homemade pressure brake bleeder

I was inspired by the Motive Products power bleeders, but didn't want to pay that much for them, plus I like to tinker in my workshop, so I built my own:

The above pictures were taken during a pressure test with my new "universal" reservoir cap fitting. If bleeding, I would have a liter of brake fluid in the sprayer, and it would be pumped into the master cylinder reservoir under pressure. No real chance for the reservoir to go empty and introduce bubbles into the system.

The basic parts were a 2.5qt sprayer from True Value Hardware ($13), quick-release parts (~$10), pressure gauge (~$8), 1/4" ID vinyl tubing, some chain, and eye bolts from the hardware store. You could just use a tubing barb fitting rather than a quick-release fitting.

I already had the gasket material from a previous project. It is 1/8" sorbothane (very soft polyurethane). That was probably about $4 for 4"x4". I got that, the pressure gauge, and the quick-release parts from McMaster-Carr (mcmaster.com). I love that place. They sell everything you could imagine.

For the reservoir cap, I had some scrap 3/8" aluminum stock. 1/4" would probably work fine. MDF and HDPE (plastic cutting board) do not work well. The MDF makes it difficult to seal the 1/4 NPT fitting, and the HDPE was too flexible, breaking the seal at the reservoir. This 3/8" aluminum is some serious overkill, just my style. I tapped threads into the aluminum to get a nice seal with the quick-release fitting.

Last weekend I replaced the fluid in my Volvo V70 with this. Even single-handed what a piece of cake! Jacking up the car and removing tires is by far the slowest part of the job. Pump up to 15-20psi, bleed until new fluid comes out clean. Pump a bit more, next corner, etc. 1 liter did the V70. I wonder if a liter will do the LGT too.

I am alternating between ATE Super Blue and Typ 200. They are the same fluid but different colors, so it is easy to see when you have the old out.

Hopefully I can do my LGT tomorrow. Since this is so easy, I plan to do it about every year/15,000 miles. I'm coming up on 1 year and 15,000 miles.

If I didn't like to tinker in my shop and have quite a few tools, I would have just bought the "universal" Motive Products bleeder for $45ish, which is really a pretty good deal.

--Lee

Very nice.

IN GENIE US!!

Originally Posted by jedimaster

IN GENIE US!!

FAT FREE?

looks awesome!! but im not understanding how it's connected to the master cylinder?? maybe i just need to study the pictures more. and i completely agree, McMaster Carr is just awesome. i spent way too much money there when i was in college for Soph. Jr. and Sr. design classes!!!

Kenda

would you actually need the pressure guage? I'd think that you just need to pressurize the system and then bleed until clean. No?

Originally Posted by mach_six

FAT FREE?

I like the check valve bleeder that SnoDork built for me. One check valve and a couple small lengths of vinyl tubing and voila, couple of pumps of the brake pedal and you are done. Best of all... it was all free!

The bleed went fine. I ended up using 1/4" ID tubing on the rear calipers and 0.17" ID tubing on the front. (I started with 3/16" ID on the front only to find it a bit loose and causing some false bubbles.) 1 liter is plenty for a thorough flush of the whole brake system.

Here is the bleeding in progress on the first corner:







The 1-year-old original fluid that came out was suprisingly murky with some cloudy crud in it. I'm glad I replaced it.

This was the first time I jacked the front up with my floor jack. I used the front cross-member that is a little behind the oil drain plug on the engine (per the vacation pix). Even at stock height, I couldn't really operate my jack in that location until I came at it from the side with the handle just in front of the left front tire. Then I could pump by using the wheel well. Coming from behind the tire appears it would also work. I have the smallish Sears 2-1/2 ton floor jack.

I discovered that an old hockey puck makes a great pad between the floor jack and the front cross member as well as the rear differential. It seems to be just the right hardness to protect things, give a good non-skid connection, and not deform too much.

--Lee

PS: The pressure gauge was just so I had a good idea of how much pressure I was putting into the reservoir. I didn't want to blow it up. I ended up using 15psi-20psi.

PPS: The ATE Super Blue was definitely heavier than the stock fluid that came out. In my collection jar, the old stuff settled on top of the ATE.

PPPS: What a great color blue!

Sweeeet!

mhh, interesting. i am working on a vacum system right now for my car.

Very creative. I love DYI stuff like this.

This looks pretty easy. I may have to stop giving the dealer my Subaru Bucks and save them for the next new car purchase.

Do you guys ever take out the bleeder screws completely and coat the threads with anti-seize? Or will cracking them open every 2 years keep them from freezing up? (Lotsa road salt here in Minnesota.)

That also doesn't look like an official brake bleeder wrench to me. Doesn't it want to fly off the bleeder screw and imbed itself in the garage wall?

Sweet device.

^ Teflon Tape on the bleeder screws. Also prevents air from from getting in around the threads while bleeding (especially if you use a hand pump to bleed by yourself).