I've gone back & forth about the bleeder valves. The ones in the doner set were as equally gunky as anything else, and some painted red, rubber and all.

However, they cleaned up just fine. With new seals on the bottom (from the rebuild kits), and new caps on top (that I bought on Amazon), they seem OK. In addition to cleaning them up, I made sure to use the compressor to blow them out and confirm there wasn't anything inside compromising the valve.

I know I talked about new bleeder valves, but the only thing visible other than rubber is the hex-nut aspect of the valve. And as long as it's not rusty or painted, it should be OK. Here's a pic... they're not exactly beautiful in a close-up macro shot, but hold them at arm's length and they look just fine. Funny how I'm seeing flecks of red paint in the macro shot that I didn't even see otherwise.

For some context... 8 new valves through Z1 would be $110 shipped. And while it would be nice to see shiny SS down there... man, I've got to draw the line somewhere.

 

I feel you, some of these details will take over your mind and it becomes hard to focus on anything else until you come to a conclusion or solution. All of the frustration will be worth it at the end of the day.

 

...OR, wait a second. I could just buy two sets (4 bleeders) for $60 shipped, and use them on the front-facing side of the calipers. Then pick out four of these original eight for the backside.

 

That seems like a reasonable compromise with the spending. Are you selling your current calipers after to cover some of the costs? Assuming the new bleed screws are your last purchase, what kind of money are you into this for now? Whatever it is, I think it's worth it for the record.

 

I agree about getting 4 new bleeders. Seems like a good compromise, although those custom bleeders would have been cool. Anyway, after thinking about it overnight, I ordered them just now.

And yes, absolutely I'll be selling my original calipers when I'm done. There's 53k miles on them, they're very clean without any visible damage, so it will be a fair amount.

I'll itemize when I'm done, but the money is not insignificant... I can't deny that. It's a lot for what I'm ending up with. However, it's literally been two years since I've modified anything on the car, and this is a good project. The bleeders aren't the last thing purchased, I've still got to pay the powder coater when they're done, and then there's installation at the shop, because I won't be swapping calipers and brake lines myself. It would be a huge savings if this were a DIY project on the installation. And it could be, because it's not rocket science, but I'm more comfortable having the shop do this work.

 

Let me guess the 10 bleeders for $40 Aliexpress titanium doesnt cut it?

 

No, those would be very cool. But I didn't want to wait over a month for shipping.

 

The shop just emailed to let me know the powder was backordered and didn't ship out until today, so he's rescheduled the work for next Wednesday, pick-up on Thursday. This means I sit on my hands for another 7 days... which is OK. As long as I'm informed about status, I don't mind waiting a little longer.

Of course, like anything requiring a leap of faith, once you make that leap you want it ASAP.

Oh well.

 

Might have missed it but was the "Illusion Orange" the final verdict? You won't regret it- I didn't.

The wait will be over before you know it.

 

Yep, I'm going with Illusion Orange.

 

You can order now, install later. Hell you might not even need to take the wheels off.
Also expedited shipping can actually surprise for a close as $10.

 

Received the correct size and font decals from ebay today. $8 + shipping.

Also a $15 can of VHT clear coat.

 

What made you decide against the Infiniti font you have in the interior?

 

That was never really a consideration. It's a clever idea, but making that happen would require a lot more effort, and really I just wanted the OEM lettering on the calipers.

Didn't even want AKEBONO, which is another common approach.

 

I assumed when purchasing something called "Akebono Speed Bleeder" that it was an OEM part. Ah, nope. It's an aftermarket bleeder from a company named Russell.

I also assumed that the purchased bleeders would look like the bleeder on Z1's website. Ah... nope again.

https://www.z1motorsports.com/hardwa...10-p-5188.html

The OEM bleeders are on the right, and the new ones on the left. Notice that the new bleeders have a gold (brass?) plating, whereas the OEM bleeders were (originally) a shiny silver like the pic on Z1's website. Also notice the hex segment of the new bleeders is a larger size than the OEM. And the new bleeders come to a point, whereas the originals come to a snubbed point. And lastly notice how the valve hole at the point isn't in the same position as the OEM. Are those last two items a problem? I suppose it depends how deep the seat is inside the calipers. And I don't have the calipers right now... they're still at the powder coater.

Anyway, I like the larger size hex nut design; it fits better against the lower seals and these caps that I bought. And although I wanted shiny silver parts, I'm done here.

I'm done with the bleeder valves.