How To Bleed The Brake System On Your 97-01 Honda CR250
The Tools You Will Need
- 8mm Wrench
- Clear Tubing
- Catch Pan
- Shop Towels
The Parts You Will Need
- DOT 4 Brake Fluid → https://amzn.to/42bPEUr
Bleeding your brake system is straightforward but may require patience and a helping hand.
You can bleed your brakes in two ways:
Manually or by vacuum pump, but since the results are the same (removing fluid from the brake system), we will stick with bleeding manually because I don’t know about you, but I don’t take my vacuum pump to the track.
Remember! Brake fluid will damage your pads, so keep your shop towels handy!
The bleeding procedure is the same on the front and rear brakes, but you must remove the guard on the rear caliper.
Pre-Service Notes
- I recommend opening the Service & Torque Specs in a new tab for easy reference.
- If you need parts and tools, make sure to buy them here! → https://amzn.to/4h4lDKq
- Brake fluid damages everything, so keep your towels handy!
- Pictures with captions are after the steps below.
- If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask!
Brake System Bleeding
- Connect your tube to the bleeder valve, and place the drain end in your catch pan.
- Fill the reservoir to the marked limit, but do not install the cap. The brakes are a sealed system, so installing the reservoir cap will work against the bleeding process by creating a vacuum in the reservoir.
- Apply pressure to the brakes and hold them.
- With pressure applied, open the bleeder valve.
- After the system pressure is released, close the bleeder valve, then release the brake.
- DO NOT PUMP YOUR BRAKES! Pumping the brakes with the valve open will draw air into the system.
- Repeat this process until the air bubbles have stopped and only brake fluid is visible in the tube.
Torque Specifications
- Bleeder Valve 48 in-lb
Throughout the bleeding process, keep an eye on your reservoir level. If you let it drain, you will introduce air from the opposite side of the brake system and need to start over.
If you have any questions or anything to add, please leave them in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Keep Your ’97-’01 CR250 Running Right!
- Service Specification
- Clutch Replacement
- Carburetor Service
- Engine Top End
- Engine Bottom End
- Brakes
- Exhaust
- Front Suspension
- Rear Suspension
- Wheels & Tires
- Kickstarter Inspection
- External Shift Linkage
