Options - brake fluid bleeding & flush

[Donald]

I am going to order some SS Speed-bleeders, half because I want to try them and half because the are SS.

I have a normal MityVac fluid extractor with the adapter hose for the brake bleeder screw.

And Speed-Bleeders.

And could order a Motive pressure brake bleeder. It's not that expensive.

Which way to go or a way I have not listed?

 

[MrGraybeard]

When I replaced the master of my '05 Ranger I had succcess with a reverse pressure bleeder, which pushes fluid upward from the wheels. A pretty good guarantee that you wont get air into the abs pump. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/SER...Yk8_9hoCEa8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1

 

[MrGraybeard]

I often let gravity bleed the brake system. Keep the reservoir filled, open a bleeder, and with time fresh fluid will replace the old stuff.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Speed bleeders are awesome

 

[benjy]

been using a Motive power bleeder at least 20 years, it works with the correct fittings, but the hoses may need replacing sometimes!

 

[Racer4]

Today I put new front brake pads on the wife’s Rav4 . I used the one man blender from Lisle have for years. Flushed the whole system, it does take time but it works well. Not sure what a speed blender is.

 

[97prizm]

I am going to order some SS Speed-bleeders, half because I want to try them and half because the are SS.

I have a normal MityVac fluid extractor with the adapter hose for the brake bleeder screw.

And Speed-Bleeders.

And could order a Motive pressure brake bleeder. It's not that expensive.

Which way to go or a way I have not listed?

With many of the racecars that I worked on pump the pedal, crack the screw, push pedal to floor, close screw, repeat. What type of brake fluid are you going to use.

 

[Donald]

Today I put new front brake pads on the wife’s Rav4 . I used the one man blender from Lisle have for years. Flushed the whole system, it does take time but it works well. Not sure what a speed blender is.

A Speed Bleeder is a bleeder screw with a one way valve.

 

[Donald]

With many of the racecars that I worked on pump the pedal, crack the screw, push pedal to floor, close screw, repeat. What type of brake fluid are you going to use.

I ordered a QT of Prestone DOT3 Synthetic brake fluid. Should be fine for my 2015 F250. Will be first brake fluid flush. Hoping a QT is enough.

I will drag myself under and spray some PB Blaster on the bleeder screws to prep.

 

[97prizm]

I ordered a QT of Prestone DOT3 Synthetic brake fluid. Should be fine for my 2015 F250. Will be first brake fluid flush. Hoping a QT is enough.

I will drag myself under and spray some PB Blaster on the bleeder screws to prep.

If they're really stuck freeze off in the blue and white can is amazing stuff.

 

[The Critic]

I ordered a QT of Prestone DOT3 Synthetic brake fluid. Should be fine for my 2015 F250. Will be first brake fluid flush. Hoping a QT is enough.

I will drag myself under and spray some PB Blaster on the bleeder screws to prep.

I would go with 2 qts. The reservoir is a decent size - you will need to suck out all of the old fluid and refill with fresh before flushing the system; that alone may take more than 8 oz.

If you vacuum bleed you will almost always need to manual bleed afterwards.....unless you are not picky about how the brake pedal feels.

 

[Donald]

I would go with 2 qts. The reservoir is a decent size - you will need to suck out all of the old fluid and refill with fresh before flushing the system; that alone may take more than 8 oz.

If you vacuum bleed you will almost always need to manual bleed afterwards.....unless you are not picky about how the brake pedal feels.

Why does one need to do a manual bleed after a vacuum bleed?

 

[The Critic]

Why does one need to do a manual bleed after a vacuum bleed?

When vacuum bleeding you will suck in some air from the loose bleeder threads and also cause some amount of fluid aeration.

In the below videos, you will see in these videos that after removing the suction hose, there is a trapped air pocket.

My video; I recorded this from when I used my pneumatic bleeder. Look at how long it took before the fluid started coming out of the bleeder:
Skip to 4:50:

IME gravity bleeding alone is not sufficient for removing all of the air, you’ll need to also do a quick manual bleed.

 

[nwjones18]

I've used mighty vac and it works fine, but last full brake fluid change I did I just cracked the right rear bleeder with a clear hose and let it run until clean fluid came out. then closed that one and did the same on the other three wheels all with just gravity and keeping the master full. It was easy and honestly didn't take long.

 

[Donald]

When vacuum bleeding you will suck in some air from the loose bleeder threads and also cause some amount of fluid aeration.

In the below videos, you will see in these videos that after removing the suction hose, there is a trapped air pocket.

My video; I recorded this from when I used my pneumatic bleeder. Look at how long it took before the fluid started coming out of the bleeder:
Skip to 4:50:

IME gravity bleeding alone is not sufficient for removing all of the air, you’ll need to also do a quick manual bleed.

The air sucked in past the threads would be drawn into the vacuum bleeder and not into the caliper I would think.

 

[The Critic]

The air sucked in past the threads would be drawn into the vacuum bleeder and not into the caliper I would think.

It goes into the caliper. Every time I’ve performed a vacuum bleed without a follow up gravity and manual bleed, it has resulted in a noticeably softer pedal.

Did you watch the videos? It will illustrate the issue I described.

 

[edyvw]

Pressure bleeders don’t wllow air. For European cars it is simple bcs. all reservoirs are same regardless of brand. For others you will need adapter.

 

[Donald]

It goes into the caliper. Every time I’ve performed a vacuum bleed without a follow up gravity and manual bleed, it has resulted in a noticeably softer pedal.

Did you watch the videos? It will illustrate the issue I described.

Won't the same thing (possibly worse) happen if you use a speed bleeder and bleed by pumping the brakes?

 

[The Critic]

Won't the same thing (possibly worse) happen if you use a speed bleeder and bleed by pumping the brakes?

If you open the screw too far, yes, I could foresee the same issue occurring.

 

[JHZR2]

In the case of a large Tupperware top reservoir, speed bleeders after changing the fluid and cleaning out the reservoir seems like a good bet.

For standard reservoirs that use a thread on or quarter turn cap, the motive system can’t be beat. I don’t fill the motive reservoir. I just fill the reservoir on the vehicle, pump it up, and then remove the cap and add when needed. On a car that has seen consistent flushes, that’s all that is needed to get to clean fluid.