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Brake seepage fixed

Y

yankee-flyer

Well Known Member
I called MATCO and they recommended Loctite 567 (Teflon) sealant. I removed every brake fitting from the bleeders up, cleaned off the old sealant (brake fluid turned it into something very hard!) and reinstalled all fittings with 567. Not a hint of seepage after 3+ hours of use. If you have't gotten to the brakes use this stuff the first time as getting all those elbows off (and back on) with everything inside the airplane is a real pain-- as in shed blood working on the fittings inside the fuselage.

Wayne 120241/143WM
 
Brake fitting thread sealant...

Thanks Wayne, for this information. Keep us up to date as you have more time with this sealant. I used a teflon based product (not loctite) and I have a couple of fittings that seep out a trace in several days, nothing in 3 hours. I plan to reseal these at annual time and will probably use the loctite sealant.

Tony
 
All this talk about brake fitting seepeage ...

... has got me worried. Are you talking about where the elbows thread into the cylinders, or where the plastic lines attach? I don't think the instructions said anything about using a sealant on those lines and I didn't. I haven't added brake fluid yet. Should I go back, take them apart, and use a sealant?
 
fitting leaks

I think most are referring to leaks at the pipe fitting joints. They are hard to seal against brake fluid leaks. I used regular thin red loctite applied sparingly to the fitting threads, avoiding the last thread on said fitting. At my day job as an auto mechanic, I have also used red anerobic sealer on small(1/8") high pressure pipe threads with great results. So far, not a trace of a leak at my master cylinders.

Regards,
Chris
 
On the elbows

Matco says those are "tapered fittings" and require pipe thread sealant. Theoretically the blue fittings don't need sealant but I used a very small amount there, too, avoiding the first couple of threads.

Wayne
 
Pipe thread fittings

It is the tapered pipe thread fittings that I have seeping. The tubing compression fittings don't seem to be a problem.

I do wonder though if the tubing fittings can be undone and then put back together without leaking? Can anyone comment on that?

Tony
 
I have been taught never to put pipe thread sealant on a compression fitting or a flare fitting. (only on the pipe thread side).

I sent the references to Van's months ago and requested they clarify the plans.
 
Yes, they can

You have to take the compression fittings off to remove the elbows. I had originally used a little E-Z turn on those too, but when I put them back I used just a small amount of 567.

Wayne-- 5+ hours and still dry.
 
Tony:

There is a way to do it with minimal leakage- particularly the fittings at the pedals. You take the filter plug off the top of the reservoir and place a piece of duct tape on it so it cannot flow back. I did mine this way and had only a few drops leak out. Still bled the system afterwards but it makes things easier and neater!

Jeff

Tony_T said:
It is the tapered pipe thread fittings that I have seeping. The tubing compression fittings don't seem to be a problem.

I do wonder though if the tubing fittings can be undone and then put back together without leaking? Can anyone comment on that?

Tony
Click to expand...
 
I just opened the bleeder valves

and let the fluid drain into pans at both wheels. Cost me some brake fluid but I had almost no lekage when the fittings were pulled. Should work either way.

Wayne
 
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