealer and had them do a full DOT3 to Motul DOT4 for me. I guess the tech really tightened the last valve down hard. I wouldn't budge. I tried to use an extractor and that broke off inside the valve. Tried drill that out and it almost seemed the valve was cross threaded. I did take the caliper off and go to a buddies (mechanic) house and he was able to get the replacement valve I bought to thread but after bolting everything back on a pressurizing the system there was a small leak....bummer.

So I'm out $1000 to buy a new front right caliper.

This is turning out to be the most expensive brake bleeder project ever. lol

jessrayo · 11-16-2015, 05:29 PM

ouch..

camaro500 · 11-16-2015, 05:32 PM

$1000 ?????? Amazon.com its like $300

KaBoom1701 · 11-16-2015, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaro500

$1000 ?????? Amazon.com its like $300

I saw a few front left calipers but no front right ones.....

I did get your PM's and I'll check out those options.

Thx

jayno20 · 11-16-2015, 06:51 PM

You could probably use an easy out or something on it and just remove the screw and replace it instead of the whole caliper.

KaBoom1701 · 11-16-2015, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayno20

You could probably use an easy out or something on it and just remove the screw and replace it instead of the whole caliper.

We tried that. The bleeder valve was so jammed in there none of the extractors worked. We kept drilling the hole bigger and bigger and finally got to the point where it was right next to the threads. My friend was able to dermal most of the bad bleeder out and we even where able to re-thread the replacement valve back in.....but it think all the drilling made a tiny hole at the bottom that the new valve couldn't seat properly and therefore prevent leaking....

Trust me. We tried for almost 6 hours to save the caliper....

On an interesting note. There are several front left ZL1 calipers on eBay or amazon but the front right are no where to be found. I called a few sellers and they said it's because when people wreak these ZL1's the swerve off the road to the right .....damaging the whole right side most of the time. Just some FYI.

jayno20 · 11-16-2015, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

We tried that. The bleeder valve was so jammed in there none of the extractors worked. We kept drilling the hole bigger and bigger and finally got to the point where it was right next to the threads. My friend was able to dermal most of the bad bleeder out and we even where able to re-thread the replacement valve back in.....but it think all the drilling made a tiny hole at the bottom that the new valve couldn't seat properly and therefore prevent leaking....

Trust me. We tried for almost 6 hours to save the caliper....

On an interesting note. There are several front left ZL1 calipers on eBay or amazon but the front right are no where to be found. I called a few sellers and they said it's because when people wreak these ZL1's the swerve off the road to the right .....damaging the whole right side most of the time. Just some FYI.

lol that's funny. That valve must have really been stuck... I have been contemplating doing the same thing, mostly for adding a separate clutch fill... How hard was the clutch to bleed? I've read that bleeder valve is a pita.

Stephen12ZL1 · 11-16-2015, 07:47 PM

damn...cut a slot in the top of the bleeder and use a screwdriver and turn it out. Put a little heat on it too...done. Sorry, bleeders in general are soft metal and are prone to breaking.

L36L72LS3 · 11-16-2015, 09:14 PM

"Nothing is easy". My favorite saying. I don't care what you're doing, nothing is easy. I don't care if it's changing the belts on the riding mower, it's always turns out something bites you in the ass.

nvydvr · 11-16-2015, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L36L72LS3

"Nothing is easy". My favorite saying. I don't care what you're doing, nothing is easy. I don't care if it's changing the belts on the riding mower, it's always turns out something bites you in the ass.

Isn't that the truth, Murphy's Law...

jayno20 · 11-16-2015, 09:35 PM

Did you bleed the clutch line or just swap it over?

spadz93 · 11-16-2015, 09:36 PM

Damn... That's a real smack in the face. You try gmpartsdirect with a part number? I can't imagine a single caliper running a grand, ZL1 or not

KaBoom1701 · 11-16-2015, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen12ZL1

damn...cut a slot in the top of the bleeder and use a screwdriver and turn it out. Put a little heat on it too...done. Sorry, bleeders in general are soft metal and are prone to breaking.

I tried this too. My step dad was a mechanic for 35 years....I tired every trick I could think of. lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by L36L72LS3

"Nothing is easy". My favorite saying. I don't care what you're doing, nothing is easy. I don't care if it's changing the belts on the riding mower, it's always turns out something bites you in the ass.

Amen. I guess it was just my time for Murphy's law.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayno20

Did you bleed the clutch line or just swap it over?

I just swapped the fluid in the separate clutch reservoir. Haven't had the courage to try to installed the tick bleed yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spadz93

Damn... That's a real smack in the face. You try gmpartsdirect with a part number? I can't imagine a single caliper running a grand, ZL1 or not

I did try GM parts direct and other sites.

Part number: 20944530

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oe-gm/20944530

spadz93 · 11-16-2015, 11:40 PM

Ouch. You see if Becky at Rodgers could get you a better price?

