Maintenance Questions, Brakes & Plugs.

[RSWiser]

Today I decided to flush the old (4 years plus) brake fluid from my newly purchased 1980 911 SC. I bought one of those pressure bleeders. In the instructions in the Bentley manual it says to sqeeze off the breather line. Okay so I put the fluid in the pressure bleeder and pumped it up to the 14 psi. Went back into the shop to grab my wrenches to do the bleeding. When I came back about 1/3 of my fluid was on the ground right under the left front bumper. I immediately released the pressure and that is when I realized I had forgotten to sqeeze off the breather line. Oops.

Closed the breather line and it worked like a charm.

Question. Is it standard for the bleeder valves to be different front and back. The rear bleeder uses a 7mm wrench. The front bleeder used 9mm wrench.

I need to replace one of the bleeder because it was rounded off. I was able to bleed it with vice grips but I want to get the new one put on. What is the correct size. It is one of the rear ones that took a 7mm wrench. What is the thread on those.

I need to change my Distributor, rotor and plugs. What all do I need to remove to get at the plugs?

Thanks for the help.

[JohnJL]

Hi Rob,
Welcome to the "Garage Floor Brake Fluid Tattoo Club." We're all members here.

Yes, the front and rear bleeders are supposed to be different sizes. If you go to our host's catalog you'll find the right bleeders. You can "upgrade" to speed bleeders which can be helpful. The procedure is the same with these as normal bleeders so I dont actually see the use of the special 1-way valve but just having fresh threads and wrench surfaces is worth it.

Depending on what heating you have installed and how flexible your arms are you need only rempve the old plug wires to get to the plugs. You need 1 deep spark plug socket (you want one with the rubber insert to help retract them and install them,) 2 4" socket extensions and a socket wrench.

Why are you changing your distributor? Is there a problem with it? Or are you only referring to changing the rotor? The rotor is the normal maintenance item and it comes straight off with your fingers.

A "while you are in there" item you can order with your bleeders is the distributor "green wire." It is known to break down over time and its helpful to have one on hand should syou start seeing misfiring.

Good luck and ask questions!

[JohnJL]

Here are the bleeders you need for the rears:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=PEL-SB7100&catalog_description=Speed%20Bleeder%20Valves%2C%20 %22M%22%20Front%2FRear%20Caliper%2C%20%28sold%20pe r%20pair%2C%20one%20valve%20per%20caliper%29%3Ci%3 E%20%3Cbr%3EFront%20%39%31%31%20%28%31%39%36%39%2D early%20%37%35%29%20%3Cbr%3ERear%20%39%31%31%20%28 %31%39%36%39%2D%38%39%29%3C%2Fi%3E

Here is the "green wire." You might not need it but you will some day ;-)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=930-602-907-01-M14&catalog_description=Distributor%20Signal%20Cable%2 0%28Green%20wire%29%2C%20%39%31%31%20%28%31%39%37% 38%2D%38%33%29%2C%20%39%31%31%20Turbo%20%28%31%39% 37%38%2D%38%39%29

[RSWiser]

I didn't mean the distributor, I meant the distributor cap. Mine is pretty grungy.

Thanks for all the help.

[JohnJL]

Our host sells the cap, change the rotor too.

Here's the cap...$14....http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=930-602-904-00-M14&catalog_description=Distributor%20Cap%2C%20%39%31% 31%20%28%31%39%37%38%2D%38%33%29%2C%20%39%31%31%20 Turbo%20%28%31%39%37%36%2D%38%39%29%20

And the rotor...$7...
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=930-602-902-00-M14&catalog_description=Ignition%20Rotor%20%2D%20Bosch %2C%20%39%31%31SC%20%28%31%39%37%38%2D%38%33%29%2C %20%39%31%31%20Turbo%20%28%31%39%38%36%2D%38%39%29 %20

If you need new wires our host has those too...Clewetts are nice...http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=CE-9192-28-B&catalog_description=Clewett%20Engineering%20High%2 0Performance%20Ignition%20Wires%20%2D%20BLACK%2C%2 0%39%31%31%20%28%31%39%37%30%2D%38%33%29%2C%20%39% 31%31%20Turbo%20%28%31%39%38%34%2D%38%39%29