Speed bleeders or vaccum pump
02-17-2011, 10:25 PM
#3
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The MityVac master kit is around $50. You can do so much more with a good vacuum pump than bleed brakes. It is a must have for any shop. Suck out the master, fill up, and go to town. Gravity bleeding also works well.
I never really liked the speed bleeders, but that is just personal preference. Never used the Motive style ones. The best machines are expensive and use compressed air with a diaphragm separating the fluid from the air. Those are overkill for the home shop, but they are the best.
My vote is the vacuum pump or wait and find beer drinking buddy and tell him to pump the pedal
I never really liked the speed bleeders, but that is just personal preference. Never used the Motive style ones. The best machines are expensive and use compressed air with a diaphragm separating the fluid from the air. Those are overkill for the home shop, but they are the best.
My vote is the vacuum pump or wait and find beer drinking buddy and tell him to pump the pedal
02-18-2011, 02:37 AM
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I had speed bleeders in my C5 setup and never had an issue.. Always worked well, never leaked..
Now that I have 4 bleeders up front (two per caliper) I just bribe a friend to pump the pedal.
Now that I have 4 bleeders up front (two per caliper) I just bribe a friend to pump the pedal.
02-18-2011, 10:30 AM
#7
i decided a pump is the better bet i hate asking for help so i prefer to do it alone. Pkus i need it to flush the system on my vette since i left the lines open after selling my calipers and being too lazy to install the 8 pistons still sitting in a box for 2 years :/
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02-18-2011, 10:32 AM
#8
I would get the Motive PowerBleeder with the GM fitting for the Brake Reservoir and the Clutch Fluid reservoir (European adapter) I had a bone dry system and it literally took 10 minutes to bleed out the entire system. I would highly recommend it.
Last edited by chon79; 02-18-2011 at 10:50 AM.
02-18-2011, 09:36 PM
#12
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I use the Motive Power bleeder on various GM vehicles, it's very quick and easy (I bleed 4 corners simultaneously, with scantool cycling ABS solenoids), I never had any trouble with it...
[ you do have to make sure the reservoir adapter does not leak, but this has never been a problem ]
Sure, it does not have a diaphragm, but I only use 10 psi, it takes more pressure than that to dissolve air in brake fluid.
[ you do have to make sure the reservoir adapter does not leak, but this has never been a problem ]
Sure, it does not have a diaphragm, but I only use 10 psi, it takes more pressure than that to dissolve air in brake fluid.
02-19-2011, 01:12 AM
#13
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If you have an air compressor w/regulator, you can reduce the pressure to ~5psi , affix an air compressor fitting to a replacement stock cap for a few dollars and pressurize the master cylinder. (you can literally take a male quick connect coupler and screw it into the cap...then screw the cap onto the master cylinder and attach the air compressor hose onto the quick connect).
Using this method
1) You don't have to worry about a master cylinder adapter leaking ...as you're using a stock replacement cap (you'll need to purchase another cap as a hole will be put in it.) 2) You don't have to waste quite a bit of fluid as with using a pressure bleeder since you need to fill a canister with double the fluid you will actually use...and that is all waste as you cannot reuse it after it sits. Chances are, the next time you'll use it would be a year or two later, and that fluid is not something you'd want to use as it will absorb water since its not vacuum sealed. If you're using high-dollar fluid, that can be quite costly.
It's essentially the same thing as using a pressure canister without an air separator, just make sure your air is clean, you're limited on working fluid. A tip would be to shut the compressor off from filling, start with cool dense air and make water drained from tank. Just make sure you keep the master cylinder filled after bleeding no more than two calipers at a time.
Tried and true method is just use the two man method. It's simple, and free as long as you have someone competent that doesn't release the brake pedal until you tell them to. You don't have to fuss with installing an adapter or anything extra. If you take into consideration setup time with any of the other bleeder methods, its probably about as fast.
The key is starting with clean fluid. Even using the two man method, once the car is jacked up and the wheels are off the car, it should take no more than 10 minutes tops to bleed the brakes.
Make sure you start with CLEAN fluid in the reservoir. You should need less than 1 qt of fluid if you start with clean fluid. If you do not siphon the dirty fluid out before you start, you'll be slowly diluting the master cylinder and it will take up to a gallon to finally have uncontaminated fluid. Much more work in the end! I could see at that point the two man method would be exhaustive as you'll spend an hour bleeding!
Think of it this way, if you're reservoir holds 16 ounces with 100% of it contaminated (old). Think of how long it will take to dilute that fluid until its close to 0% contaminated.
Most shops use a pressure bleeder with an air separator.
Using this method
1) You don't have to worry about a master cylinder adapter leaking ...as you're using a stock replacement cap (you'll need to purchase another cap as a hole will be put in it.) 2) You don't have to waste quite a bit of fluid as with using a pressure bleeder since you need to fill a canister with double the fluid you will actually use...and that is all waste as you cannot reuse it after it sits. Chances are, the next time you'll use it would be a year or two later, and that fluid is not something you'd want to use as it will absorb water since its not vacuum sealed. If you're using high-dollar fluid, that can be quite costly.
It's essentially the same thing as using a pressure canister without an air separator, just make sure your air is clean, you're limited on working fluid. A tip would be to shut the compressor off from filling, start with cool dense air and make water drained from tank. Just make sure you keep the master cylinder filled after bleeding no more than two calipers at a time.
Tried and true method is just use the two man method. It's simple, and free as long as you have someone competent that doesn't release the brake pedal until you tell them to. You don't have to fuss with installing an adapter or anything extra. If you take into consideration setup time with any of the other bleeder methods, its probably about as fast.
The key is starting with clean fluid. Even using the two man method, once the car is jacked up and the wheels are off the car, it should take no more than 10 minutes tops to bleed the brakes.
Make sure you start with CLEAN fluid in the reservoir. You should need less than 1 qt of fluid if you start with clean fluid. If you do not siphon the dirty fluid out before you start, you'll be slowly diluting the master cylinder and it will take up to a gallon to finally have uncontaminated fluid. Much more work in the end! I could see at that point the two man method would be exhaustive as you'll spend an hour bleeding!
Think of it this way, if you're reservoir holds 16 ounces with 100% of it contaminated (old). Think of how long it will take to dilute that fluid until its close to 0% contaminated.
Most shops use a pressure bleeder with an air separator.
Last edited by SJMMFGINC; 02-19-2011 at 01:19 AM.
