Bleeding old school Shimano brakes

[Calvin27]

Hi folks, trying to resto a hard rubbish find. Has old school Shimano brakes. I took the cover off thinking there is something inside, yeah the whole oil reservoir! How does one bleed this?

 

[The Duckmeister]

Open reservoir, two syringes. Pump clean juice up from the caliper with one syringe, use the other to draw off the old shit from the reservoir until clean oil comes up. Wrap a rag around the lever/reservoir/master cylinder body, because you WILL lose some oil when the bladder & cap are refitted.

 

[beezlbub]

Wow this brings back memories!

 

[DougalStrachan]

Just think of it as a built in brake bleed cup

 

[Calvin27]

Thanks folks, relatively simple process. There was oil everywhere at the end of it, which most of you warned me about!

Surprised that these things still work given the age and condition I got them in. The back brake had never been bled as I had to pry the cover off, but it was kind of cool watching the bubbles come up the reservoir. Also just me or do these things take like barely any oil at all?!