Hydraulic System Pressurized Bleeder w/ DeLorean Specific Caps

[NightFlyer]

I've been wanting to do this for a while, and finally got around to doing so. It's a homemade one person hydraulic system pressurized bleeder. The toughest part was finding caps that would work with the brake and clutch reservoirs.


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If you want to make one too, here's my parts list:

Chapin 1 Gallon Bleach Tank Sprayer - Model 20075 (made in USA and viton gaskets/seals/orings) - $8.99
http://www.menards.com/main/p-2243009-c-10116.htm

1/4" Male Hose End (x2) - $3.98
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-ha...37-c-12917.htm

1/4" to 5/8" Hose Clamp - $0.46
http://www.menards.com/main/plumbing...950-c-9422.htm

Danco 5/8" OD O-ring - $2.27
http://www.menards.com/main/plumbing...038-c-8540.htm

1/2" x 260" Teflon Tape - $0.49
http://www.menards.com/main/plumbing...056-c-8534.htm

J-B Weld Cold Weld Epoxy - $5.85
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JB-Cold-Weld...item35d538ac55

Pressure Gauge 0-60 psi 1/4" NPT Thread - $4.99
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Well-Pum...item51b8d9099e

3x 3/8" Compression Nut - $2.49
Your local hardware store

Plastic Cap for Girling Master Cylinder w/ Small Reservoir (Brakes) - $12.97
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pr...asp?RecID=1104

WD Express 543 54027 767 Master Cylinder Reservoir Cap (Clutch) - $4.26
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WD-Express-5...item51b793220b

Total material cost: $46.75

Or, you could just order one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Do-It-Yourse...item53e8ba6e1b

Uses compressed air from a tire to pressurize the tank. Comes with both brake and clutch caps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motive-Produ...a6e1ab&vxp=mtr

Only comes with a brake cap. Clutch cap is an additional $31.99 if you buy the Motive one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motive-Produ...b11d22&vxp=mtr

Have fun!

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

As usual, Josh makes things significantly more complicated and significantly more expensive than they need to be (just teasing, huh?).

All you need to bleed the brakes or clutch is a Coke bottle (old fashioned glass Coke bottles stand up best on their own) and a piece of tubing. Immerse the tubing into a couple of inches of brake fluid in the bottle, attach the other end to the bleeder screw. crack the bleeder screw, then press the pedal & hold multiple times to force fluid from the master cylinder into the bottle. Trapped air will be forced into the bottle and rise to the surface. Immersed tubing will prevent air from being drawn back into the system. Make sure you don't run the reservoir dry. Close the bleeder screw, pour out most of the bottle, move to the next wheel, refill the reservoir then repeat.

Total cost: free (if you happen to have an old coke bottle and some tubing laying around).

You can make an unnecessarily elaborate bleeding system if you want, but the above procedure works just as well at much lower cost. Mechanics have been using it for a century or so.

Care to make fun of my time proven brake bleeding procedure too?

Or would you rather just kiss my ass.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[NightFlyer]

As usual, Josh makes things significantly more complicated and significantly more expensive than they need to be (just teasing, huh?).

All you need to bleed the brakes or clutch is a Coke bottle (old fashioned glass Coke bottles stand up best on their own) and a piece of tubing. Immerse the tubing into a couple of inches of brake fluid in the bottle, attach the other end to the bleeder screw. crack the bleeder screw, then press the pedal & hold multiple times to force fluid from the master cylinder into the bottle. Trapped air will be forced into the bottle and rise to the surface. Immersed tubing will prevent air from being drawn back into the system. Make sure you don't run the reservoir dry. Close the bleeder screw, pour out most of the bottle, move to the next wheel, refill the reservoir then repeat.

Total cost: free (if you happen to have an old coke bottle and some tubing laying around).

You can make an unnecessarily elaborate bleeding system if you want, but the above procedure works just as well at much lower cost. Mechanics have been using it for a century or so.

Care to make fun of my time proven brake bleeding procedure too?

Or would you rather just kiss my ass.

Bill Robertson
#5939

No doubt - that works too

But if you're flushing, how do you prevent old fluid from being drawn back into the system when you release the peddle to close the bleed valve? Not to mention that the bubbles in the fluid entering the bottle don't float to the atmosphere immediately - takes a while for them to gravitate out, thus you'll be holding the peddle for a while if you don't want bubbles in the system near the caliper, right

And how can you choose simple when convoluted, complicated, and expensive options exist?

BTW - I just learned that an aspirin bottle cap will work on the clutch reservoir - 27mm.

Finally, for the record, I'm puckering up right now

[Greasy DeLorean Mechanic]

Guess myself and about a bazillion other mechanics through history are all idiots, huh. How in the world did we ever manage to fix anything before you showed up?