11-16-2015, 04:01 PM	#1
KaBoom1701 KaBoom1701 Drives: 13' ZL1 Red M6 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: I.E. SoCal (Yucaipa) Posts: 8,630	ZL1 Brake bleed gone bad.... Well this was a fun weekend. So in preparation for the up coming track day at Chuckwalla I decided to change the fluids I'm my ZL to get her ready. Oil change good. Clutch fluid reservoir fluid swap went well. Manual tranny fluid change went well. Brake bleeding was going well until I was on the last caliper (front right) outside bleeder valve and snap...I barely touched it and the top half of the value snapped off...I almost crapped me pants....couldn't believe it. Best I could tell is that when I first bought the car I took into my local Chevy dealer and had them do a full DOT3 to Motul DOT4 for me. I guess the tech really tightened the last valve down hard. I wouldn't budge. I tried to use an extractor and that broke off inside the valve. Tried drill that out and it almost seemed the valve was cross threaded. I did take the caliper off and go to a buddies (mechanic) house and he was able to get the replacement valve I bought to thread but after bolting everything back on a pressurizing the system there was a small leak....bummer. So I'm out $1000 to buy a new front right caliper. This is turning out to be the most expensive brake bleeder project ever. lol Attached Images __________________ Mods: Roto-Fab Intake, WW Res. kit & Big Gulp Air Scoop, Elite Catch Can, ATI Super Damper & 18% OD Pulley, LF Idler pulley bracket, Metco CC breather, ID850 Injectors, Stainless Power Headers w/ ceramic coating, TR71X Spark Plugs, JMS Fuel Pump Booster, Bo White TB, Tuned by Ted @ Jannetty Racing, Ron Davis HX, D3 Reservoir, Pfadt 1" Springs, Moreno Camber Plates, ZL1 Addons Splitter guard washers, Tow Hook kit & rock guards, Hurst Shifter Billet Plus 6 Speed Short Shifter, ZL1 DRL lighting harness, ZL1 Recaro Seats.

11-16-2015, 05:29 PM	#2
jessrayo Speed Freak Drives: 2013 ZL1 Camaro, 2016 Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ardmore, OK Posts: 2,637 View My Garage	ouch.. __________________ 2016 SS -AGP twin Borg Warner 7163 EFR's, LT4 mechanical pump, LT4 injectors, Walbro 255 low side, Castrol SRF. 734whp/759 tq 2013 ZL1 -ADM - 427 LSX 6 bolt, O-ringed block built by LME. Twin PT6466 turbos. RPM custom manual trans, RPS Quad carbon clutch, 9" Hendrix rear diff & axles. ADM/squash fuel system, Ron Davis radiator, Spal fans, AGP air to air, turbo plumbing. LPE oil cooler, rear bushing upgrade, roll bar...etc. rwhp 1400+... 212.5mph, best Texas mile to date.

11-16-2015, 05:32 PM	#3
camaro500 Drives: 2017 Jaguar F Type R Tuned 498awhp Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Canada Posts: 871 View My Garage	$1000 ?????? Amazon.com its like $300 __________________ JRE cammed w.full bolt ons 444rwhp/422rwtq SOLD 2017 Jaguar F Type R ''Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.'' - F. Bueller

11-16-2015, 07:47 PM	#8
Stephen12ZL1 Drives: '21 ZLE A10 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Posts: 6,809	damn...cut a slot in the top of the bleeder and use a screwdriver and turn it out. Put a little heat on it too...done. Sorry, bleeders in general are soft metal and are prone to breaking. __________________ '21 ZLE A10 Wild Cherry PDR 2:00.78 VIR Full 10.68@131.69 1.68 60' '17 ZL1 A10 Mosaic Black PDR/Nav 2:03.08 VIR Full 11.003@129.2 1.75 (sold) '15 Z/28 #325 Black a/c & stereo. 2:10.1 VIR Full (sold) '12 ZL1 A6 Black 10.52@131 1.55 60' 2:13 VIR Full (sold)

11-16-2015, 09:14 PM	#9
L36L72LS3 Jersey Jeff Drives: 1969 Camaro L89/T400 ~ 2015 ZL1 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 548	"Nothing is easy". My favorite saying. I don't care what you're doing, nothing is easy. I don't care if it's changing the belts on the riding mower, it's always turns out something bites you in the ass. __________________ JerseyJeff

11-16-2015, 06:51 PM	#5
jayno20 Go fast, please. Drives: 2019 Corvette ZR1 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,471 View My Garage	You could probably use an easy out or something on it and just remove the screw and replace it instead of the whole caliper.

11-16-2015, 09:35 PM	#11
jayno20 Go fast, please. Drives: 2019 Corvette ZR1 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,471 View My Garage	Did you bleed the clutch line or just swap it over?

11-16-2015, 09:36 PM	#12
spadz93 BUMBL Z Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,573 View My Garage	Damn... That's a real smack in the face. You try gmpartsdirect with a part number? I can't imagine a single caliper running a grand, ZL1 or not __________________ Current: 2015 ZL1 M6, Rotofab Intake, LS3 throttle body, 2.55 Upper/9.17 Lower w/ Idler Relocation, DMS Reinforced Brick, ID1050X, 1 7/8" Headers, ProSpeed HX/Reservoir, DSX Aux Pump/Flex Fuel Sensor, E85, McLeod RXT, BMR 1" Drop, Tuned by Pat G Past: 2010 2SS, some bolt ons, 415rwhp/400rwtq

11-16-2015, 11:40 PM	#14
spadz93 BUMBL Z Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,573 View My Garage	Ouch. You see if Becky at Rodgers could get you a better price? __________________ Current: 2015 ZL1 M6, Rotofab Intake, LS3 throttle body, 2.55 Upper/9.17 Lower w/ Idler Relocation, DMS Reinforced Brick, ID1050X, 1 7/8" Headers, ProSpeed HX/Reservoir, DSX Aux Pump/Flex Fuel Sensor, E85, McLeod RXT, BMR 1" Drop, Tuned by Pat G Past: 2010 2SS, some bolt ons, 415rwhp/400rwtq