Itinerant Air-Cooled

asiab3 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:58 pm

Vacuum bleeding technique can be rendered useless by loosening the bleeder screw too much, to the point where the vacuum apparatus starts to suck air from around the bleeder threads. Many people do this and have miserable results. I've seen it done poorly, and done well, and I absolutely think there is more skill involved with that technique.

Robbie the amount of fluid that can be drawn by a mighty vac, even the steel and anodized ones is limited. Air that is clinging to a high spot in the line are like soda bubbles to the side of a glass. They get in lines, proportioning valves, tee's, cylinders, calipers etc. and need more force to dislodge them than a Mighty Vac can provide. A pressure bleeder is the easiest way to bleed a brake. Having someone help also works on most, but not all cars. For example - there is one high line in our Sable and it cannot be bled without a pressure bleeder because it takes a long sustained flow to keep the bubbles moving out.

These Motive bleeders are about $50 -$60 new and then one can get just about any cap they want for them. That way it can be used on any car one is working on without someone there to push the pedal. It isn't like the old days where one had to spend $850 - $1200 on a huge Snap-on or Bendix pressure bleeding machine.

I use one of these. It takes the pressure of a spare tire. It works well - but the Motive looks to be a little more convenient.

asiab3 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 20, 2017 10:58 pm

Vacuum bleeding technique can be rendered useless by loosening the bleeder screw too much, to the point where the vacuum apparatus starts to suck air from around the bleeder threads. Many people do this and have miserable results. I've seen it done poorly, and done well, and I absolutely think there is more skill involved with that technique.

Solved by spreading grease around the base of the threads prior to cracking open.