Board, looking for some quick help. For some reason my 03 - 650 ran low on brake fluid for the front brake. After I filled it back up (and it's stayed full), I still have to pump the brake to get it to work.

I believe there is air in the line, and I can't seem to find out where to bleed the line from.

Can anyone please help identify where I can bleed the line from. Do I have to take the tires off to do this?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

The bleeder valve is right on the caliper, just like you would expect on a car. It looks like taking the tire off will make it much easier.

The instructions say to bleed just like a car. Squeeze brake, open valve (fluid squirts), close valve, let go of brake. Repeat until air is gone.

I see you have 4 posts. If you are new to the Kawi 650, here is a few words of advice that you will probably get around to needing sooner or later:

1. Stock tires stink. Sell them on ebay as soon as possible. Don't give them to anyone that you care about. They work great on underpowered machines.
2. Pressure in the fuel tank might cause fuel to fill a cylinder. Either turn the gas off when storing, or always fill the tank before you store it.
3. Adjust your belt now. It won't last as long as it should with factory settings, needs to be tight to last.
4. You may get a belt warning light accompanied by sever loss of power. This light is intended to cause you to return the ATV to the dealer to inspect the belt. I have a procedure to reset that light on my website that you may want to print out and carry with you.

 

Nyroc, thanks. Two more questions. Which side is it on (the caliper to bleed). Front right or left, or both.

Also, you said I have 4 posts.....I only recall posting one other time......where do I see my other posts.

Thanks for the advice.

 

1. I just went out to the garage and looked. the caliper is on the rear side of the steering knuckle. You could have just gone out and looked. In fact, I reached around and felt the valve without even taking the wheel off. There is a rubber cap on it.

2. I used the search button and found that you made three posts in one topic back in march.

 

I may just be a girl (older lady actually) and I'm no mechanic, but I do know a way to easily bleed the air from your brake line - Just go under your hood and take off the lid to your brake fluid unit, and then go pump away on your brakes, holding them down a minute when they go all the way down. Believe it or not, this works and you don't have to crawl under your vehicle and get all dirty and use a wrench to take off those pesky little valve things - some on too tight to get off. Try this - it works for me. Don't forget to put your brake fluid unit lid back on when you are all done.

 

Youre fooling yourself if you think that procedure works. It cant. Once the master clyinder has reached a certain point in its travel, nothing can return(air or whatever) until its been released. It also doesnt do a thing to eliminate contaminents, and old fluid, which is part of the reason the calipers need to be bled. The old, water satuated fluid needs to be exchanged, with new fluid.
Theres no way to bleed the brake system, on any hydralic brake system, with out opening a bleeder.
Im not sure how the brakes go all the way down....with out a bleeder being opened, and the system being good.
But welcome to the forums, Taranova ,we're always looking for new input.

 

Thank you for a fast reply.
I don't have the heavy cash the mechanic needs to check over my brake system, so as a temporary substitute until I do get the money, I do the "bleeding" with taking off the brake fluid unit lid and pump the air out and has given me brakes where I didn't have any before. I didn't mean for it as a 'full fix' - just temporary until it can be taken care of properly. I had all new brakes, drums, calipers, etc. put on my old 20-year old van only a few years ago and I don't get to do much traveling - only about 3 miles to go to the feed store and that's about it. (I have a little family farm I run here alone).
I had NO brake power at all before I did the brake fluid unit lid thing. I'm grateful it's given me a few more weeks of braking so I can get the money I need to it to be checked and taken care of the right way. I mean gosh, they want $75 just to look at it and bleed it ! That is a LOT of money to me ! And heaven help me if they find something "big" (like the seal) that needs replacing ! I'd have to wait and save for that then too. Whew !

I live alone and I have no way to ever get a new vehicle, and I need this old van for getting my farm feed and hay. So I have to keep this one going.
Thanks for the fast reply.