Bleeding the Hydraulic System in Silver Shadow, Spirit & Bentley T series models

[@PiggyPower]

Super useful thankyou. Heading off to finish a T1 brake overhaul, and I lay under that car for an hour trying to figure it all out. Some great info that I couldn't work out just by observing what was there. My goodness it's complex though!!!

[@Liamsroller]

thanks for your expertise excellent video Did I miss the quiz question ?

[@introcar]

Hi, thank you for the comment! Yes, unfortunately, a bit late for the quiz

[@johnwilson4158]

I'VE GOT A '75 SILVER SHADOW ;AND LIKE IT VERY MUCH. HOWEVER THE HYDRO SYSTEM IS A BIT OF A NIGHTMARE. IS IT POSS. TO JUST BLANK OFF THE HYDRO HOSES AND PIPES AND REPLACE / INSTALL SHOCKS OR AIR SHOCKS AN/OR UP DATE THE BRAKE SYSTEM WITH ELECTRICS ?

[@introcar]

If you have a '75 Silver Shadow, it will only be the rear suspension that is adjusted by the hydraulics. It would be possible to delete the height control but I wouldn't recommend it. It would mean that the car would sit too low if you load it with any weight. The braking system also runs form the power system and I would imagine it would cost less to get it working properly than it would to try and change it to any other type of system. Do you know of a specialist to look at the car and figure out what it needs to get it working properly?

[@Dg-zj6jo]

brilliant

[@916hayabusa]

This breaking/suspension system is more complicated than my last girlfriend 🤷🏻‍♂️🤔. my o/s drivers side ram isnt going up and down, after fitting a repair kit on my o/s height valve, thanks for the mentin on the bleed nipples on top of the rams, it does point towards air on that side, i had forgotten about those, great video 👍.

[@corvette724]

Ok, my GF is more complicated. But her attitudes i can ignore. I have the same issue as u. Did u solved it?

[@corvette724]

Good Vid. Could you judgde the influence of brake fluid, wrong use, at the valves. Im struggling with a 83 Silver Spirit. No pressure at the outlet of right priority valve. Pump of vircuit 1(red) 5 bar. Pump changed, new, now hydr oil at the loosened srew of high pessure outlet. No pressure at the bleeding screw, no motion of the rear axis by moving the lever of hight control? Benn pretty desparate meanwhile. Thx for any help. Cheers, Axel from Ge.

[@introcar]

Hi Axel, if there is no pressure coming from the pump then his fault is at the pump. That is good to know. So you can have three possibilities; -The pushrod that drives the pump is broken so the pump is not doing anything . -The pump has an airlock and needs to be primed to get started. -The pump is faulty. If you can check these things then we will be able to identify the fault.

[@corvette724]

@@introcar Hi, i meanwhile replaced the pump by a new one. now, if i open the hose screw behind the priority valve, fluid commes out, now. but the next valve, only High pres in od out don´t let fluid out a the access isde. could it been chlogged? Like i said, thre seemed to be brake fluid instead the green hydr. fluid in. thx for quick reply and cheers, axel

[@introcar]

@@corvette724 Hi, not a problem, we are more than happy to help. First of all you need to establish if there is brake fluid in the system. If so the system could be contaminated and this will cause a lot of problems. Could you have a look at some of the rubbers in the system to see if they are swollen/contaminated?

[@corvette724]

@@introcar ok, i do. wher woul you recommend, to look first? wich part of the system?

[@introcar]

@@corvette724 Probably the easiest place to look is the rubber at the brake pump. That is the first place that the fluid gets to.

[@stefniedzielski5707]

on cars with a master cylinder system the way to bleed the low pressure circuits as follows . the low pressure bleed screws are the upper bleed screws on the rear calipers. to bleed the air out of the system firstly de-pressurise system open upper rear bleed nipple furthest away from the master cylinder.depress the brake pedal and then bring it back up slowly. do not shut off the bleed nipple after downward stroke like on normal cars this is incorrect. keep depressing the pedal and let it come back slowly until air has been removed. then when you are satisfied with this press the brake pedal down and hold it down and tighten the bleed nipple. this is the correct way to do this

[@cav4290]

What about the infamous "rat trap"?

[@introcar]

The Rat Trap is underneath the drivers seat. It houses the distribution valves, the master cylinder and the G valve. The brake pedal comes through the car and connects to the linkage in the rat trap. I think on the very early cars you could bleed the distribution valves but I have never bled anything in the rat trap. Sometimes it is necessary to open the pipe on the master cylinder and bleed it at the pipe, then work your way down the line until you get fluid at the caliper. You will only need to do this if you can't get the caliper to bleed in the first place.

[@gogs244]

The early master cylinder links to the lower rear caliper bleed

[@pokshtas22]

Thanks! That's a massive help!