One Man Brake Bleeding/Pressure Bleeders, or: Can I Bleed the Brakes without Raising the Vehicle?

[llll1l1ll]

Hey All,

How many of you guys use a pressure bleeder when bleeding brakes? I was thinking about investing in one since it would make things a lot easier (and faster) when doing brakes. Would it damage the ABS components at all? Would this also bleed the clutch line at all?

Alternatively, would I have to raise the car at all to access the bleed screws on the brakes? I can almost reach the rear wheels if I shimmy under the car, and I can probably turn the wheels to full lock to get to the fronts. I could always get my girlfriend to push the pedal for me while I do the dirty work at the bleed screws. I don't want her getting in the car while the car is up on the jack. Not because she's heavy, but because it's unsafe - duh!

So, whatchu think, Mafia?
Peter

[billschusteriv]

Motive Power Bleeder (black label) FTW.

[danewilson77]

Werd.


Motive Power Bleeder (black label) FTW.

[llll1l1ll]

Hmm I gotta watch the demo video when I get home...

[billschusteriv]

I also do not recommend a vacuum bleeder. I could've been doing it wrong, but I tried a Craftsman model and had NO LUCK.

I've used the Motive Power Bleeder on my e30 and e46 about 3-4 times with great success. Allows me to bleed all four corners and maintain level in the resevoir with no issues.

http://store.motiveproducts.com/black-label-european-bleeder--0109-p21.aspx


One time, the fluid port in the right rear caliper on the e30 was blocked - so when I didn't get anything out of the bleed screw, I was a bit alarmed and figured I was doing something wrong. I pumped the brakes, raised and lowered the pressure in the power bleeder, and nothing. Ended up rebuilding and found the issue. Had to hook up a 100# air line to clear the obstruction.

The only thing that concerned me occured during the first time using it. Whenever you fill the Power Bleeder with brake fluid, hook it up to your resevoir, and pressurize the bottle, the line from the Power Bleeder to the resevoir immediately fills with brake fluid and appears to top off your resevoir. Now once you've gone through the bleeding process (from furthest caliper to the closest, at least once, with clear fluid exiting), how do you get all that "excess" fluid out of your resevoir and restore the system? Well, once you brake the seal on the Power Bleeder bottle, the pressure drop will 'suck' the brake fluid back into the Power Bleeder - leaving your brake fluid resevoir filled to the right level, or pretty close to it.

Oh. Not a bad idea to get a few extra Catch Bottles while you are at it, especially if you are doing a full fill and flush or replacing the brake lines. Seems when I replaced the lines on the e30, I ran out of room and had to find a temporary place to store the old fluid.


Hmm I gotta watch the demo video when I get home...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0h5bMoW-aw

[danewilson77]

Thank God the guy put gloves on for the second part of the bleed process. I thought he was gonna get his hands dirty.

Looks like a pretty sweet tool.

About $10.00 cheaper here. Ima pick one of these up....

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Black_Label_European/ES1895871/

[billschusteriv]

Nice find DW.

http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/76790_x600.jpg

Oh - that rubber gasket shown on the ECS page? This requires assembly. It arrives in the box with the Power Bleeder, but not installed in the machined aluminum cap. If you do not put this gasket in the cap before first use (you should be doing a pressure test anyway), you will not be able to build up any pressure. Ask me know I know. :biggrin

That swivel cap is a gem. Doesn't require you to rotate the Power Bleeder around the resevoir in order to screw it on. :wub

[llll1l1ll]

Man, I gotta get one of these things...

[mikeyb74]

I use a one man brake bleeder all the time. Very simple to easy and it's nice not to have to tell someone to push the brake pedal.

[llll1l1ll]

Looks like it would just make things a lot faster.

[llll1l1ll]

Reviving an old thread:

Is there a way I could use my Motive Power Extractor for bleeding my brakes as opposed to the Motive Power Bleeder? I was thinking maybe I could just unscrew the cap on the reservoir, hook the extractor line up to a bleed screw, pump it up, and let it rock until clear fluid starts flowing. Then just top off the reservoir as needed.

Does anyone think this might work?

[M0nk3y]

I dont think that will work at all.

I see a ton of air forming in the lines with that method

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[llll1l1ll]

Dang...

Well, this is why I didn't get an engineering degree!

[M0nk3y]

Dang...

Well, this is why I didn't get an engineering degree!

