Brake bleeder

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by Tom Goldman

The gravity method works well with most cars with firewall mounted master cylinders.
The master cylinder should still be bench blead before installing ,since on many cars the master cyl. is not level and can trap air in the high point if not bench blead.
A helper pump on the pedal or a vacuum bleeder like a MightyVac is still necessary to remove all the air from the system.
Harbor Freight has the Mighty Vac bleeder kits for $43.00 ,I paid over a hundred from Snapon for the same one years ago and still use it.
One thing I'll mention is Drag Racers generally don't pay enough attention to brake fluid condition .
I maintain several road course cars that must have the fluid changed before they race an event....After 1 race the fluid is usually in terrible condition.
Our cars brakes are subjected to short periods of extreme heat followed by long periods of unuse. .. This is a perfect climate for fluid contamination and break down.
If your fluid is dark or cloudy looking change it .
At the very least it should be changed annually ,preferably at the end of the season ,so it is not stored over the winter with fluid that can contain moisture or other contaminants that will damage components.

All very helpful information. I forgot to mention the importance of bench-bleeding the master cylinder. Thank you, Tom. It makes for a long day if you don't start with a fully bled master cylinder. I guess I've been lucky or dumb (maybe both), but I haven't had to use any mechanical device to "finish" the gravity bleed process ever since adopting it. The comments about brake fluid condition are spot-on. Because brake fluid is hygroscopic, it is virtually always absorbing moisture, and, as Tom suggests, silently corroding internal brake system parts. Changing fluid each season is cheap insurance, and you might be surprised by improved pedal feel with fresh fluid. I always remember what I learned when I was young; in the final analysis, all a car HAS to do is steer and stop.

[ALMACK]

I bought one of these Phoenix reverse bleeding kits a few months back.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Phoenix-Sys...s2I:rk:25:pf:0

Worked decent on my tow truck. Good pedal feel afterward.
I like the idea of pushing fresh fluid from the bleeder up to the master cyl.
Trapped air rises easier than trying to force it downstream.

I plan on doing hydraulic clutch work soon so that was another reason I bought it

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by ALMACK

I bought one of these Phoenix reverse bleeding kits a few months back.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Phoenix-Sys...s2I:rk:25:pf:0

Worked decent on my tow truck. Good pedal feel afterward.
I like the idea of pushing fresh fluid from the bleeder up to the master cyl.
Trapped air rises easier than trying to force it downstream.

I plan on doing hydraulic clutch work soon so that was another reason I bought it

The Phoenix bleeder works particularly well on vehicles equipped with Anti Lock brake systems.
We used one many times to bleed troublesome vehicles at the Jeep dealership ,particularly some of the older hydraulic clutches.

[Eman]

I saved a lot of money by not buying a reverse bleeder. For reverse bleeding go to an Ag store and buy a large syringe and some clear plastic tubing. Fill the syringe with brake fluid, bleed the air out of it, put the tube over the bleeder screw and push the fluid back. Not the best idea to force all of that old corroded fluid back through a system. When doing a brake job on a daily driver don't push the caliper piston back without opening the bleeder or you're pushing the crud back into the ABS and the MC.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Eman

I saved a lot of money by not buying a reverse bleeder. For reverse bleeding go to an Ag store and buy a large syringe and some clear plastic tubing. Fill the syringe with brake fluid, bleed the air out of it, put the tube over the bleeder screw and push the fluid back. Not the best idea to force all of that old corroded fluid back through a system. When doing a brake job on a daily driver don't push the caliper piston back without opening the bleeder or you're pushing the crud back into the ABS and the MC.

I agree.
Not a smart idea to push the crud back upstream.
If it has older fluid I like to flush the lines and calipers by this method:


* Disconnect the brake hose from the caliper
* Disconnect the hard line from the master cylinder
* Push clean fluid thru the hard lines
* Push clean fluid thru the calipers ( in reverse)

Then reconnect and bleed the system


When I back flushed my Strange Brakes caliper a bunch of black pieces came out. Now I know why the calipers are dragging. I think the piston seals are wasted

[Partsguy1]

If you use the Mighty Vac wrap some teflon tape around the bleeder threads so as not to lose vacuum past them.

[black88coupe]

Originally Posted by Partsguy1

If you use the Mighty Vac wrap some teflon tape around the bleeder threads so as not to lose vacuum past them.

I did that as well.

[4406mopar]

Go to NAPA and get an Evercraft 776-9089. It's the hose with a check valve.
Open bleeder 1/2 turn, install flexible end on bleeder, other end Ina catch can, slowly push pedal down and up, repeat all wheels keeping master full. Works great and no argument with the helper.

As stated must bench bleed master cylinder first.

[Coleydog]

I use a stick wedged between the seat and brake pedal. Make sure the stick is springy like an old Indian bow. Wedge it in with a good bow, then open one bleeder farthest away then one front, that ensures the total collapse of the MC. Then do the other ones. Remember, most drum brakes have about 10 lbs residual pressure, disc about 2 lbs., so that makes it hard to gravity bleed. When you're by yourself you can get inventive.
Mike
Just remembered, when opening the bleeder, close the bleed before the fluid stops or air will suck back in around the base of the bleeder.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Partsguy1

If you use the Mighty Vac wrap some teflon tape around the bleeder threads so as not to lose vacuum past them.

Tape on the threads was the only way I got my system to bleed correctly.

This video is of some rebuilt calipers I bought where at some point someone appears to have used a tap instead of a thread chaser to clean up the threads.

I attempted to bleed the system on the truck with these but the slop was so bad there was no way. ( leaks galore)

The auto parts store found me another replacement pair and the bleeder screws had much less wobble. I added tape to the threads and finished by reverse bleeding the system.