BLEEDING BRAKES MYSELF

TOM B

Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Nov 15, 2002
871
0
16
Harrisburg Pa
Just went to Advance auto today and bought 2 sets of one person brake bleeders.
WOW they worked great! done in about 15 minites. The book says they dont have any for a 65 mustang but just read the back of package and buy the correct size, 2 for 3.49. dont go to Pep-boys there a rip-off at 9.99 for 2.
 
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Yes they work wonders. Yet when I went to bleed my brakes, all I had to do was turn each original screw half a turn and I could bleed my brakes just like those lil gismos and it didnt suck air into the lines. When I tightened the screw back up it didnt leak...
 
If you've got the time (about two months:D ) You could use the method I did on my 77 Comet. About two months ago, I replaced the power brake setup with a Manual master cylinder. Had to rebend one line and make another. Installed new master cylinder, filled reservoir. Let it sit for two months while I worked on other stuff. Got ready to fire off the 331 last week, pumped the brake pedal three times and she was ready to roll (or rather Stop:rlaugh: ) Easiest brake beed/mastercylinder job I ever did :nice:
 
I bought the cheapy setup from Harbor Freight for about $2. It has the tubes, adapters and a neat little plastic bottle with a magnet to hold it up high above the bleeder screws so air bubble would rise into the bottle. Pumped enough for the bottle to fill up and it was done for each wheel. Of course, having two people makes it a lot quicker.
 
Parts stores sell replacement bleeder valves that have a spring loaded check ball in them. Run a hose from the bleeder to a container, crack the bleeder open, and pump away. Check ball should prevent any air from going back in through the bleeder. Haven't tried but it sounds cool.

Me, I prefer 2 people.. someone pumps the pedal, and I bleed by pushing my finger against the bleeder, when it's cracked open. Messy, but it works. Must remember to rinse off any fluid that got on the car.

Jan
 
I have used these on my car for quite a while with no problems. Some people are sceptical about them and think the spring will wear out and let air back into the system eventually and they provably will... eventually. How often do people bleed their breaks that they are going to wear out the springs in these bleeders ?

I've also got a hand pump vaccume that has a bottle that I can atach to it so I can hand pump vaccume bleed other cars if I have to do it myself. Just rember, farthest first does not always mean passenger rear !
 
I don't like the vacuum bleeders.
The wheel cylinders have seals that are designed to seal against pressure, not vacuum. They easily let air IN when there's vacuum in the system. So go easy with the hand pump.


Jan
 
I picked up a set of Russell "Speed Bleaders" when I did the Cobra brake conversion. I used a piece of vacuum tubing attached from each of the bleader into empty beer bottles next to each wheel.
Started with a completely dry system (didn't even bother to bench blead the master cylinder). It took me longer to drink the four beers then it did to blead the brakes. Speed bleaders work awesome.

:lol: Fast bleeder or slow drinker?

How do the speed bleeders work? Do they have check valves or do you use a vacuum with them. Others have cautioned about vacuum bleeders and wheel cyl so I'm a little concerned but if the valve simply have check valves then that seems the way to go!
 
I've got a buddy who's a mechanic. He brought home a power bleader from work.

It had a rubber seal that goes onto the m/c and had a tank full of fluid. The tank gets pressurized with a air compresser. When the valve on the tank is opened, the fluid is forced through the m/c to the brakes of the car.

It sounded neat in concept but didn't work very well. I still had to go back and blead the brakes the old fashion way.