Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 04:07:53 -0800
From: Cal Grant <cjay@well.com>
Subject: Re: Brake Bleeding, here I go again

Jeff,

I had same problems with bleeding brakes for yrs, til I did the
following, now I do them reliably single-handedly:

Clean small glass jar with lid, with two holes in lid:

-Hole to firmly hold CLEAR plastic 18" tubing whose inside diameter
firmly fits over bleeder valve nipple.

-Additional small hole for air to leave jar.

Insert plastic tubing into snugfitting hole of jar-cap til it touches bottom
of jar (cut tubing end at slight angle so it doesn't seal up at bottom
of jar).

Fill jar about 1/2" with clean brake fluid before fitting
cover and tubing. End of tubing is UNDER fluid now. Jar lid is on, extra
hole in jar lid is clear.

Always keep jar in upright position to keep end of tubing under fluid level!

Press free end of 18" clear plastic tubing onto farthest bleeder valve
(inside diameter of tubing must have firm tight fit to bleeder valve).
Loosen bleeder valve with 8mm open end wrench (or whatever size yours
is), about 1/2 turn is all necessary. Adjust position of the tubing
if necessary to keep the valve open (the tubing is fairly stiff).

Always keep jar upright during operation!

Go to brake pedal area, fill reservoir to near top with new fluid, press
brake pedal slowly to floor, and release slowly. Do two or three times.
Go back to jar, and check that it is filling up with fluid. Check the
CLEAR tubing for air bubbles. If any, keep pumping pedal til no more
air in line. MAy have to carefully dump some fluid from jar or let her
overflow, clean up later! When no more air bubbles show in 18" of tubing,
tighten bleeder valve. You're done with that wheel!

Do the rest of them. Keep the jar upright. Empty jar between wheels, leaving
1/2" of fluid to cover end of tubing stuck into jar.

That's it. No miracles, no praying necessary, no helpers needed.

I do them this order: RR, LR, LF, RF if changing fluid. If just replacing
a wheel cylinder on a wheel I just do that wheel (like last weekend, RR).

Make sure to keep level of fluid in brake reservoir filled properly
during the work, and when done.

cjay

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