Car Nerds: Brake Bleeder Tool

[jedi]

What tool/vac pump do you guys use to bleed the brakes to remove the old brake fluid from your vehicle?

Do not have an air compressor.

 

[El Conquistador]

You can open the bleeders and let gravity do its job. Just keep an eye on the master cylinder so it doesn’t go dry. I have done this many times.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Regular ol' turkey baster style tool to get it out of the reservoir. One of those little hoses-into-a-cup attached to the bleeder valve on the caliper and an assistant working the pedal for the lines. I change the fluid about every 3 years in everything but the Camaro, which shares brake fluid with the clutch so I change it every other year.

 

[Butch627]

Gravity bleeding is the simplest method. If you want to flush out your system there are 1000 ways to suck your reservoir dry. Rags, sponges, shop vac to name a few. Then refill the reservoir and put a small hose on each bleeder to push fluid into a cup or whatever and open them all up. Keep the reservoir 1/2 full to keep air from getting in the system Once you have flushed enough through that the fluid coming out of the bleeders looks clean, start closing the bleeders starting at the farthest from the reservoir and the next farthest until you have closed them all.

 

[Creedmoor]

What tool/vac pump do you guys use to bleed the brakes to remove the old brake fluid from your vehicle?

Do not have an air compressor.

Gravity most of the time to drain and to fill. Once drained I just close the two front bleeders and open the rear two until bubbles are gone and close rear. Open the front two until bubbles are gone, and then use a two handed screwdriver to hold break peddle down while I crack the rear lines first and move to the front and do the same. I then pump the peddle and use a two handed screwdriver to hold the peddle down and crack one wheel to bleed, pump peddle and repeat.
Do it in your neighbors yard as not to kill your grass.

 

[Bugzilla]

I have something like this. I just have a hand pump. Made the jar with the hoses in it. Works good.

 

[Brandon]

I have something like this. I just have a hand pump. Made the jar with the hoses in it. Works good.

What I use to use- harbor freight version.

 

[Cameramonkey]

What I use to use- harbor freight version.

And for occasional use tools, dont sweat HF. I had a 110v impact wrench that lasted 15 years. I only used it for brake jobs for our two cars, and sharpening the mower blade. I got my money's worth out of that thing.

 

[Lpherr]

Wait until you come across traction control and require a scan tool to cycle the abs solenoids.

 

[bobzilla]

This is the bomb
Power flush from the master down. Works well, just have to purchase the correct cap for the application.

 

[HoughMade]

This is the bomb
Power flush from the master down. Works well, just have to purchase the correct cap for the application.

I made something like this out of a garden sprayer, tubing, fittings and a spare reservoir lid from Autozone. Would to the wise- clamp the lid down if it's not the screw on kind.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I made something like this out of a garden sprayer, tubing, fittings and a spare reservoir lid from Autozone. Would to the wise- clamp the lid down if it's not the screw on kind.

Lemme guess? You looked something like this when the lid popped off under pressure?

 

[hammerd13]

Mityvac MV8000

Amazon - MV8000

 

[HoughMade]

Lemme guess? You looked something like this when the lid popped off under pressure?

There was a discernable "sploosh"....but it worked pretty well.

This was before I had a kid that could reliably "down, hold, up"....that's what I do now.

 

[bobzilla]

I made something like this out of a garden sprayer, tubing, fittings and a spare reservoir lid from Autozone. Would to the wise- clamp the lid down if it's not the screw on kind.

I made my first one, it leaked bad. This works a lot better than the one I cobbled together.

 

[bobzilla]

Mityvac MV8000

Amazon - MV8000

I've used those in the past, but if you don't get a great seal on the nipple it's hard to tell when the air is out.

 

[firecadet613]

Do you guys really change out brake fluid all that often?

 

[indyblue]

Do you guys really change out brake fluid all that often?

Most don't, but it should be changed at least every 5 yrs. Brake fluid is hydroscopic so it readily absorbs moisture & humidity and in Indiana with it's high humidity summers, can be a lot. This will cause rust inside the system, caliper pistons/cylinders will bind, steel brake lines rust from inside out, etc.

I try to flush the system every 3-5 years.

 

[indyblue]

Wait until you come across traction control and require a scan tool to cycle the abs solenoids.

True. However, as long as you don't allow the master cylinder to go dry and let air into the system you can usually leave the ABS unit alone as it only holds less than 5cc's of fluid that will eventually be exchanged with the new fluid in the system via caliper cycling.

You should only need the scan tool purge if replacing the ABS module with a new one that has never had fluid in it or the brake lines were disconnected from the valve body.

 

[bobzilla]

Do you guys really change out brake fluid all that often?

track cars get it at least once a year, sometimes twice. The rest every 2-3 years.