Try reverse-bleeding from the caliper upward. Only way I've ever done it, super easy and worked every time.

Attach the funnel to the lever, attach the syringe to the caliper, and open the caliper bleed port. Do it in that order. Now use the syringe to push fluid up and out. Be sure to flick the lines with a free hand (or assistant) to help any air move itself along. When you've pushed a good amount of fluid through and/or can't see any more bubbles coming up, close the caliper bleed port and remove the syringe. Close up the lever and you're done.

As for the leak from the cap, that's normal. During the bleed you will have overfilled the reservoir. The rubber bladder under the cap will let fluid leak until the pressure is equalized. My Deores leaked for about a week after bleeding and then sealed right up and have worked great for over a year.

 

...As for the leak from the cap, that's normal. During the bleed you will have overfilled the reservoir. The rubber bladder under the cap will let fluid leak until the pressure is equalized....

I wouldn't call the leak normal. I've never had this happen with either SLX or Saint brakes.

 

Hi eicca, thanks for the input.

I had a friend help me out try to bleed them again last night but before we took the lever apart and cleaned all the edges real good hoping for a better seal. We followed the shimano procedure again but it was much easier with another set of hands. We first bled up with the syringe from the caliper then back down from the lever.

After doing this the lever feels much better but is still soft. Could this be due to how much pad is left? Maybe the pistons are close to bottoming out?

We still also had the seepage at the lever, but it's good to know that's normal.

 

are you using the correct shimano bleed block in your caliper when you are bleeding?

 

The ServoWave mechanism is known to give the levers a bit of a soft feel. If you can, find a pair of similar brakes at a local shop and give them a squeeze and see how they compare.

 

Run through this. Sometimes it's easy to miss a step.

 

That's definitely one of the better videos I've seen for bleeding Shimano brakes.

 

After this I went up to the lever and it had good feel but continued on with shimano's instructions to bleed from the bottom port. I strapped the lever to the bar and went down and cracked the caliper valve a few times and saw some more dirty fluid coming out. Closed the port and went back up to the lever and now it is soft with no feel at all.

ok when you did this part of the bleed, did you still have the cup attached to the lever with fluid in cup????

I just want to make sure you DID??

because if you didn't ? then you strapped the lever to the bar and cracked open the bleed port??? that's your problem?

 

Just noticed this bit in your original explanation - "At this point everything is back assembled and I hear some bubbling coming from where the reservoir cap meets the reservoir."

There's an itty bitty o-ring that's easy to lose under that screw.

 

Yeah, check to make sure that oring under the lever screw did not get attached to the funnel, it has hapoened to me.

Also, based on what you described, not sure if you follwoed all the steps, and it sounds like the fluid is so dirty that it may need to be drained. I have never had dirty cloudy fluid.

Regarding the steps, when you are pushing fluid up from the caliper and the bubbles stop, you don't pull on the lever. You then bleed down with the fluid going into the bag and whacking the line and rotating or moving the caliper, anything to get more air bubbles out. But if you have really dirty fluid, consider just draining it.

Did you rotate th funnel and lever at the end until the bubbles stopped? When you do that you pull on the lever, too. Sometimes this can take a while.

For me the ciritcal step is when the lever is strapped to the bar and you repeatedly opene and close the caliper bleed port. If I do this right then I get an amazing bleed. If it sucks then I go back to this point.

 

So rich, I did have the bleed cup on at this point. I actually poured out what came out and topped off with fresh fluid here

My bleed cup came with its own o ring so I don't think that is the issue. I was real careful with the cap screw. My explanation wasn't great when describing the leak, it's actually from where the silver SLX top piece meets the black resevoir body, not from the screw.

I haven't been out yet but I'm going to try as is and see if I lose pressure at all while riding. It I don't have enough power then I'll just drain the system and start over I guess.

 

hmmmmm ok well IMO...

If you are going to try another bleed??
before you begin, I would take the entire silver cap off and visually inspect the bladder to make sure it's seated in it's proper place?

also,
when you noticed the fluid was more difficult pushing it up on your 2nd bleed? you probably just didnt open the bleed screw enough??

it's hard for me to actually see the leak in your pics??
but IF fluid is coming out? then im sure air is getting in too?

also I see a few nicks in your plastic silver cap? inspect that CLOSELY for a possible crack too??

if all looks good then try another bleed

honestly..I just push fresh fluid with a syringe from the caliper up to the shimano catch cup until it's almost full....I NEVER let the cup or the syringe get all the way empty...
then what I do is pull out the syringe(sucking fluid now from cup to syringe) until the cup is ALMOST empty...then repeat a few time flicking the lines and also tapping the caliper with something soft trying to shake out any trapped air...

once I feel thats good enough?? i then start flicking the lever in and out a few times....you really CAN'T let air into the system at this point as long as you have fluid in the cup and in the syringe...(make sure little oring is on the plastic shimano catch cup too !!!!! )

then i'll push a little more fluid up from the caliper again just to be sure(incase any air bubbles came loose from flicking the lever?)

then with catch cup almost full of fluid.....I then close my bleed port(caliper side) and squeeze the lever ,it should feel pretty good at this point?? as i hold pressure on the lever, i then open the bleed port, and you should feel the lever go to the bars as fluid fills back into the syringe..

then tighten up bleed port(caliper side) and now release the lever....the lever should again now feel pretty solid??? repeat this step a few times keeping an eye on the catch cup so it NEVER is EMPTY with fluid.....

then after your final tightening of the bleed port screw(caliper side)..let everything kinda settle down a few minutes and remove catch cup.......i then add a drop of fluid into the screw hole at the lever...then install the bleed screw and wipe up and fluid that may run over....

thats it.. it's not rocket science and you're just getting the air out....

it should feel pretty good after that??

I also read about people tying their lever pulled in and leaving it that way overnight??

i never felt the need to have to do that after a bleed and I have bleed probably 6 sets of XT M785's over the past 4 months...


ps...also you should set your lever reach as far away from the bars as possible before bleeding them...

good luck

 

^^^Pretty much what I do, too. Excellent summary. I agree with the checking for a crack. Also, it may be the hose so check under the rubber cover where it goes into the lever. Sometimes they can break right there, too. If it's broken you can just buy the lever. Something like this or check ebay or LBS. Probably need an olive & barb if you go this route as well.

Also, ...........