White Lightnin has a brand new braking system front to rear except the equalizer. The fronts bled out fine but I cannot get anything, fluid or air, out of the rears. I started with the longest run to the rear but after 10 minuntes of no progress, I switched to the front. I then went back to the rears and still got nothing. Do ya think the equalizer is bad or is there a reset of sorts to free what I assume is a piston inside the eq. block? I also bled the master cylinder first. When I went to refill the cylinder reservoirs, I noticed what looked like a fine gray particulate in the new fluid. Would this indicate a problem or just some honing residue left over. At this point, I dont remember if the M/C was new or rebuilt but I am betting on new. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

When you were attempting to bleed the rears, and you had someone push down on the brake pedal while the bleed valve on a rear was open, did the brake pedal go all the way to the floor? Or was there some resisance?

The system is completely new from stem to stern, never had any fluid in it at all. Initially, I pumped the brakes, then bled each side of the master cylinder. Then, normal procedure was followed. pump them up and hold them, open the bleeder, then no drop in pedal, no fluid, no air bubbles, then tighten the bleeder back up. I used a tightly fitting rubber hose on the bleeder, with the other end submerged in fluid inside a glass jar to see if any bubbles came out. We tried for at least 30 sequences on the longest run, then I did the other rear with nothing there either. At that time I switched to the front calipers and they bled out fine. Went back to the rears and still nothing. Thats what got me hung up. Doesnt the equalizer have some kinda piston in it? I figured it is a pressure balance system like a tub/shower valve but alas I am a plumber and think along those lines. I dunno, I am kinda stumped. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

That's a strange one. My CJ-7 is also a 1977, and I've never run into that. The proportioning valve (what you called an equalizer) is just there to port the correct amount of fluid to the drums in back and the discs in front.

The biggest clue is that the pedal doesn't go down at all when you press on it and open a rear bleeder valve; it should go to the floor. With the pedal not going down, I wouldn't expect air or fluid to come out of the open rear bleeder valve.

You can probably eliminate the rear bleeder valves and the rear wheel cylinders, since both sides do it. For the same reason, you can probably also eliminate the rear brake lines going to each wheel from the "T" fitting on top of the axle.

So, you need to find a problem in something that is common to both rear wheels. I would check the rigid brake line that goes from the proportioning valve to the fitting on the frame above the rear axle, as well as the flexible rear brake line that goes from the frame above the rear axle to the "T" fitting on the top of the rear axle. Visually inspect those lines and make sure one of them isn't crimped or something. To insure that they're clear, put a blow gun fitting on a compressed air line, open one of the rear bleeder valves, remove the rearward-going rigid line from the proportioning valve, and blow compressed air into the line from the proportioning valve. Becare - any fluid in the line will be blown out of the bleeder valve with force. If you get the air coming out of the bleeder valve, that indicates that the two rear lines (one rigid, one flex) are clear. Hook everything back up.

Then remove the input rigid line from the proportioning valve that comes from the master cylinder to port fluid to the rear brakes. While you watch the unconnected end of the line, have someone slowly depress the brake pedal -- you should get fluid out of the line (make sure the master cylinder is full). If you don't, then either the line from the master cylinder is plugged, or the master cylinder is bad.

But if you get fluid to the proportioning valve, and if the line going rearward is clear, then you must have a plugged proportioning valve.

Messy and time comsuming, but not rocket science, Just a process of elimination.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Yeah the process of elimination will start next time I am home. I was more curious if the proportioning valve had moving parts that may have gotten stuck from being inactive for at least 4 years if not longer. Everything was out in the weather and may have gotten water in it. I had the old brake lines in place with them crimped over but its still possible I guess. Little by little. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />