Hayes 9 bleed port plug fitment and questions

I also posted this on MTBR hoping to catch a wider audience/more input, but I figgured I'd try the folks at "home" in hopes that one of our lurking shop gurus can give me the straight dope.

I just picked up a bleed kit for my Hayes 9s and after getting the front sorted out fairly well, it seems that I'm having some problems with the rear setup. Using a 50cc syringe, how many loads of fluid should the system take to be completely bubble free? I pushed about 30ccs through and it started running clear, then as soon as I reached for the bleed screw on the caliper (while still slowly pushing fluid) I noticed more air bubbles in the line going into the catch bottle. So I locked down the bleed screw on the caliper (again while still pushing some fluid), I removed the syringe and hose, refilled it, burped all the air out of the syringe and hose, re-attached the hose to the fitting, opened the fitting, pulled back on the syringe to pull any air that might have been between the hose and the fitting when it was re-attatched, and one bubble came to the top of the syringe. I tapped the caliper like the instructions and online threads mentioned, but I was only pulling fluid. So with the air at the top of the syringe (away from the hose and caliper, I started pusing more fluid. I pushed through about another 30-35ccs and it was clear. I locked down the bleed fitting and right as I was done, I looked up to the hose on the lever/master cylinder to see a few air bubbles heading down to the catch bottle. I cleaned the calipers, re-installed the pads, put the plug back in the MC bleed port, and went to test the setup. Initially they just felt sorta spongy, but a little better than before. But by the time I got back to the garage, I could pull the levers down to the bars. The bleed fitting on the caliper was still tight, there were no signs of leaking fluid, and I was stumped.

I bled the setup again, but noticed that the MC bleed port fitting that connects to the catch hose felt a little slopy compared to the front brake. When I was done bleeding everything, I put pads back in the caliper and tested the lever only to find it feeling spongy again. Could the MC be pulling air in through the bleed port fitting. It doesn't seem like an overly positive closure method, and there isn't a lot of resistance when I put the plug in. It doesn't fall out, but it feels pretty sloppy.

So I'm looking for some input on how tight that bleed fitting as well as the plug should fit in the MC bleed port, and how much fluid a typical rear setup takes. I have a feeling I pushed more than enough fluid through, and was still picking up air somewhere. I don't get fluid out around the pistons or anywhere on the caliper, and I'm guessing that if fluid isn't coming out, air probably isn't leaking back in. Any input at all would be greatly appreciated. Hydrualic brakes are simple, and to have a problem with such a routine procedure really has me bugged.

Thanks in advance,
Chris