Have to pump manual brakes

I installed a manual brake kit and I have to pump the pedal a couple times to get good pedal. I'm suppose to have it installed right. I don't have a proportion valve in line. Could that be part or all of the problem?
Thanks

Sounds like you still have some air in the system?

Floor mounted? More info would help.

If it involves a drum brake and the first pump is low, but firm....and the second pump brings the pedal up, it is usually excessive shoe-to-drum clearance.
If it is 4 wheel disc, there is air trapped somewhere.
If normal bleeding is not helping, backwards bleeding may get it done. Devise a way to force fluid through the caliper bleeder screw, pushing air (and fluid) backwards through the system. Trapped air can exit easier and does not get aerated by pumping the pedal.
Keith

I use a old oil squirt can with some vacuum hose attached, loosen bleeder and put hose onto it and pump, pump, pump,

Not sure what you kit included, but the piston bore size of the master cylinder makes a big difference in pedal feel. Bigger bore, harder feel.

Jess

did you change the ratio of the brake pedal?

Also make sure the residual valves are installed in the master. Without them you get a spongy pedal.

It's the Jegs manual brake kit. I did change the ratio like the instructions stated. It's just that 1st pump is soft, the 2nd is ok and third is good. I'm gonna bleed them again. Once I get a solid stream 3 good times, shouldn't that one be clear of air? They are disc front and back.
Thanks

Bleed the brakes from pass rear then driver rear then pass front then driver front with 4wheel disc you will need a proportioning valve as the manual kits are for 4 wheel disc and the valve is for disc to drum... Also what front calipers do you have? Single or dual piston ?

If you have a disc/disc master and your running drums in the rear you'll never get a firm pedal. You will need to install a residual check valve for the rear to keep pressure from bleeding off on the rear wheel cylinders. Most hotrod shops have them in stock.
Had the same problem with a 50's Ford with drums all around and a disc/drum master. Installed an inline check valve and it solved my spongy brake pedal.

I know that we are stating to start the bleed at the rear pass. side which ofcourse isn't the dead end of the system. The rear driver side is the farthest from the master cylinder. Which way maters?
Thanks

N/M

well try to gravity bleed them if you don't want to go throught the sequence

Put car in air open all bleeders put a bucket under them and wait till they start to drip fluid

I'm gonna do it in sequence but I'm gonna start at driver rear.
Again to, when I press and hold the pedal it looses pedal but I have no fluid leaks that I can tell. Plus upon a quick tap of the pedal I hear a lil burst of air at the master cylinder each time it's tapped. I just don't know what's going on.
Thanks

tconnection wrote:I'm gonna do it in sequence but I'm gonna start at driver rear.
Again to, when I press and hold the pedal it looses pedal but I have no fluid leaks that I can tell. Plus upon a quick tap of the pedal I hear a lil burst of air at the master cylinder each time it's tapped. I just don't know what's going on.
Thanks

Sounds like the master cylinder is bad if you are sure you don't have any leaks the master cylinder is leaking past the seals and letting the fluid back in the reservoir.

double post

Make sure all of the bleeders are at the top of the calipers. if not you will not be able to get all of the air out. I bought a kit for a conversion and they gave me 2 left side calipers. One bleeder was on the top the other was on the bottom.

I just took the caliper off and put a piece of wood in place of the brake pads and proceeded to bleed that caliper in my hands with the bleeder pointed up.

What master cylinder are you using?

Sounds to me like the master cylinder wasn't bench bled.  It sure cuts down on later hassles.

maverick wrote:Sounds to me like the master cylinder wasn't bench bled.  It sure cuts down on later hassles.

X2 I forgot about the bench bleeding deal it will make a big different

Its the Jegs manual brake kit. I think the master cylinder is just like the strange.

Did you bench bleed it before you put it on if not it can take for ever to get all the air out of the system. If you didn't bench bleed have somebody pump the brakes up and loosen the lines like you do the bleeders where the hook to the mc. Once you sure you have all the air out of the mc start rebleeding the brakes.