Brake fluid bleeder

It seems that whenever I've got to deal with brake bleeding I don't have someone around to pump the pedal.

I tried a Harbor Freight unit put it failed immediately. I got the brand name one of the same type (can't remember the name but starts with an M) and still have the same problems.

So are there any decent systems that won't fall apart?

I've also heard about some oil changing systems that allow you to suck the old oil out through the dip stick tube. Any comments on those?

Thanks in advance

I've been using a Motive bleeder professionally for 8 years with no problems.

The hand operated vacuum pumps for drawing oil through the dip stick tube are very slow and annoying to use. Buy some ramps or jack and jack stands for oil changes.

For about half the price of a Motive Pressure Bleeder, you can build your own from a garden sprayer:

http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/campingart/jettatech/bleeder/

Basically take cheap garden sprayer remove nozzle and hose replace with new, longer hose and spare brake cap. Fill sprayer with some brake fluid, connect cap to brake resevoir, pump up the sprayer and then open the bleeder valves one a time until you get fresh fluid at the nipples.

Adding a pressure gauge helps as you don't want to go over about 5 or 10psi or you may pump fluid out of the bottom of the resevoir where it mates with the master cylinder.

I've been doing gravity bleeds recently. Works amazingly well , uses almost no fluid and requires no special tools.

I use a pressure bleeder, I made it from a garden sprayer, but it was within $10 of what a purpose built one costs, but I didnt have to wait a week to get it lol.

I have my own Vacula and have used it for over 15 years in a regular shop, you will need to replace the seals every so often but not a big deal. Good tool but some car with ABS still require a pedal bleed.

On MC's that have screw on caps I just get a spare cap and drill it for a screw in tire fill valve. I then attach a clip-on tire fill chuck with the air pressure set for 10-12 psi. I then just go around to each bleeder and open it and bleed it. You do have to check the MC so you don't let the fluid get to low but this has worked for me for nearly 20 years.

One thing to remember about all these methods is that they won't find a leak. I've had one surprise at the track where someone used a motive bleeder on a fresh brake system. The system sealed just fine at 10 psi but not at real braking pressures. You're more likely to find them when you have a hooman pushing the pedal for you.

Always fire the car up and try to push the brake pedal through the firewall when you're done.

I've used the Motive bleeder, but before they had the Miata specific cap. Since then, I have gone to using these: http://www.longacreracing.com/catalog/item.asp?id=1038&catid=18. They work well, though I do have to get in and out of the car after every so many pumps.

As far as a topside oil pump, I love it on my wife's '03 Jetta TDI. I've pulled the plug after, and gotten no more than a slow drip. it also lets me get the oil that stays at the bottom of the filter housing. On the '97 Miata, not so much. It leaves a couple quarts behind, so I haven't tried it more than the once. I think that my latest was on sale at West Marine on a closeout.

Motive is great but I tried speedbleeders and like them more.

I've got speed bleeders, but haven't installed them yet ... if you're doing a complete fluid flush ( I've always just used the gravity method) how do you do it with speed bleeders ? pump the pedal over and over until new fluid shows ?

I have used the motive for years on our cars. I remeber sending my first Saab in for a 50k service and they called and said it was going to be 800.00. I asked what they were going to do. The answer did not seem like that much so I bought all the parts and the bleeder and did it myself. I have been doing it myself ever since.

Chris

wbjones wrote: I've got speed bleeders, but haven't installed them yet ... if you're doing a complete fluid flush ( I've always just used the gravity method) how do you do it with speed bleeders ? pump the pedal over and over until new fluid shows ?

Yep. Granted, it might be hard to tell exactly where the new fluid starts, so when in doubt pump more out

ACE Hardware had garden sprayers on sale one weekend last summer, so I built my own pressure bleeder. Then I hit the junkyard and found master cylinder caps for all the vehicles. It makes it so much easier to bleed the brakes now. I spent less than $15 for the whole get up.

I take a spare master cylinder cap, drill a 7/16" hole in it, pop in a tire valve, and use a bicycle pump.

Works wonders, especially on difficult clutch systems!

I made my own bug sprayer style and never had much luck with using the factory caps, they don't hold any pressure. I ended up using the rubber sanding disk backing for a drill. Trimmed it down and put the vinyl hose through the hole and stuck the cone cap tip from some RTV (clean) to keep the hose from coming out. Then ziptied that to the master cylinder.

I am sure you could buy something online that would work too

you can get the special Motive caps online for about $20.

In reply to turboswede:

Thanks

Here is the cheapest I could find http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mvp-1103?seid=google

A foot of clear tubing and a coke bottle. Now you have your own self-bleeder and no need for anyone else there.

foxtrapper wrote: A foot of clear tubing and a coke bottle. Now you have your own self-bleeder and no need for anyone else there.

re. which post ?

wbjones wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: A foot of clear tubing and a coke bottle. Now you have your own self-bleeder and no need for anyone else there.

re. which post ?

I don't understand the question.

I use longer clear tubing and an olive jar. 1 person.

foxtrapper wrote:

wbjones wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: A foot of clear tubing and a coke bottle. Now you have your own self-bleeder and no need for anyone else there.

re. which post ?

I don't understand the question.

I'm assuming you're referring to one of the solutions above ... clear tubing and a coke bottle seems good for gravity bleed ... are you saying it's good for some other method ?

Yeah, WB, works great for single person pump the pedal method. Crack the nipple a little bit, hose end submerged in brake fluid, pump the brakes until no bubbles come out, close the nipple.

What is teh gravity bleed method?

Is that where you crack open all of the bleeders and run long pieces of hose straight up?

Thanks,

Rob R.