Gents,

Curious if anyone has experience with any of the do it yourself positive pressure brake bleeding kits? These kits have an attachment that goes onto the brake reservoir and a pump (looks like a pesticide tank/pump). Instead of sucking the fluid through the system at the bleed screws, this system forces fluid through from above.

Example:

Motive Products

I just did my wife's Subaru over the weekend and used the tried and true two person method. One pumping the pedal (three pumps, hold), and one at the bleed screw. That one involves a lot of yelling (Go! Stop! What? Huh? Crap....)

Thanks,

Mike

I've been using one for years and I love it. There is a review of it here on this site somewhere too, as well as other positive feedback here on the forums if you do a little searching.

The price has more than doubled since I bought mine and is fairly steep for what it is (a modified weed sprayer), but its still worth it, IMHO. It makes it very quick and easy for one person to do the job.

X2!!

I've also got a Motive power bleeder, and when coupled with their catch bottles, you can fully bleed your truck in less than 15 minutes.

Really neat to see the old, brown fluid change to new, clean fluid in the catch bottles as you bleed.

Yep, they've been around awhile, as this article

http://www.4x4wire.com/reviews/motive_bleeder/ <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

I hafta keep chasing you guys back into looking at all the good stuff we have in our header links here. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Tell your sweetie you want it for Father's Day or your birthday, whichever is first. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

Now I feel like an idiot. Sorry about not doing the search first, I had never heard of such a thing until a coworker mentioned it to me. I think I had a mental block, I've never heard of it, so how could anyone else.....

Thanks for the info, I'm going to order one up, seems like a way better way to do the deal. Also, since it is so much easier, I might actually do it on the Runner, then the pickup, then the CRX.....

Thanks,

Mike

If you're like me (and I know I am) and cheap, err I mean frugal, you can do it without the power bleeder as long as you have an air compressor with the little air gun blower thingy. Here's what you do:
-Hook up your catch container to whatever brake you want to bleed and crack open the bleeder. Gravity should bleed a little fluid out.
-Pull the top off of the master cylinder, top off the fluid.
-On the master cylinder cover there's a little "hat" with a rubber boot on it. Gently work the rubber boot off. You should see a small breather hole in the top.
-Put top back on master cylinder.
-Turn the pressure regulator on your compressor down to ~ 30 psi.
-Hook up the air gun blower thingy.
-Put the nozzle of the air gun blower thingy over the small breather hole in the master cylinder lid.
-Gently squeeze the trigger on your blower. The master cylinder lid should lift up a bit and seal itself on the ridge that it snaps over and the pressure from the blower should force the fluid in the master cylinder through the circuit.
-Watch the fluid level in the master cylinder and stop and top off as needed.
-When fluid starts coming out clear in your catch can, close up that bleeder and move to the next wheel.
-Repeat for the other wheels and LSPV.
-Top off master cylinder.
-Replace rubber boot on master cylinder lid "hat".
-Also works great for the hydraulic clutch.

The only thing you need to be careful about is running the master cylinder out of fluid and forcing air into the system, so keep a careful eye on the fluid level.

I have used this method on my T100 and it is a great (and cheap!) 1 man brake bleeding procedure. Yeah, I know I should have documented it with pics.

**Edit** This won't work with all brake and clutch master cylinders. It will work with the Toyota style ones that have the rubber lid that just snaps on. For other cars with s screw-on hard plastic cap maybe you'd have to buy a spare cap and drill a hole in it or something (still cheaper than a power bleeder).

Next time you're at the Pull-A-Part, grab a MC lid from each of the vehicles you own. Most only charge $1 for them and some will let you have them for free.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Another thought would be to just buy the adapter & use whatever pressure source you might have:
http://www.motiveproducts.com/03adapters.html

All good ideas. I am going out to PnP on Saturday to do the usual tour for parts. Never know what you are going to find. I will pick up a few lids just to see if I can make something work.

Buying just the adapters is also a good idea, as I have a bike pump and an air compressor.

Thanks guys,

Mike