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After I installed the new brake hoses on my Luv, I was bleeding the brakes and I let go of the peddle before we could close the bleeder valve.
Well that was a big mistake. We tried bleeding th brakes going in a star pattern (Frontleft, backright, rightfront, backleft) and we also tried just bleeding the front. So far there is very little presure that can be built up by pumping the brakes. When we go to test the pedal after bleeding it a couple of times on one side, the pedal just goes to the floor.
Argh!

There are 2 brake lines leading to the Luv's master cylinder. The front most line is for the front brakes and the next is the back brakes. They should be adjust in pairs back then front. Start with the bleeding the wheel cylinder that is the farthest from the master cylinder working to the nearest. So the sequence should be the passenger rear, driver rear, passenger front, driver front. Get a length of clear tubing from a hardware store that fits tightly around the bleeder valve and route the other tube end into a clear bottle with some "clean" brake fluid. Bleed the brakes as you normally would. With this setup you'll suck up some brake fluid if you make a mistake in closing the valve in time.

Good luck

I tried going from the order you had from furthest away to close. There seem to be some build up for the pedal, but when we go to the front
the pedal went the floor. The master cylcinder was inspected for leaks and the lines for leaks. I could try your idea with the hose in the clean brake fluid, but you woudl think that I would be able to build up some resistance.

I wonder if the cup in the master cylinder for the front is allowing brake fluid to bypass.

i had trouble getting a new master cylinder to pump up. i finally had to undue the break lines from the master cylinder and use the little hose fittlings that screw into the mater cylinder and go into the resevoir. after i bled the master cylinder like that it pumped up and i was able to bleed the brakes. i guess the master cylinder was so dry it wouldn't suck fluid in.

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1980 chevy luv 4x4 1.8 liter
1979 luv long bed parts truck
1984 2wd isuzu pup parts truck

"A man who says it can't be done shouldn't interrupt a man doing it."

I didtn let the fluid get to low in the master cyclinder, and fluid is going down when we bleed. However one point the caliper bleeder vavle was open a little more than before and fluid came out where the threads are on the valve. The pedal was kept down during that time. Could the vavle be a probelm? (The caliprs arent that old, I replaced them a couple years back and they bleed fine then)

Could be the valve and/or seat one one of your calipers is a little gunked up and letting some air come back in when you close it. You might try taking both out and cleaning them up (use brake fluid, maybe some very light scrubbing with steel wool or fine emery if they are very rusty)

Be aware you may leak fluid all over while they are out, so one at a time might work best. Put something down to catch the spill or plug the holes with something that won't leave threads/bits behind.

I've heard of people ruining their master cylinder during brake bleeding. When people bleed the brakes they usually crack the bleeder open untill the pedal hits the floor. Under normal operation the brake pedal never goes near that point and rust can form inside the bore of the master cylinder. When the pedal is pressed to the floor, the rubber o-rings go further into the bore to the rusty area putting microscopic cuts in them, thus causing fluid to seep past them. I don't know if this is your problem, but thought it might be something to consider.

Hi Zane,

Your getting some good advice, 81luv4x4 advice to "prime" the master cylinder was going to be my next advice. On some New master clyinders its required to prime the pump. 800xl comment that the valve may be gunked up sounds logical and probably the culprit. remember, if you open the bleeder and no air escapes due to a clog then you'll never get it working right. Try this quick test, remove the bleeder valve place a finger over the bleeder hole, seal it tight with your finger, then have you helper start pumping the brakes (watch the fluid level), you should first feel the air escaping then fluid. If this is the case then the bleeder vavle is probably clogged like 800xl stated earlier.

If no pressure builds then you have a leak up stream.

Note: Some auto parts stores sell one way bleeder valves. All you do is crack them open and start pumping away. It automatcally bleeds the system without opening and closing the valve.

good luck

Check out http://www.speedbleeder.com/ for more info on those one way bleeder valves. They do not list anything for the LUV, but have quite a bit of Isuzu listings. While its not a dead cert, I'd bet the part used on Isuzu pickups would be the same. Practically all the Isuzu listings show the same part number for front discs, and a lot of Toyotas and other imports as well.

I think the only main difference between the Luv and the mid-80's Isuzu P'up is that the P'up had vented rotors on the front. The bleeders should all be the same.

Yeah I think the rotors were a tad larger as well as being vented. The calipers hook up differently (the Isuzu has a post to slide on instead of the LUV's clip system) but it would not be a surprise if the caliper mounts could be swapped over along with the rotors. I've been thinking that would be an interesting upgrade to the disc brake conversion. Bigger vented rotors and a little less buggy caliper system would be a help in stopping power for a LUV.

The bleeders could go either way, but I doubt Isuzu would have switched parts on something that minor. When I get around to doing the brakes on my 86 trooper I'll try to remember to check the bleeders against some out of a 76-80 LUV and see what it looks like.

I ordered a pair of speed bleeders for the front. I have the part numbers for the front disc:SB1010
and rear drum:SB7100

Unfortunaly my passanger side front caliper leaks from the threads after the valve is closed. The valves even come with a sealant on them. I am going to try and clean out the thread area. I hope I dont have to buy another caliper/s. They have low milage on them.