Help..C5 brake bleeder question

Hi guys, I was trying to flush the brake fluid on my ‘03 C5 Z06 and had a really hard time loosening the bleeder screw on the calipers. I tried to loosen it but was afraid I’d strip the screws if I had tried too hard.

The bleeder screw in the rear caliper is inside so I was also afraid I did it in the wrong direction. Because the screw is on the inside I turned it left from inside the car or right if I see it from outside the car looking at the caliper. 

Any tricks that I can use. This is not supposed to be this hard :(

To always make sure I am going in the correct direction, and because I'm usually working on old rusty stuff, I use an 6 sided socket and a quarter inch ratchet. Put the socket on the ratchett double check to make sure I set the ratchet to counter clockwise so if the bolt is in the opposite direction I'm still going the correct way. I break it free with the  Socket and ratchet snug it backup remove the socket and ratchet put my boxed end wrench on then the hose.

 When it comes time to bleed,  and I am not thinking , and I question myself as to the direction, I have a reference point of force based on snugging the bleeder. More than that force, time to think about what way I am rotating the bleeder. 

Lefty loosey - righty tighty as you are viewing the screw.  A little heat can help get it free.

Previous suggestion is not bad (other than you want a 6 point socket)  - set the ratchet in the correct direction as you normally would use it, then go after the fastener as you normally would and just let the ratchet guide you.  

93gsxturbo said:

 (other than you want a 6 point socket)  

Fat fingers and no coffee, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

Many thanks and fixed....

Steve

Thanks guys..I ended up using a 10mm 6 point socket to crack the bleeder screw loose, tightened it so that it’s snugged then connect the hose and use open end wrench to bleed the brake fluid.

Unfortunately one of the front bleeder screws was rounded so I only got 3/4 of the brake fluid which is better than nothing lol. 

If I get a socket to remove rounded screws and remove the rounded bleeder screw will the brake fluid hush out if the system is not pressurized? I’m thinking that since the bleeder screw is at the top of the front caliper if I take the bleeder screw out and replace it with a new one not too many break fluid should come out. Is it too much hassle or should I just crack the bleeder screw loose using the socket to remove rounded screw then bleed the brake fluid that way and just tighten it again?

thanks guys.