Yep, you'll need to fill the master cylinder and then bleed it. You'll need to disconnect the lines going to the front and rear brakes before you bleed it. After doing so, start at the right rear wheel and bleed it first, then the driver side rear wheel. Make sure to keep that master cylinder topped off too. After you get the air out of the rear brakes, passenger side front and last, driver side front. Personally, I don't like replacing just one wheel cylinder. I replace them in pairs. If the other one is weak in the system, then it won't be long before you'll have to replace it too. I learned that the hard way. Had it happen to an old Dodge Dart I had back in college. I had a leaky wheel cylinder and just replaced it. A few days later, I had to get to my internship in Nashville and when I got off the ramp at my exit, my brake pedal went to the floor. Emergency brakes got a work out until I could get the 45 miles back to my apartment and put in the other side wheel cylinder. Lesson learned. Nashville traffic with just an emergency brake back in 1978 was a challenge!

 

 

 

 

Yes, I meant open the bleeders. I was thinking of replacing the master cylinder too and bench bleeding it. Sorry about that.

 

Were you successful?

 

Rube had it right the first time.
When the master cylinder has been run empty and it's not too big a hassle to disconnect the lines at the master cylinder then I would highly recommend doing that and bleeding the master cylinder first. It'll make things go easier and faster once you have the master cylinder pumping right. Then, when you have the master cylinder bled, reconnect the lines and start bleeding at the wheels. Sometimes it's just too much trouble and not worth the effort to bleed the master cylinder first (and eventually it'll all work out anyway) but it will take longer and increase the number of chances of running the master cylinder empty and then having to start all over again.
By the way, that's why you want to be careful not to let the master cylinder run empty (or even very low for that matter). If you draw in any air into the system at the master cylinder during the bleed process then you will have to start all over again with your bleed cycle.
Been there, done that and while it's not the end of the world it sure is annoying and wastes precious time.

 

Thanks for having my back there, Jamnar.