Help to get back on the road

[RA35]

Hi. My 97 imported RA has been sitting in my garage for well over a year now, and I have decided I need to get her back on the road. Can anyone give me help/advice on the following:

1. I stupidly removed the front driver side brake caliper, as was going to paint them. When I did this, it obviously drained brake fluid. Can someone give me a step by step guide on how to fill and bleed the brakes?

2. Will need to get the car MOT'd, so need a center cat. Would anyone have one going cheap?

I am on a tight budget, so would prefer to do what's needed myself without visiting a garage.

I am located just outside Aberdeen, so also looking for somewhere in the Aberdeen/Inverurie to go for the MOT.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[maddogsx]

centre cat here and cheap!

Bleeding tyhe brakes is simple.

fit the calipers,

open reservoir cap

pour fluid in,

and if you've an eezi-bleed or similar you'll be able to do the rest by yourself.

If not....

Get someone to sit in the car,

go to the caliper furthest from the master cylinder (n/s rear)

get person in car to depress and release pedal twice, on the third press get them to hold it down, crack open the bleed valve then tighten as the fluid stops to squit out.

do this a couple tiomes for each caliper then go round them all again, working from furthest out to finally finish at drivers side wheel.

It's a good idea to change all your fuid in the brake lines as brake fluid is hydroscopic and absorbs moisture and since it's sat off road, i'd think the fluid would be 'tired' by now.

Keep checking the level of fluid in reservoir is topped up all the way througout the bleeding process, it must have plenty at all times.

[Alastair]

I agree with maddogsx method but hope he dosent mind this addition,

When bleeding you are trying to get the air out of the system so with engine off

1 I would get the person in the car to pump the pedal to the flood a few times with the nipple on the calliper open to get fluid in the system, then

2 push pedal to the floor tighten nipple release pedal,

3 open nipple push pedal to floor watching fluid coming out. Tighten nipple. You are looking for the fluid to run clear without spurting or having air bubbles in it.

Repeat above until you get clear clean fluid always closing nipple with pedal. Pushed in.

This should end up giving a solid brake pedal ie when you push it with the engine off it will be really hard to push in showing air is out of the brake system.

Hope this helps

[maddogsx]

Might be worth noting as well that on the drivers side, below the bonnet there are two brass T pieces with brake lines going through them, it is located between the strut top and the bulkhead, if i'm not mistaken they are attached to the strut top, there is another nipple on it, helps get the fluid through if it's either none in system at all, as it should bleed the ABS unit itself.

But like Alistair say's above you can't really go wrong. Should you need to ease any caliper pistons back in do it slowly with an even pressure, don't give it wahoo with a hammer...i've seen it being done!

[RA35]

Thanks for this. I will let you know how I get on.

Maddogsx, how much you looking for for centre cat?