Got the front brakes bled today.
Between the Russell "Speed Bleed" screws, and the MityVac, it's a one-man operation!
I started by slurping out as much fluid as I could from the master cylinder reservoir with the MityVac, and then wiping out the reservoir with a clean shop towel.
The fluid that came out looked like VERY bad coffee, and the plastic reservoir was filthy with rusty colored slime.
Took most of a quart of new DOT3 fluid before it was coming out clean from the bleeder screw on the caliper, and the drivers side is the closest to the master cylinder.
Generally, you start bleeding at the brake that's furthest from the master cylinder, usually the right rear, but I've done it different ways at different times, and it never seemed to make a difference where I started from.
So, one more item crossed off the list!
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Merry Christmas - <i>He Is Born</i> -
I'd like to wish my friends here a very Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year. We'll be having our Christmas Dinner with family...
Good work. One more step toward wonderment and the coolest Supra on the road.
ReplyDeleteThe Guys Who Know This Stuff are suggesting I bleed them again with the engine running so the power brake booster is operating. The MityVac puts a vacuum at the bleed screw, pulling the fluid through. Running the engine and pumping the pedal pushes the fluid through, and will probably flush the crud out of the master cylinder.
ReplyDeleteThis is where the "Speed Bleeders" come into play. They're really a spring-loaded one-way check valve, so unless there's pressure in the system (or vacuum on the other side), they don't allow any fluid to pass. I'll crack them open, hook a hose to them, and pump the pedal a few times, carefully checking the fluid in the reservoir. You DO NOT want to run the master cylinder dry in these cars as it's a PITA to bleed....
Works great but I always seem to knock over the catch container.
ReplyDeleteI did that tonight myself...BUT the MityVac catch can has a screw-on top with two hoses. One goes to the bleed screw, and through the lid with an 1-1/2" hose. The other hose goes to the pump.
ReplyDeleteWould have been 4 ozs of cruddy, dirty brake fluid on the ground if it hadn't had the lid!
Cruddy, dirty brake fluid on the ground? In California? Boy are you lucky that didn't happen. Isn't that a life sentence there? It would be a superfund site.
ReplyDeleteYup, probably would have been a $100,000 fine, 6 months in prison, and the loss of all my civil rights!
ReplyDeleteGood thing it never happened....
Gah, I HATE bleeding brakes... Such a PITA, when it was all manual.
ReplyDeleteYep, BTDT AND got the tee shirt!
ReplyDeleteJust having the speed bleeders makes it pretty much a one-man operation.
I needed this post 2 weeks ago! :)
ReplyDeleteI might have to get some speed bleeders. Thx, Jim.
They're made by "Russell Industries", now owned by Edelbrock. Available in standard and metric sizes for almost anything.
ReplyDeletehttp://russellperformance.com/mc/speed-bleeders/
I bought mine from Raptor Racing, but Summit has the same prices, and I like to support people that make and stock products for oddball cars like mine!
https://www.summitracing.com/search/product-line/russell-speed-bleeders