Bleeding brakes for the first time...need help

[lukecp]

I put a new passenger side rear wheel cylinder in my truck today, b/c the old one was leaking brake fluid pretty bad. I got the old one out, put the new one in, and went to bleed the brakes. I pumped the pedal a couple times, with the engine off (truck has PB). After all the vaccum was out of the lines, i had a friend hold down the brake pedal and i opened the bleeder valve. Some air and some brake fluid came out. Anyway, we did this a couple times, until i accidently left the bleeder valve open as my friend let off the brake pedal. Now, when i try to bleed them, no or very little brake fluid comes out. When we took off the master cylinder cap, and slowly pressed down on the brake pedal, air bubbles come up. So....what is the easiest way for me to fix this? Just keep pressing the brake pedal slowly over and over until air bubbles stop comming out of the master cylinder, or is there an easier way? Right now, the brake pedal is super mushy, and the rear brakes don't work at all.

[chevy72402]

Ok first try the easy way. fill up the resevoir with brake fluid, leave the top off and crack the bleeder screw on the rears. You probably have air in all the lines now so you will have to take the front bleeders off also. try just letting it gravity bleed for a while and if this doesn't work write back again........

[Ackattack]

what I do rather than loosening and tightening the bleeder valve is just run hose into a bottle with a litte extra brake fluid in it. This way you just keep pumping the brake untill you don't see any air bubbles.

[fleetimus]

Back to basics. Bleed the master. Put a rag around the fittings and crack the lines on master as buddy SLOWLY pushes pedal. Get clear fluid and then go to rt rear, left rear , rt front then left front. Take your time and make sure you keep fluid in m/c while bleeding.

[vfrdude]

On a side note - it's good practice to replace both wheel cylinders at the same time - if ones bad, the other is not far from failing....

[lukecp]

Thanks for the help. I kept trying to bleed them, but after taking out what seemed like 5 gallons of air, the problem was found. To remove the wheel cylinder, i had to grind off one of the bolts on the backing plate (it was rounded off). Well, in the process i accidently touched the brake fitting with the grinder. After i put it in, it was letting air seep in. So, i will get a new hard brake line tomorrow and see how it works. I have the other wheel cylinder, but if the brakes don't pull to one side after i get them properly bled, i won't bother installing it just yet.