Brings back memories. I had numerous air cooled VWs in the 1970s and 1980s. I adjusted the brake shoes on my '68 Type 3 and unknowingly got one a little too tight. Shortly thereafter I was driving on a 2 lane road and rounded a curve and stepped on the brake pedal and it went to the floor. I pulled off the road to see what was going on and I could just see the heat convections coming off one of the rear wheels. I licked my finger and touched the hubcap and is sizzled, boiling hot. Jacked up the car on that side and the wheel was tight as all. I backed off the adjuster and two days later the wheel cylinder in that wheel blew out. Having the adjuster too tight caused the brake drum to get so hot the brake fluid in the wheel cylinder boiled (or perhaps there was moisture in the fluid that boiled), causing loss of brake action (gasses do compress). The scorching temperatures also burned out the rubber seals in the wheel cylinder. We take it for granted that modern cars are basically maintenance free. The maintenance intervals for the 68 squareback are (from memory) oil changes every 3000 miles, valve adjustment 6000 miles, plugs and points 12,000 miles, lube front end every 6000 miles, adjust clutch and brakes, check every 3000 miles, air cleaner oil change every 6000 miles, fuel filter every 12000 miles. Bias ply tires also lasted about 25000 miles. Basically only maintenance now required on a car is 10k mile oil change and spark plugs at 100 k miles. Air filter at about 40000 miles.
I've always used just a jar with fresh fluid in it. One end of a hose on the bleeder and one end submerged in the fluid. Top off the fluid reservoir and pump the brake pedal 10 times or so with the bleeder valve open. Close the valve and repeat on each wheel in the order you described, topping off the reservoir each time. Of course, now I am much older and fatter and lazier so I'll probably get one of these when I get my bug on the road again.
This video is so the person can do it themselves, without another person to pump the brakes while you are under the car, working the bleeders, and you don't have to worry about pumping the brakes.
I bought a pneumatic bleeder from Harbor Freight that works very well. Rather than just bleed the brakes, I replace the fluid whenever I work on the brakes or annually, which ever comes first. Cheap insurance and the rubber in the system lasts longer. I think that was a VW standard back when these cars were new.
I have a 66 beetle that i replaced the master cylinder then i bleed all four wheels and i still have no brakes, my question is does the master cylinder need to be bled also prior to connecting the lines and if so how would be i go about bleeding the master cylinder ? Thank you.
Hi Chris, I have been trying to bring back to life a 1962 VW Bug here in California... Chances are I have watched everyone of your amazing videos a hundred times each... Thank you for your service to the VW world. My latest situation is I for the life of me can not get brake fluid to the rear brake cylinders, actually can't get it to come out of the master cykinder. I have purchased the hand pump for bleeding brakes as I have seen in the video with your dad. I have a single master cylinder with the 1962 brand new brake lines all around the complete car. I have not purchased the dual master with the reservoir like you guys installed. But I am close to buying it if I thought I could have brakes on my car. Do the 1962 brake lines which are new fit the 1971 dual master cylinder threads? Any suggestions to help get fluid to where its supposed to be? Thank you...
I see a small hole in the top of the reservoir, should I stick a sharp object to pierce it again. I have adjusted the brake rod shaft that goes into master, I have removed the master and pushed screwdriver into the diaphram ...and fluid squirted out at me from the brake line ports. I have had someone pressing the brake pedal as I was at the rear using the vacuum pump, and no fluid, I took off one brake line and pushed the brake pedal and no fluid came out on my dry towel under it. I verified fluid leaves the reservoir and makes its way to the top of the master cylinder when I remove the metal pipe that bends and then goes into the grommet on the master. I never bench bleed the master cylinder, I have watched the bug me videos and ever video of yours, and the bug me video shows how to bleed the master through loosening one of the brake lines on the master and fluid will come out. For the life of me no fluid leaves that small cup in the top of the master cylinder where that grommet goes. I have purchased a dual master and will get it in a week or so, and have a new single coming tomorrow. The one on the car is two years old but never used, just installed on the car, as my project has carried on.
Hey Chris. Curious. My brake light doesn’t come on until it’s fully stopped. Someone mentioned bleeding the brakes. Have you had this issue? What would you recommend?
Hey Chris, my bug is making this very strange, loud, and aggressive clunk noise coming from the rear of the car. The car will accelerate and then that clunk occurs, it sounds like it stops the motor for a brief moment, then car will continue to accelerate. Any idea on what this could be???
Thats the bowden tube problem . Its the piece of hard tube around a feet or two , the clutch line goes through it , when the car is accelerated the engine turns clockwide due to torque and the clutch is disconnected , this will specifically happen initially in first gear , reason is tjat the bowden welds have broken off , its welded to the front side (tunnel side) . Dont know what its welded to but its welded and in this case the welds have broken . Research on it and youll know the solution to it .
