Clogged brake bleeder valves

[Rascal]

I can't bleed my rear brakes as it seems the bleeder valves are clogged. Neither has a rubber cap.
I have the car up on jack stands under the axles, so I the compensator is not activated. If I loosen the bleeder valves enough, fluid seeps out from the threads when I step on the brakes.

Can the bleeder valves be cleaned out or should I replace them?

[htchevyii]

I'd replace them with some Speedbleeders:
http://stores.auto-ricambi.net/-strse-1 ... Detail.bok
If you unscrew them does fluid come out? You could have collapsed brake hoses or a stuck compensator.

[ventura ace]

I concur that speed bleeders are nice, and maybe it is time to replace them. However, you should be able to clean yours fairlly easily. The bleed screw has a simple hole down the middle , deep enough to be intersected by a cross hole down near the sealing taper on the bottom. You could easily run a drill bit carefully into the main hole and cross hole to clean them out. But, if you remove the bleeder, and you still have very little flow, then you have a restriction somewhere else.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

yes, clean with a drill bit by hand, not using the drill motor. Jacking the axle doesn't fully open the compensator, nor does it allow you to see if the compensator is seized. disconnect the link to the axle and tie the link up as high as it will go

[majicwrench]

Anything will work to clean em out, a small hunk of bailing wire does the trick most times

[minimike]

you can pinch a rubber brake hose with a pair of vice grips. I like to use 2 washers as a sandwich so the vicegrip
doesn't cut into the brake hose. This will stop the flow of brake fluid to the caliper. Then unscrew the bleed nipple
and clean it with a wire and small drill bit for each size of the two openings. A paper clip might work in the cross
drilled area of the bottom. Once it's clean, you could just put it back together. The self bleeder is a fantastic
invention and wonderful idea, but really how often do you need to bleed your brakes? Might be nice to have
a set of 4 bleeders on hand for the next time you do a line bleed though.