Sram Level bleeding help

[d8mok]

Bit of background first. I needed some brakes for my winter canal beater so found some local on eBay that had been purchased by the seller but not used. They needed bleeding as cable hadn’t been attached yet so the seller offered to bleed them for me if I turned up with my bike as he had the correct bleed kit.

So I turned up and after ages he had done the bleed. However it was a terrible bleed and levers were slow to return and felt rubbish but I just wanted to get home so paid and left. I then realised the seller had used reverb fluid rather than Dot 5.1.

So I ordered a bleed kit online and waited for it to arrive. In between I got a message from seller to say he had used wrong fluid and could he come try again. I said I’d ordered a bleed kit and I’d try myself. He then sent me £20 towards the kit which is a nice gesture. So now the kit is here and the brakes simply won’t bleed at all.

The brakes are Sram level TLR with bleeding edge. Basically the fluid won’t pass through however hard you press the syringes. However if you squeeze the lever it will pass. Is there something blocked or some issue with wrong fluid ? I’m out of ideas currently.

 

[clubby]

Re:

Sorry to say but your brakes may be screwed. Using reverb fluid will completely mess up the seals.
How long were the brakes filled with the wrong fluid?

Bleeding edge is really easy to use, have you watched the Sram videos on you tube and have the bleed kit with the bleeding edge tool?

 

[d8mok]

Re:

Yes I’ve watched the vids and it seems so easy. I think you could be right. Fluid was in there about 3-4 days but not ridden.

 

[clubby]

Re:

Crap, that’s plenty of time to cause the seals problems.
If you pull back on the syringes can you withdraw fluid? Bleeding edge tool can feel like it’s in but needs a good push until you hear the click.
Frankly you can’t cause any more damage than has happened.
If I were you this is what I’d try. Remove brake from
bike. Disconnect hose from lever. Use syringe on lever to push out old fluid. Use bleeding edge tool to flush fluid out of hose.
Reconnect it all and try a bleed.

 

[d8mok]

Re:

Slight development that the selller has texted to say he will take them back since it was him who put the wrong fluid. So hopefully I should be sorted and I’ll jusy go for another set

 

[clubby]

Re:

Lucky man. Seller sounds like a great bloke.