Issue with brake bleeding.

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01-08-2016, 01:21 PM

#11

thomsbrain

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Windsor, CA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by B serious

Buy a bottle of water. Drink that. Get super hydrated. Then pour some brake fluid into it (1/4 way up is fine). Buy a 1/8 ID vacuum line or windshield washer line. Open one of your caliper's bleeders. Connect one side to the caliper's bleeder and sumberge the other in the brake fluid in the water bottle. Set the bottle down. Go pump away at the brakes.

You just made a one-man bleeder that's faster, more efficient, and doesn't require you annoying your wife.

I imagine many problems with this. First, if the entire drain line isn't 100% full of fluid when you start, you will suck whatever air was inside the line between the bottle and bleeder back into the caliper when you lift off the pedal. The only way to completely pre-fill the line from bleeder to bottle is to do a gravity bleed... and if you're already doing a gravity bleed, why not just let it finish? Second, you will be repeatedly pushing and sucking the same fluid in and out of the caliper. You aren't flushing anything, you're just moving it around back and forth. And you won't be removing any air or contaminants from the lines because you aren't achieving any kind of net flow through the system. Am I missing something about how you do this? Do you actually end up with a full bottle of fluid after pumping?

OP, if you don't have two people, you can use a 2x4 or a jack handle to wedge against the seat and apply continuous pressure to the pedal and crack/close the bleeders yourself. Once you get the big bubbles out, you can finish with a gravity bleed and be back in business. Lastly, Billman also recommends the "overnight" method of bracing the pedal (with battery disconnected so it doesn't die) to help work out any remaining pockets of air.

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01-08-2016, 05:40 PM

#12

B serious

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.

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I've used the bottle method for years. The air you suck in when the tube is dry will eventually get pushed out. No...the stuff that got pushed out does not largely get sucked back in.

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01-08-2016, 06:14 PM

#13

starchland

Join Date: Sep 2007

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I have never had an issue with getting a good bleed after replacing lines or calipers. I always make sure the new caliper is completely retracted beforehand. Install the soft line to the hardline and then let the fluid flow before attaching the other end. Sounds like you have a big pocket is all, good luck!
Btw did the res ever get low during the process?
Also double check your fittings

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01-19-2016, 07:06 PM

#14

steven88

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Join Date: Mar 2005

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Quote:

Originally Posted by thomsbrain

Quote:

Originally Posted by B serious' timestamp='1452177271' post='23845857

Second, you will be repeatedly pushing and sucking the same fluid in and out of the caliper. You aren't flushing anything, you're just moving it around back and forth. And you won't be removing any air or contaminants from the lines because you aren't achieving any kind of net flow through the system. Am I missing something about how you do this? Do you actually end up with a full bottle of fluid after pumping?

https://youtu.be/n1NvtUwfRJc?t=6m34s

Here is a video showing the one man brake fluid flush using a bottle and a hose. You'll notice the old fluid never makes it back into the caliper, only new fluid is flowing outwards.