brake bleeding...no more vacuum pumps. DIY inside

[garlicbreadman]

Or atleast this style of vacuum pumps:

Those who have used this will notice that it doesnt vacuum fluid out in a smooth stream which i think will leave some air in the system. And plus this method takes forever, you can be pumping for 10-15 per nipple until you see new fluid...

This past summer i did a lot of twisties driving on my integra and i noticed my brakes would start to fade and feel mushy after a few hard braking applications. I finally had some time to bleed my brakes(on thanksgiving) and this time, i decided to use the classic or two-man method to bleed my brakes. The difference is night and day. My brakes starts to apply near the top and has a super firm pedal feel as oppose to low and moderate firm feel.

I can't say this method has fixed my mushy brake feeling while thrashing my brakes in hot weather, but it already feels so much better than before. I'm thinking it could be due to the cheap prestone brake fluid and the minuscule amount of air trapped in my brake system with the use of the vacuum pump.

Here's the brake bleeding instructions i used:
1. I guess i did use my vacuum pump, i pumped out all the old fluid in the reservoir with it lol
2. Filled the reservoir with ATE superblue
3. Attach a clear hose to Front Left bleeder nipple with the other end in a water bottle submerged in brake fluid
4. Have a friend pump the brake pedal until firm while maintaining a firm press on it
5. Crack open the bleeder valve for 2-3 seconds and close
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you see new fluid. In my case it was so easy due to my new fluid being blue as oppose to gold. Always make sure the fluid in the reservoir never goes dry or below them minimum line
7. Move onto the next bleeder which happened to be Front right, then rear right and finally rear left

 

[HTSS_TR]

If you have Mityvac 7201 then steps 3, 4 and 6, and step 5 can be done with bleeder valve opened for about 1-2 minutes for the rears and less for the fronts.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: garlicbreadman

1. I guess i did use my vacuum pump, i pumped out all the old fluid in the reservoir with it lol


It's worth doing just for that, IMO.

 

[sasilverbullet]

You can always use the gravity method - open all four bleeders at the wheels - leave them open and let gravity do it's thing. You'll need four hoses, and leave the reservoir open. Takes at least an hour. Keep an eye of the fluid level.

 

[A_Harman]

I've used vacuum pumps to bleed brakes for about 12 years, and it works best when there is a good seal between the bleed screw and caliper threads. There is always a spiral leak down the bleed screw threads causing air bubbles to come up the bleed hose, but this air does not enter the brake system. The vacuum bleeder will hardly pull any fluid out of the system when I have remanufactured calipers on the car.

When I have leaky bleed screws, I go back to my old homemade power bleeder which consists of a normal brake bleeding bottle and a one-way PCV check valve on the atmospheric port of the bottle. With this, I open up the bleed screw on the caliper, put the bleed bottle on, get in the car, and pump the brake pedal about 10-15 times. (Yes, with this "power bleeder", my leg is suppying the power.) The check valve on the bleed bottle allows fluid to be pushed out of the caliper, but will not allow air to be pulled back in when the brake pedal comes back up.

I get a high, hard brake pedal using either method.

 

[mechtech2]

Whether or not you perceive a smooth stream is irrelevant.
Maybe a bit is from the threads - who cares?
You are not understanding what is going on.

Vacuum bleeding is great. Maybe your technique is not.

 

[GMBoy]

You are supposed to bleed the furthest tire first and work closer to the master cyl...RR, LR, RF, LF.

But, yes I agree the old fashioned 2 man system always worked better for me too. I have an expensive air powered bleeding system and even then - I get the best results with the last couple bleeds with a helper pressing the pedal.

 

[bigjl]

I have a one person system, simple and cheap.

It fixes to the bleed nipple and you place the end in your fluid receptacle.

Crack the nipple and pump away.

The pipe has a one way valve so that you can do it on your own.

I haven't used it yet and it was under £10.

I think the concept is sound as the company that make them has a good reputation.

Never used a vacuum bleeder but they are very good.

Though I have not seen the mityvac system that one I have seen used works with an air compressor.

Probably just more efficient.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
Never used a vacuum bleeder but they are very good.

Though I have not seen the mityvac system that one I have seen used works with an air compressor.

Probably just more efficient.

Mityvac 7201 is a fluid extractor/dispenser, I bought/used it firstly for changing oil via dipstick tube in my E430. I then used it to change ATF and bleeding the brake. It took less than 2-3 minute to bleed one corner with Mityvac, raise the car to remove then reinstall the wheel and lower the car took much longer.

 

[DBMaster]

I have a Mityvac and still prefer the two-man system. My kids enjoy helping me with the car that way. Though I have always used the sequence that GMBoy mentions, I found this on the Mityvac site.

http://www.mityvac.com/pages/info_faq.asp

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Never used a vacuum bleeder but they are very good.

Though I have not seen the mityvac system that one I have seen used works with an air compressor.

Probably just more efficient.

Mityvac 7201 is a fluid extractor/dispenser, I bought/used it firstly for changing oil via dipstick tube in my E430. I then used it to change ATF and bleeding the brake. It took less than 2-3 minute to bleed one corner with Mityvac, raise the car to remove then reinstall the wheel and lower the car took much longer.

This is the one that Crocodile Dundee would whip out and say, "That's not a pump, THIS is a pump!"

 

[brelandt]

our shop has the really tall vacuum pump and a much smaller version. Neither one works very well when bleeding a customers car. Instead we use the 2 man method or a hand pump that connects to the master and forces new fluid into the system while I go from caliper to caliper opening the bleed screw. Works perfect every time and you do not need to watch the level as it's pumping new fluid the whole time and you do not need a air source as it's nothing more than a garden sprayer that you hand pump.

 

[zzyzzx]

I just used my Early 80's vintage Mityvac to bleed brakes on a pickup truck where I had replaced the metal brake lines over a month of Sunday's. The master cylinder was left dry for some time (more than a month). I just did a normal bleeding with my Mityvac (tha hand held type) and it worked just fine. No additional person required.

 

[wtd]

I use either a vacuum pump like showed in the original post or one that I got from Harbor Freight that hooks up to an air compressor. The Harbor Freight one is faster but both do the job with no problems and does not take very long.

I helped my step-dad do the two man job when I was a kid and it seemed like it took a lot longer than what it takes me doing it by myself.

Wayne