On 1/11/07, Matthias Kuster <matthiaskuster@verizon.net> wrote:
> Hi list,
>
> I am looking to get some input on my brakes for a 1984 Westy:
>
> I have replaced front calipers, ................

On my 81 I have two bleed screws per caliper. Your's may too. Maybe
gravity bleeding from bottom screw would help get all air removed.
Though if air was in system, pedal would be spongy, so air in lines
may not be culprit......hmmm....

>
> I have bled the system now the 7th time with a pressure bleeder at 20
> psi, ....... I have also done it just with the pumping method once, with a
> hose attached to bleeder screw and submersed in liquid.
>

Try gravity bleeding system.

Are you sure shoes are adj. close enough to drum?

On my van I went through something similar. I had replaced rear
cylinders, shoes, hardware, drums, MC, and one steel line. I bled the
system a few different ways trying to fix this:

after pushing pedal once, and when van running I would get good pedal
pressure/height and it would stay that way while driving. But in the
morning, first push of pedal, cold, engine off, it would go right to
floor. Shouldn't happen that way. There should have been some pedal
height even with booster off.

I posted questions and got some really good tips from vanagon,
wetwesties and diesel vanagon. I was also told by local Vanagon
mechanic that there are check valves on the MC that may allow this
symptom to happen.

Try searching vanagon, diesel vanagon, wet westies lists under:

"Eng. off/cold; brake pedal goes to floor. Eng. on/pump pedal; pedal height ok."

"Brake problem (Long. Am at wits end. Archives down. Please help!)"

"Brake problem. Am at wits end. Please help!"

or various permiatations thereof, or simply use "bleeding"

Cheers,

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil