Brake bleed

[hoyin]

I need to do a brake bleed. Costs £247 to do. Is this something I can do myself easily?

 

[Swedish Paul]

It's not hard, you can buy a kit that uses air presure and a sealed brake resovoir cap. Remember, there are 2 bleed nipples per caliper. Last time I did it mn my Porky, start farthest caliper from resovoir and nipples outside/in. Ahem,...

 

[Contigo]

It's usually a 2 man job, one on bleed nipple and other pumping the pedal BUT you can buy a proper brake bleeder or one man vacuum bleeder which makes life a lot easier. Who quoted you that?

 

[StuartW]

It's usually a 2 man job, one on nipple and other pumping

... I'm saying nothing ...

 

[MAF260]

It's usually a 2 man job, one on bleed nipple and other pumping the pedal BUT you can buy a proper brake bleeder or one man vacuum bleeder which makes life a lot easier. Who quoted you that?

2 men, bleeding nipples and pumping. Sounds like a night out in your MX5!!

 

[Zep]

Get yourself one of these (they are cheaper on eBay and the like) http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/gunson-eezibleed

Also get a proper bleed nipple spanner as its much less likely to round off the flats on the nipple and make sure you apply the force in line with the nipple to avoid snapping it.

I did mine and was told by a Ferrari tech not to use a vacuum bleeder as it can induce bubbles in the ABS unit and the pedal pumping method can flip the seals in the master cylinder which is not good. I was advised not to be stingy with the brake fluid and run a good half litre through each line - prevents any solidification of the fluid in the lines apparently.

 

[Contigo]

... I'm saying nothing ...

That's because you've been there done it!

 

[hoyin]

Just got the car back after brakes are bled. Man should have got it done before we went to Le Mans!! It is like a totally different car!

Could have avoided all those brown trouser moments!

 

[alfatwo]

If It's on a Maser to do the job properly you need the diagnostic's plugged in..

It can open all the valves on the ABS pump as you can never get all the air out of the system else, I thought that was very clever!


Dave

 

[voicey]

Be really careful bleeding the brakes with the pedal - if it is allowed to go too far down there is a risk that the master cylinder seal can be damaged. The damage occurs if there is a build up of **** in the cylinder beyond the point of usual pedal travel. If there is contamination and the pedal is allowed to travel past this point it can damage the seal.

I never bleed brakes using the pedal unless it is an emergency - and then put something under the pedal to stop it going to the floor.

I have a homemade pressure bleeder made from a garden sprayer and an old brake fluid cap.

 

[allandwf]

Get yourself one of these (they are cheaper on eBay and the like) http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/gunson-eezibleed

Also get a proper bleed nipple spanner as its much less likely to round off the flats on the nipple and make sure you apply the force in line with the nipple to avoid snapping it.

I did mine and was told by a Ferrari tech not to use a vacuum bleeder as it can induce bubbles in the ABS unit and the pedal pumping method can flip the seals in the master cylinder which is not good. I was advised not to be stingy with the brake fluid and run a good half litre through each line - prevents any solidification of the fluid in the lines apparently.

Why would it do that? Unless you don't keep an eye on the level. It would need to pull air in from somewhere. I just wonder as I use one quite a lot and have never had an issue.

 

[Zep]

Why would it do that? Unless you don't keep an eye on the level. It would need to pull air in from somewhere. I just wonder as I use one quite a lot and have never had an issue.

I was repeating advice I was given by Ed Blasi who I am sure Voicey will confirm is worth listening to, although I might be getting the words wrong.

If I was thinking out loud, I suspect he could be referring to the vacuum bleeder causing a low pressure area behind the valves in the ABS unit, causing micro bubbles of air in the brake fluid to coalesce (I have seen similar things happen when a pump cavitates). Once there are bubbles in the ABS they need a diag machine to open the valves to get them out so he was probably just being cautious.

 

[voicey]

I was repeating advice I was given by Ed Blasi who I am sure Voicey will confirm is worth listening to, although I might be getting the words wrong.

Ed is my friend and mentor for all things technical - he is most certainly worth listening to.

I personally don't like to use a vacuum bleeder as they tend to draw air in through the nipple threads so you get bubbles coming through the tube even though there's no air in the system. You can use some grease to stop this happening but it's another thing to deal with.

 

[allandwf]

I was repeating advice I was given by Ed Blasi who I am sure Voicey will confirm is worth listening to, although I might be getting the words wrong.

If I was thinking out loud, I suspect he could be referring to the vacuum bleeder causing a low pressure area behind the valves in the ABS unit, causing micro bubbles of air in the brake fluid to coalesce (I have seen similar things happen when a pump cavitates). Once there are bubbles in the ABS they need a diag machine to open the valves to get them out so he was probably just being cautious.

Yes I can see that being a possibility. Question answered. OP is also correct about air via nipple threads, you do need to be aware of that though.

 

[Zep]

Ed is my friend and mentor for all things technical - he is most certainly worth listening to.

I personally don't like to use a vacuum bleeder as they tend to draw air in through the nipple threads so you get bubbles coming through the tube even though there's no air in the system. You can use some grease to stop this happening but it's another thing to deal with.

You know I always wondered why I got bubbles in my vac bleeder when I knew there was none in the system. Thanks Voicey - every day is a school day