My Nipples are corroded

[tomc88]

hi

I bought a 2001 Boxster S, and despite not giving this car a thorough inspections (though I am not a mechanic so maybe it wouldn't have helped anyway!), I have been lucky that overall this car is in good shape.

The only issue is the brake lines are nearly all corroding and will need replacing soon.

This means the system will of course need to be bled.

But, the mechanic is telling me that the problem is it looks and feels like all the bleed nipples have corroded into the calipers.
He may be able to free them using tricks like heat etc, but these ones are pretty bad.

There is a risk they will sheer and he does not have the facilities to drill and tap them out.


Just wondering what you thoughts and general advice would be?

I thought I would try some other local porsche specialist mechanics and see if I can find one that can re-tapped and put new nipples in if the olds sheer.

another option (though drastic, maybe) is buy a set of reconditioned calipers, if these sheer - can anyone in the UK recommend reliable caliper suppliers?


This garage as seen this problem before. So the owner went to another 'specialist Porsche mechanic' who did the job, but the car came back pissing out brake fluid!

[Jbocio]

Best titled post in history. Ha ha. Love the sense of humor.

[Wret]

Oversized nipples are common and cheap.

Drilling and tapping aluminum couldn't be any easier.

[woodsman]

hi there, I am amazed your mechanic said he doesn't have the tools as it requires few:a drill bit and an 'easy out'. I suspect he just doesn't want to the bother of working on rusty stuff. One could drill the nipple out a few sizes under the tap drill size and then work it out with visegrips- no need for an easyout then. I'd take to someone who says 'no problem'. You should not need new or rebuilt calipers.

[san rensho]

Be careful with an EZ out. I had frozen nipples (it was a very cold day) and after using PB Blaster, I tried to loosen them and they promptly broke off. Then I used an EZ out which promptly broke off. Its almost impossible to drill out an EZ out, so go easy. Eventually I had to get replacement calipers.

[Wret]

Thanks, I just spit out coffee...

[Johnny Danger]

Sound like a bad nipple stage to me .

[insite]

try a few taps with a hammer & lots of pb blaster. let it sit over night. use a line wrench (special type of wrench) to try and open them. it should work.

if it does NOT work, heat is your friend. thermal coefficient of expansion is almost 2x that of steel. this means that as you heat the caliper, the hole in the caliper will expand faster than the bleed screw. this will loosen things up; your bleed screws should back right out.

when you are done, if you want to be on the safe side, gently run a tap into the bleed hole to clean up the threads. install new bleed screws and replace all of your brake fluid.

[woodsman]

San Rensho- I've never broken an easyout- did you tap it down too hard? I should mention that the age-old method is to drill it out to the TAP DRILL SIZE . Then retap the thread. The remains of the nipple will be just a wire, essentially, and be displaced by the tap. I prefer the method I stated earlier. Once the hole is there the walls are thin enough to bend inward and collapse, leaving the remnants for you to pry or twist out. If an easyout or drill brakes off and you can't get it out than your going to have to get another caliper. A carbide tipped drill would be an option but only if your doing it yourself. I should add that I used to be a machinist a life time ago and that this kind of work was a daily thing for me. I never used those 'easyouts' but they do have their place. Most mechanics are very well versed in these types of repairs but can easily tell the customer that they need a new part, just as well.

[insite]

Originally Posted by woodsman

If an easyout or drill brakes off and you can't get it out than your going to have to get another caliper. A carbide tipped drill would be an option but only if your doing it yourself.

i think you could use liquid nitrogen & a center punch to shatter the EZ out.

[woodsman]

I don't think so- let me know if you've done it!

[derfo]

Originally Posted by tomc88

hi

I bought a 2001 Boxster S, and despite not giving this car a thorough inspections (though I am not a mechanic so maybe it wouldn't have helped anyway!), I have been lucky that overall this car is in good shape.

The only issue is the brake lines are nearly all corroding and will need replacing soon.

This means the system will of course need to be bled.

But, the mechanic is telling me that the problem is it looks and feels like all the bleed nipples have corroded into the calipers.
He may be able to free them using tricks like heat etc, but these ones are pretty bad.

There is a risk they will sheer and he does not have the facilities to drill and tap them out.


Just wondering what you thoughts and general advice would be?

I thought I would try some other local porsche specialist mechanics and see if I can find one that can re-tapped and put new nipples in if the olds sheer.

another option (though drastic, maybe) is buy a set of reconditioned calipers, if these sheer - can anyone in the UK recommend reliable caliper suppliers?


This garage as seen this problem before. So the owner went to another 'specialist Porsche mechanic' who did the job, but the car came back pissing out brake fluid!

Have a look at my post on Pelican "Saving Brembo" you may find it helpfull.

[tomc88]

thanks for the tips guys.


I am confident that he is a good porsche mechanic. they've been around for years come recommended by a few people,

but I am a little surprised he can drill and tap.

will chat to him more tomorrow.

main problem is that all the brake lines are corroded, so will need bleeding at some point

[san rensho]

Originally Posted by woodsman

San Rensho- I've never broken an easyout- did you tap it down too hard? I should mention that the age-old method is to drill it out to the TAP DRILL SIZE . Then retap the thread. The remains of the nipple will be just a wire, essentially, and be displaced by the tap. I prefer the method I stated earlier. Once the hole is there the walls are thin enough to bend inward and collapse, leaving the remnants for you to pry or twist out. If an easyout or drill brakes off and you can't get it out than your going to have to get another caliper. A carbide tipped drill would be an option but only if your doing it yourself. I should add that I used to be a machinist a life time ago and that this kind of work was a daily thing for me. I never used those 'easyouts' but they do have their place. Most mechanics are very well versed in these types of repairs but can easily tell the customer that they need a new part, just as well.

I did it all wrong. As soon as the nipple broke off, I didn't drill it out, I just got a tiny easy out and torqued on it till it snapped. Live and learn.

Thanks for the tips, getting broken fasteners out requires a bit of rocket surgery.

[stephen wilson]

I haven't tried it with an easy-out yet, but I have broken up taps with a center punch.

[woodsman]

I'll add that to my bag of tricks Stephenwilson!

[tomc88]

well, in the end the mechanic managed to pop all my nipples out.

so now can get my brake lines replaced (which are corroded!)