Brings back memories. I had numerous air cooled VWs in the 1970s and 1980s. I adjusted the brake shoes on my '68 Type 3 and unknowingly got one a little too tight. Shortly thereafter I was driving on a 2 lane road and rounded a curve and stepped on the brake pedal and it went to the floor. I pulled off the road to see what was going on and I could just see the heat convections coming off one of the rear wheels. I licked my finger and touched the hubcap and is sizzled, boiling hot. Jacked up the car on that side and the wheel was tight as all. I backed off the adjuster and two days later the wheel cylinder in that wheel blew out. Having the adjuster too tight caused the brake drum to get so hot the brake fluid in the wheel cylinder boiled (or perhaps there was moisture in the fluid that boiled), causing loss of brake action (gasses do compress). The scorching temperatures also burned out the rubber seals in the wheel cylinder. We take it for granted that modern cars are basically maintenance free. The maintenance intervals for the 68 squareback are (from memory) oil changes every 3000 miles, valve adjustment 6000 miles, plugs and points 12,000 miles, lube front end every 6000 miles, adjust clutch and brakes, check every 3000 miles, air cleaner oil change every 6000 miles, fuel filter every 12000 miles. Bias ply tires also lasted about 25000 miles. Basically only maintenance now required on a car is 10k mile oil change and spark plugs at 100 k miles. Air filter at about 40000 miles.
I've always used just a jar with fresh fluid in it. One end of a hose on the bleeder and one end submerged in the fluid. Top off the fluid reservoir and pump the brake pedal 10 times or so with the bleeder valve open. Close the valve and repeat on each wheel in the order you described, topping off the reservoir each time. Of course, now I am much older and fatter and lazier so I'll probably get one of these when I get my bug on the road again.
This video is so the person can do it themselves, without another person to pump the brakes while you are under the car, working the bleeders, and you don't have to worry about pumping the brakes.
Hey that's great. I've always used the kind that pressurizes the brake fluid reservoir. This is much better.
I bought a pneumatic bleeder from Harbor Freight that works very well. Rather than just bleed the brakes, I replace the fluid whenever I work on the brakes or annually, which ever comes first. Cheap insurance and the rubber in the system lasts longer. I think that was a VW standard back when these cars were new.
Thank you , you made this process so simple
I have a 66 beetle that i replaced the master cylinder then i bleed all four wheels and i still have no brakes, my question is does the master cylinder need to be bled also prior to connecting the lines and if so how would be i go about bleeding the master cylinder ? Thank you.
Yes I would do that.
Hi Chris, I have been trying to bring back to life a 1962 VW Bug here in California... Chances are I have watched everyone of your amazing videos a hundred times each... Thank you for your service to the VW world. My latest situation is I for the life of me can not get brake fluid to the rear brake cylinders, actually can't get it to come out of the master cykinder. I have purchased the hand pump for bleeding brakes as I have seen in the video with your dad. I have a single master cylinder with the 1962 brand new brake lines all around the complete car. I have not purchased the dual master with the reservoir like you guys installed. But I am close to buying it if I thought I could have brakes on my car. Do the 1962 brake lines which are new fit the 1971 dual master cylinder threads? Any suggestions to help get fluid to where its supposed to be? Thank you...
Did you try and bleed the master cylinder? Make sure you have a vent hole in the top cap on the reservoir.
I see a small hole in the top of the reservoir, should I stick a sharp object to pierce it again. I have adjusted the brake rod shaft that goes into master, I have removed the master and pushed screwdriver into the diaphram ...and fluid squirted out at me from the brake line ports. I have had someone pressing the brake pedal as I was at the rear using the vacuum pump, and no fluid, I took off one brake line and pushed the brake pedal and no fluid came out on my dry towel under it. I verified fluid leaves the reservoir and makes its way to the top of the master cylinder when I remove the metal pipe that bends and then goes into the grommet on the master. I never bench bleed the master cylinder, I have watched the bug me videos and ever video of yours, and the bug me video shows how to bleed the master through loosening one of the brake lines on the master and fluid will come out. For the life of me no fluid leaves that small cup in the top of the master cylinder where that grommet goes. I have purchased a dual master and will get it in a week or so, and have a new single coming tomorrow. The one on the car is two years old but never used, just installed on the car, as my project has carried on.
Hi, I'm from Brazil, I'd like to know how to buy this brake oil reservoir mounted on top of the master cylinder. Thank you
Hey Chris. Curious. My brake light doesn’t come on until it’s fully stopped. Someone mentioned bleeding the brakes. Have you had this issue? What would you recommend?
You can, or try changing the brake light switch.
I still can't get good pressure at the peddle. It's almost all the way to the wall
Me too
Shouldn't it be inches of vacuum and not pounds/lbs.? Great video though !
What happened in f the fluid runs down. Is it ok to just out more fluid in?
A Gatorade bottle and some vinyl tubing will do the job just fine. No need to waste money on those vacuum pumps.
Hey Chris, my bug is making this very strange, loud, and aggressive clunk noise coming from the rear of the car. The car will accelerate and then that clunk occurs, it sounds like it stops the motor for a brief moment, then car will continue to accelerate. Any idea on what this could be???
I have a "clunk" video, did you see that?
Thats the bowden tube problem . Its the piece of hard tube around a feet or two , the clutch line goes through it , when the car is accelerated the engine turns clockwide due to torque and the clutch is disconnected , this will specifically happen initially in first gear , reason is tjat the bowden welds have broken off , its welded to the front side (tunnel side) . Dont know what its welded to but its welded and in this case the welds have broken . Research on it and youll know the solution to it .
Oh well, that means another Harbor Freight run.
Or just have a kid that can (eventually) sit in the driver's seat and pump the brake for you ;)
That's easy, do it with the body on the car, then I'll watch!