Do you even think these questions through before asking them, or are you purposefully trying to be obtuse? (Does my car make heat? With all due respect, that was a stupid question even for someone trying to cause problems...). The bottle starts with brand new brake fluid in it -- duh. I don't keep Coke bottles of nasty old brake fluid laying around. Fluid only goes one way anyway. It serves the same purpose as a check valve in this video:



Would a few more videos satisfy you, or are we all idiots?







I am growing as weary of your bad behavior as I am the assholes on Talk. In fact you would fit right in over there: a fount of wisdom from a man who barely even drives his car.

You don't have to like the way I maintain and repair my car, but you had better learn to live with it. Proof is in the pudding. Even a lawyer can understand that.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Bitsyncmaster]

I like your power bleeder. I made a bleeder like Bill uses but added a check valve to it with an old bottle with a metal cap. It does seem to work fine without the check valve.

When I bleed brakes I always get little air bubbles (see them in the clear tubing of the bleeder) that I guess get drawn in from the slop in the bleeder nipple threads. Let us know if the power bleeder does this also.

[NightFlyer]

Do you even think these questions through before asking them, or are you purposefully trying to be obtuse? (Does my car make heat? With all due respect, that was a stupid question even for someone trying to cause problems...).

I was merely wondering if you noticed any decreased heater performance with your radiator auto bleeder modification, as I had thought that you were feeding the bleed line into the heater core, as did others, including Matt. So I asked a question about whether or not mixing cooled coolant (admittedly, I don't know how hot/cooled the coolant coming from the bleed hose is, as it's at the top of the radiator but it's on the cool side) with hot coolant reduced your experienced heater temperatures any. You responded, in spectacular fashion, that you tapped the bleed hose into the heater core return line, thus you were in fact pushing everything directly to the water pump and not through the heater core at all. The exchange clarified your radiator auto bleeder for everyone. So, my "stupid question" was in fact quite productive. Sorry if it offended or upset you any, as that wasn't my intent at all.

Interesting how that little bit of extra height makes all the difference, but apparently it definitely does, as 12 years and 100k miles has proven.

It's a good mod and I fully endorse it

The bottle starts with brand new brake fluid in it -- duh. I don't keep Coke bottles of nasty old brake fluid laying around. Fluid only goes one way anyway. It serves the same purpose as a check valve in this video:

Yes - the one person method that you described does work and it works well. In fact, I've bled that way myself for years. But I've also experienced the fluid back-flowing on some occasions when system pressure is alleviated, which is why I wanted to try the 'power' bleeder method.

I am growing as weary of your bad behavior as I am the assholes on Talk. In fact you would fit right in over there: a fount of wisdom from a man who barely even drives his car.

You don't have to like the way I maintain and repair my car, but you had better learn to live with it. Proof is in the pudding. Even a lawyer can understand that.

Bill Robertson
#5939

Oh good heavens - what bad behavior?

COME ON!

I'm not competing with you / against you at all.

You know I love you

And I have no problem with the way you maintain your car - in fact, I've fully supported everything that you've done.

BTW - While I admittedly don't drive my car as much as you do, I did put roughly 5,000 miles on it from the end of July to the end of the driving season here. This year will probably net close to 10k miles.

[NightFlyer]

I like your power bleeder. I made a bleeder like Bill uses but added a check valve to it with an old bottle with a metal cap. It does seem to work fine without the check valve.

When I bleed brakes I always get little air bubbles (see them in the clear tubing of the bleeder) that I guess get drawn in from the slop in the bleeder nipple threads. Let us know if the power bleeder does this also.

Thanks Dave

I always got the little bubbles too, so I tried teflon taping the crap out of the bleeder valves/nipples (even though I know that they use tapered threads). Didn't do anything, still got the bubbles.

So that's why I wanted to try the power bleeder method. I made a cap for my Jeep as well, and tried it on that - no little bubbles. I'll give it a try on my D tonight and report back the results that I experience

[NightFlyer]

Let us know if the power bleeder does this also.

Well, there were no bubbles - but I also used a smaller diameter / tighter hose on the bleed valve/nipple than usual, so I'm not sure what exactly was the cause of the no bubbles phenomenon.

Power bleeder worked like a charm though

[Bitsyncmaster]

Cool.

I think using the brake pedal to pump pulls the little air bubbles by those bleeder threads. I would think all power bleeder fix that problem.

[NightFlyer]

That was my theory as well, which is why I wanted to try the power bleeder method - I hated always having those little bubbles (maybe I'm just OCD). But it did work.

BTW - using the smaller bleed hose was a pain, as it was so tight that it was constantly wanting to push itself off the valve/nipple, so I had to constantly hold it on.