Hope mono lever won't pass fluid...

Just wondering if anyone can help.

I've got two Hope mono levers that won't pass brake fluid from the lever reservoir out through the bore holes in to the lever piston and out into the hose to the caliper. As a result the system can not be bled and won't pressurise up to work the brakes.

Both levers had sticky seals on the pistons (piston wouldn't return under force of spring). I dismantled the entire lever cleaned it all up and the the piston now works as it should springing back when released. However I didn't change the seals merely cleaned everything up and re-oiled it all. There are no leaks from the seals on the lever.

Any ideas why the oil would not flow from the reservoir to the hose when the piston works, from what I can see it can't be put together wrong???

Thinking hard about this and logically and I think I may have bent or not fully flat circlips, therefore the piston can't return enough for the seal to clear the bore hole.

If you remove the circlip you can blow through the lever with it in place you can't. Very fine tolerances mind!

If the system has been emptied of fluid, it does take a while, and some persistence, to bleed the brake the traditional way.

I've got the Hope pressurised kit to bleed the brakes so no traditinal worries for me.

I'm sure it is the circlips. They are fractionally out of shape and that fraction is enough to close the bore hole from the reservoir.

I really am hoping new circlips and there'll be no prob. Got to go get some.