Brake bleeding - how long?

[GSinUS]

Maybe you could help me figure this out before it gets dark and i have to lock it all up for another week.

I've just rebuilt the front caliper, so the whole system is full of air.  Front brake lever has no resistance.

Caliper, pads, hoses, etc. back in place and reassembled.

I removed the reservoir cover (finally!) and pumped the lever a few times.  Air bubbles came up.  I pumped it some more and air bubbles would come up intermittently, but the lever resistance would no go up.  I ended up pumping it almost 100 times, still no resistance.  I then opened the bleeder valve and pumped some fluid out (usual sequence, open, squeeze lever, close, release lever; repeat).  Didn't help, front brake lever still has no resistance.  And now and again a good amount of bubbles floats up to the top.

I am wondering if this indicates a problem with my plunger (I only rebuilt the caliper, not the master cylinder).  Caliper was leaking before I started working on it, but master cylinder area shows no signs of leaks.

The question I'd like to ask is, in this situation, how many times pumping the lever does it take to start feeling some resistance?  If it's like 5-10 times than something is definitely wrong.  If 100's and someone could confirm than I'll keep pumping it.

Thanks as always

[debtman7]

I think you're missing a few steps...

Here's the gist of it:

1) fix a hose over the bleeder valve on top of the brake after removing the rubber cap
2) unscrew the bleeder screw so you can tighten/loosen with your fingers
3) tighten it with your fingers until it's just barely tight, enough that you can easily loosen it
4) loosen the bleeder bolt, squeeze the brake then tighten the bleeder bolt *before* releasing the brake
5) release brake and repeat, topping off the resivoir so it doesn't run empty
6) tighten down bleeder, top of resivoir and reassemble lid

Keep doing it until there are no air bubbles in the tube coming off the bleeder valve. It was mentioned earlier, and I found this to be true as well, that you really have to put the brake lever dial on 1 to get the air out easily. Make sure there are no bubbles. I ran probably a half bottle of brake fluid through to flush out all the air, but that was before I tried adjusting the brake lever to the 1 setting.

[jordan172005]

I did my front brakes about a week ago and it didn't take that long. We drained all the fluid then refilled it. After refilling we pumped it a few times and held the lever in and opened the bleeder valve then closed it and repeated until the brakes were working properly.

[GSinUS]

Doing it exactly like debtman... but lever is still extremely soft despite having gone through half (!) the brake fluid in the bottle.  Is it supposed to get harder and harder as more and more air is blead from the system?  Or is it supposed to be same level of "softness" until everything is out?

[The Buddha]

Somehting else is wrong ... you have some sorta air lock or similar. I routinely suck the whole system out till its bone dry, follow it with acetone without touching the lever, so all the moisture and crap is cleaned out and then let it dry out fully and then put DOT 5 fluid and resume the sucking and bleeding and get it done in under 1/3 of that tiny ass bottle.
Cool.
Srinath.

[GSinUS]

willhave to give it a shot next w/end.  Could this be a problem with the plunger somehow?  Although no visible leaks around the lever at all