Haha, when you run the bleeder you operate at 20 psi to move the fluid through the system. Considering you're sucking out the fluid and the brake fluid is in your clutch slave cylinder, you'll have to re-bleed the clutch...which is a PITA from what i hear

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[llll1l1ll]

Bleh I'd rather not have to break out the jack stands to get the brakes bled. I may just do it the old-fashioned way and have my girlfriend pump the pedal while I do the dirty work.

[M0nk3y]

No need for jack stands...you can do 1 wheel at a time.

Off the top of my head, its RR, LR, RF, LF

Gotta double check that order though

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[danewilson77]

No need for jack stands...you can do 1 wheel at a time.

Off the top of my head, its RR, LR, RF, LF

Gotta double check that order though

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

Order is correct. Furthest from master cylinder to closest.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[BCS_ZHP]

Peter,
I've got a brake bleeder, I'm down in Fairfax Station if you want to come use it. I'm on vacation thru Sunday but will be back next week and could do it one night or next weekend. I ordered new brakes & rotors for my car, so will be doing that when I get back and will be bleeding my brakes too.
Bruce

[llll1l1ll]

I might take you up on that offer to use your bleeder. I'll have to check my schedule, though.


No need for jack stands...you can do 1 wheel at a time.

Off the top of my head, its RR, LR, RF, LF

Gotta double check that order though

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

I just meant to get under the car to get at the calipers/bleed screw without contorting my arms and hands in weird angles.

[M0nk3y]

I might take you up on that offer to use your bleeder. I'll have to check my schedule, though.



I just meant to get under the car to get at the calipers/bleed screw without contorting my arms and hands in weird angles.

The bleed screw should be really easy. Mine are right behind the caliper sitting on top, just gotta remove the wheel to access

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[llll1l1ll]

Hmm...

[BCS_ZHP]

Peter,
Easiest way is to put the car on 4 jack stands, remove all 4 wheels, bleed them, then reinstall wheels. I have all the necessary items required, you'll just need to bring your car and new brake fluid. Let me know.
Bruce

[llll1l1ll]

I'll keep you posted; but, this weekend is probably a no-go since I had plans with my girlfriend I was unaware of/forgot about.

[BCS_ZHP]

No problem, just give me a call or text (cell # in personal section) when you're ready. Did mine on Monday, new brakes and a freshly bled system did wonders.

[llll1l1ll]

Well thanks! I'll go find it and stick it in my phone. When I'm ready to do some brake bleeding, I'll let you know.

[BCS_ZHP]

Jacking the car up, setting it on jack stands properly, and putting it back on the ground will take longer than the actual bleeding part. I spent less than an hour on this the other night which entailed getting the bleeder out of the box and hooked up, bleeding the brakes, cleaning the bleeder up and putting it away, then reinstalling my wheels, and finally taking it off the jack stands and storing those. I was on the glide path home, so there might have been a beverage or two consumed in there too. :)

[llll1l1ll]

Sounds like all the work is really just getting everything set up and consuming some beer.

[llll1l1ll]

Reviving my old thread!

Over Christmas, my Dad gifted me a Mityvac vacuum pump brake bleeder kit thing: http://www.eastwood.com/mityvac-brake-bleeding-kit.html. Looks like that. I am confident I know how to use it; however, the instructions mention one thing: ABS system purging.

The instructions say that before bleeding, I should keep the car off and pump the brake pedal around 50 times (or some odd number) to purge/depressurize the ABS system. Are we supposed to do that with our cars? I reckon I could just use the vacuum pump and get on with my life. This little gadget seems to work just like the big boy Mityvac official brake bleeder.

Any thoughts?

[M0nk3y]

Pumping the brake that much would wear out the master cylinder seals.

You would need to cycle the ABS via special computer that dealers have, I forgot what they call it.

What should you do? Bleed the system, run the car and activate the ABS via hard stops to cycle the system, and just let the old fluid mix with new.


It's very minute amount, nothing to worry about.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[llll1l1ll]

I think I can do that.

If cycling the ABS was such a huge deal, then nobody on this forum would have correctly bled their brakes.

[terraphantm]

I think I can do that.

If cycling the ABS was such a huge deal, then nobody on this forum would have correctly bled their brakes.

It is a big deal when changing brake lines or calipers. And it's not just cycling ABS. The computer opens the various solenoids in the appropriate order to let bubbles out.