Bleeding brakes....
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,337
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From: Auburn, AL
Bleeding brakes.... I am about to change my brake fluid and bleed my brakes. How do I remove all my old brake fluid and get the new in? lol, sorry, I sound retarded, but I'm not sure the procedure to bleed the brakes and all. Thanks for any help
Re: Bleeding brakes.... PREP
Get as much of the old fluid as you can out of the reservoir. I use a Mighty-Vac pump, but a $.99 turkey baster from Wal-Mart does just fine. You do this so that the new fluid doesn't get contaminated with the old.
Do NOT let the reservoir run dry.
Top the reservoir off with new fluid.
COMMUNICATION
I've had the best luck using the 2 person method. It boils down to good communication. The person at the wheel pumping the brake pedal has to know what the person at the bleeder is doing and vice-versa. The person at the bleeder controls the show, basically.
The person at the wheel should make sure the bleeder is closed and then say "pump".
The person behind the wheel should give the brake pedal a couple of pumps to build up pressure and then hold pressure against the brake pedal, then say "holding".
The person at the bleeder will then open the bleeder valve about 1/4 turn and watch the fluid as it comes out. Get some 3/8" clear tubing and slide it over the end of the bleeder and then empty inot some sort of container.
The person behind the steering wheel will feel the brake pedal release and slowly go to the floor. Once it gets to the floor, hold it there and say "floor".
The person at the bleeder should then close the bleeder valve and say "pump", starting the cycle all over again.
PROCEDURE
Start at the Passenger rear and run 15 to 20 pump cycles through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the driver's rear and run another 10 to 15 pumps through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the passenger front and run 10-15 pumps through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the driver's front and do 10-15 pumps through.
Then repeat PROCEDURE until you have used all your brake fluid in the containers. Once you breech the seal on the container, it has an extremely short shelf life (weeks), so you might as well use it to flush your brakes.
HTH
Get as much of the old fluid as you can out of the reservoir. I use a Mighty-Vac pump, but a $.99 turkey baster from Wal-Mart does just fine. You do this so that the new fluid doesn't get contaminated with the old.
Do NOT let the reservoir run dry.
Top the reservoir off with new fluid.
COMMUNICATION
I've had the best luck using the 2 person method. It boils down to good communication. The person at the wheel pumping the brake pedal has to know what the person at the bleeder is doing and vice-versa. The person at the bleeder controls the show, basically.
The person at the wheel should make sure the bleeder is closed and then say "pump".
The person behind the wheel should give the brake pedal a couple of pumps to build up pressure and then hold pressure against the brake pedal, then say "holding".
The person at the bleeder will then open the bleeder valve about 1/4 turn and watch the fluid as it comes out. Get some 3/8" clear tubing and slide it over the end of the bleeder and then empty inot some sort of container.
The person behind the steering wheel will feel the brake pedal release and slowly go to the floor. Once it gets to the floor, hold it there and say "floor".
The person at the bleeder should then close the bleeder valve and say "pump", starting the cycle all over again.
PROCEDURE
Start at the Passenger rear and run 15 to 20 pump cycles through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the driver's rear and run another 10 to 15 pumps through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the passenger front and run 10-15 pumps through.
Top off the master cylinder.
Move to the driver's front and do 10-15 pumps through.
Then repeat PROCEDURE until you have used all your brake fluid in the containers. Once you breech the seal on the container, it has an extremely short shelf life (weeks), so you might as well use it to flush your brakes.
HTH
Re: Bleeding brakes.... Just a quick note. I found that I could get 11 pumps out of the rear calipers before having to fill the master cylinder again (it will go more, but don't push it and get air in there).
I only got 4 (5 max) pumps out of the front calipers before refilling. While your friend pumps the pedal, ask them to count....
I only got 4 (5 max) pumps out of the front calipers before refilling. While your friend pumps the pedal, ask them to count....
