Vacuum bleeding brakes - questions:

[BlackBart]

I'm bleeding brakes after installing new rear calipers. I usually do it the old fashioned way with Mrs Bart on the pedal. I have one of those Griot's vacuum bleeders that I've had in the box but never used it. They actually call it a multi-fluid extractor now. Has a tall cylinder vacuum tank and fittings.

So I'm having trouble getting the things bled correctly and I have no helper today. The fitting on the bleeder screw has to be held on with hand pressure - it doesn't fit over the bleeder like you do with a clear hose. You fill the rez filler bottle, pump up some vacuum, hold the fitting over the bleeder, open the bleeder, and then open a check valve in the hose. The vacuum sucks fluid out of the bleeder.

Sounds simple enough, but I'm getting a ton of big bubbles, it doesn't improve with time, and I've run a large bottle of fluid through it already.

Ideas for what I'm doing wrong:
1. I sucked ALL the old fluid out of the reservoir - I just read you should never go below the low line. True? Can't I just refill it?
2. I may be using too much vacuum with the pump?
3. I opened the bleeder wide, not just a crack. Maybe the air is sucking in though the threads?

It looks similar to this - that red fitting on the hose "fits" on your bleeder.....sort of.

oilextract0.jpg (298.07 KiB) Viewed 2066 times

Anybody tried this? Similar issues? I've read some good reviews of Eezibleed, where you use a spare tire with 10-20psi to pressure bleed through the cap, and also Speedbleeder valves at each caliper.

I'll bleed them the old way in the morning.
Thanks -

[MoVolvos]

I purchased one and was hoping to do the brakes with it also besides all the oil changes and transmission fluid.

Did you empty the Brake Fluid Reservoir on one of the pulls?

Crack the bleeder valve just a little and I would put a drop or two fluid around the thread to see if the fluid is being pulled in. Put some bearing grease on the threads if you suspect air infiltration.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LC ... UTF8&psc=1
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Vacuum Fluid Extractor.png (375.25 KiB) Viewed 2063 times

[jreed]

I have had good luck pressure bleeding the brake system using a home-brew tool similar to the Eezibleed system. I built it with a hand-pumped sprayer from the hardware store and a spare brake fluid reservoir cap, some fittings and tubing.

[Goupil]

I bough an Eezibleed for my V70, works flawlessly (well, once I fixed the leaking valve...).
I was happily surprised considering how cheap it is

[June]

I have had good luck pressure bleeding the brake system using a home-brew tool similar to the Eezibleed system. I built it with a hand-pumped sprayer from the hardware store and a spare brake fluid reservoir cap, some fittings and tubing.

Can you post pics of your home-brew tool? Thanks, June

[abscate]

Bart

Emptying the master cylinder reservoir was the mistake here. You might have to remove the master and bench bleed it, submerging it in fluid and pumping it until all ports are full

[MoVolvos]

This is a person brake bleeding method. There was only 1 bleeder valve (the rusty one) that showed brake fluid leaking through the threads. No fluid came out of the other bleeders valve threads. I always thought when the brake pedal was released air would go back in through the threads using his method but apparently it does not.
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[BlackBart]

It took 10 minutes with Mrs Helpers help. And very little air came out, so I think that expensive gadget is over complicating a simple task. It could be just way too much vacuum, since some people gravity bleed.

Abscate -
I may check the fronts to see if any air got in the system, but the pedal seemed solid. Will double check though, thanks.

[cn90]

For single-person (no second person), I find 1-man bleeding works great.

- Air compressor set at 10 psi and modified cap (or buy the CTA cap for $8) works great:

DIY: 1-man Hydraulic Bleeding Kit for those with Air Compressor!
viewtopic.php?t=29243

[jreed]

There is a picture of my homemade pressure bleeder here:
viewtopic.php?t=58362