The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Making a brake pressure bleeder?

Hey all,

After reading many folks comments about the evils of bleeding brakes with the old-fashioned two person depressing the brake pedal method, I have decided to change my bad ways. In the process of sourcing materials and hope that you all can help. As typical in this consumer age, there seems to be almost too many options making it difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Below are some thoughts and questions that I hope someone can help me determine the best system at an economy target:
1) Is a one gallon sprayer the right size?
2) There are general sprayers, bleach sprayers, and deck stain sprayers; which ones have seals that are most compatible with brake fluid?
3) Since brake fluid is in the spray tank, are there some plastics in the pump and tank that are not compatible with brake fluid?
4) Is a pressure gauge really necessary?
5) Pressure relief valve systems seem to be a good idea for depressurizing, is it really necessary?
6) Where did you source good non-leaking quick connect fittings?


Thanks!

Paul

Search "Pressure brake bleeder" on Ebay. The first one on the list is $99.94 with free shipping, and it comes with an entire case filled with different adapters, a working quick-connect, a pressure gauge, and a bleeder that works without a lot of monkey motion and trial and error. Some things just aren't worth the hassle of trying to Rube Goldberg something together out of bits and pieces.
Jerry

Paul;

Many years ago I followed HRL's advice and bought a manufactured brake bleeder. I recently needed to pump some gear oil and searched for a DIY solution. Here is pretty good documentation of a DIY build. DIY $20 Brake Bleeder

SimS

Another vote for Jerry's advice. I used one recently and it made the job super easy to do alone. Well worth the money to just buy one.

A bit off topic but I was using a vacuum bleeder tool. It’s a nice tool good for checking vacuum advance. But I found when trying to bleed brakes that it drew air in from around the bleed nipple rather the sucking air out the line.

Yup. They'll work, but you have to watch for that.

For a vacuum bleeder, I've found out it can help with a little sealer, or tape on the bleeder threads. It just needs to be able to draw a good flow of fluid through the system.

I bleed mine into another container with brake fluid. But same issues with air coming in through the nipple, I've coated grease around the bleeder and hadn't had any more air creeping in

Paul , I'm cheap , so I just put an air line fitting into a spare cap , do one wheel at a time , check level as I go .

I made one using a 16$ garden sprayer from Lowes. Works great, my dad borrowed it to do his 40 Chevy sedan also.

Any bleeder without a separate chamber for air and fluid with a rubber diaphragm in between is risky business.
Jerry

Makes a good possibility for injecting air in to the system. That's why the pro systems are a bladder tank.

Does the $99 at HrL’s eBay link above have a bladder?

It sure looks like it.

The search results changed.

When I posted, the Motive Pressure Bleeder was the first one displayed. Mine does not have a bladder.

This one is now the first displayed - does it have a bladder?

It would be more helpful if a product name and number is posted (or, an eBay listing number).

Thanks

I have had great luck with every dry brake system for many years all by myself, with a simple to use OTC air-powered vacuum bleeder. It's all about getting fluid to move quickly through the lines is all.

Posting Ebay links gets the thread edited pretty quickly. Sort of puts us between a rock and a hard place, doesn't it? That's OK- - - -the PC Patrol will figure it all out!
Jerry

I don't mind an eBay link when used as an example. Especially when you're not trying to sell something here. Better would be to post a picture of the item, but not all folks are savvy enough for that. This is the pressure bleeder that is being discussed in this topic. It is a rubber bladder style. Brake fluid is in one side of the chamber and air pressure is applied to the opposite chamber. These items can be found for a reasonable cost on eBay. But, as with any tool, you need to ask yourself if it is worth the cost for a one time or more usage, or will it be used more often to make it worth it. Also keep in mind, rubber bladders won't last forever. I have yet to see one of my pressure brake bleeder bladders go bad. I can't say that for my BG trans flush machine. I believe we are on our 3rd bladder. And the machine is much younger than our brake pressure bleeder. I'ts all about the chemicals!

If we cannot post a link to an eBay listing, please post the company/product name and part number.

Then, we know what product is being referred to.

It would also be OK to say that you saw it for sale (at a good price) on eBay.

Thanks

Here is why we don’t post EBay links in the regular forums. They expire! So 2-3 months from now when a member is doing a search the thread comes up with an expired EBay link. The best way is to just type in the EBay item # in your post and the interested members can do an EBay search for that number.