Vacuum Brake Bleeder.....

[Marauderjack]

Will a vacuum bleeder work OK on our ABS system for changing the fluid??:confused:

I got a real deal on one and don't want to screw anything up!!:shake:

Thanks!!

Marauderjack:bandit:

[fastblackmerc]

I used one when I upgraded to the TCE +1 kit. No problems. Will use it when I install the new rear calipers and stainless steel hoses.

[sailsmen]

I don't see how, ABS is just a counter.

I owned a car w/ a rear prop valve that was hard to bleed and I was switching to silicone.

I took a compressor, spray paint bucket and attached a hose to a spare resev cap w/ an in line press reg.

Opened the bleeder valves and hit the switch, worked great.

Gave it to a mechanic friend who used it for years!

[Marauderjack]

I did it this afternoon and it worked fine.....hard to believe but the brake pedal feels firmer!!:confused:

The stuff that came out was dark green....I don't know what the original color was but it's clear now!!:beer:

BTW.....I have NEVER changed brake fluid in my life!!!:shake:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[Hotrauder]

I did it this afternoon and it worked fine.....hard to believe but the brake pedal feels firmer!!:confused:

The stuff that came out was dark green....I don't know what the original color was but it's clear now!!:beer:

BTW.....I have NEVER changed brake fluid in my life!!!:shake:

Marauderjack:burnout:

Jack, that was the point of changing the fluid. Brake fluid loves water and absorbes moisture. As you know water can be compressed, ergo a soft pedal. It is a great idea to change fluid as per the book, more often when doing performance driving as the contaminants in the fluid will lower the boiling point of the fluid. Believe me you do not want boiling brake fluid..It is just as tho the pedal is connected to nothing but air, it goes straight to the floor with NO resistance and no braking effect at all. It is scary as hell and maybe fatal depending on how much run out there is. Dennis

[Marauderjack]

Uh.....water cannot be compressed but water vapor can..... as in "Steam" produced from boiling fluid!!!:eek:

The fluid I used has a "Dry BP" of 470* and a "Wet BP" of 284* so I can see how the brakes could fade with heavy use and high temps....not to mention the corrosion associated with moisture!!!:shake:

I will probably do it again when it warms up just to be sure all the old stuff is out of the system!!:beer:

Thanks for your replies!!:D

Marauderjack:bandit:

[Shora]

I did it this afternoon and it worked fine.....hard to believe but the brake pedal feels firmer!!:confused:

The stuff that came out was dark green....I don't know what the original color was but it's clear now!!:beer:

BTW.....I have NEVER changed brake fluid in my life!!!:shake:

Marauderjack:burnout:


Hey Jack; give us some details!!!

What tool did you use?
Where did you buy it from?
How much?
How hard was it to do?
What steps did it involve?
How did you make sure that no air got into the system?
How much fluid did you use for this type of flush?

Hook us up bud.

[Marauderjack]

Hey Jack; give us some details!!!

What tool did you use? $17.00 one from Harbor Freight
Where did you buy it from?
How much?
How hard was it to do? Pretty easy actually
What steps did it involve? I removed each wheel for easy access
How did you make sure that no air got into the system? As long as there is vacuum no air can get into it....provided you don't let the fluid run out in the reservoir.....the bleeders do leak air around the threads so you have to keep pumping
How much fluid did you use for this type of flush? Less than a quart

Hook us up bud. Get a vacuum bleeder and "Git 'er Done!!

Marauderjack:D:D

[Shora]

Get a vacuum bleeder and "Git 'er Done!!

Marauderjack:D:D

You know what? I will "git 'er done."

When possible, please send me the exact link to the product and I will order it.

I am far from having the mechanical know-how of many of you but I do get my hands dirty with some basic stuff:

-Oil and filter change every 3K
-Via drain plug, change 4 qts. of Trans Fluid at every oil change.
-Air filter every spring
-Fuel filter ever Spring
-Engine coolant every spring
-Thermostat every other spring

-Installed front and rear Addcos as well as Metcos myself.


My Marauder is still under ESP but I like to maintain her myself and only take her to the dealer for warranty work.

She is at 46K miles now so she gets most of what she needs very often. However, I have always been wary of messing around with the brakes (never wanted to become part of a statistic of dumba$$es who messed around with the brakes and hit a tree or worse. LOL.)

In fact, I have stayed so far away from brakes that I never even looked for the bleeder valves and I don't really know how to install this machine/ device (I hope that there are instructions and maybe some pics).

I am sure that if I saw someone do it once it wouldn't be a problem, but few that I know locally do their own maintenance.

Any further advice would greatly be appreciated.

Now as far as Power Steering Fluid goes, anybody have a better DIY solution than my current method (picked up at this site) of using a turkey baster to remove some of the old fluid and replacing it with some fresh fluid?

In keeping with the redneck theme (i.e. git 'er done)...

Thanks ya'll. Have a good day now, ya hear?!?! YA HEAR?!?!

[GordonB]

Hi all,
Just remember the turkey baster trick for removing the fluid from the master cylinder BEFORE doing any flush at the indiv. wheels. Start at the right rear, then left rear then front right. last one is the front left, closest to the ABS unit and the master cylinder.
Cheers,
GordonB

[Marauderjack]

Here's the link to the one I bought.....

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=Vacuum+Bleed er&Submit=Go

And....yes removing most of the old fluid from the reservoir would speed up the process and use much less new fluid!!:beer:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[fastblackmerc]

If you have an air compressor this is the one to get

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=929 24

[Paul T. Casey]

Due to an uncanny lack of friends back in the day, I've been using a vacuum bleeder for years now. Had my ex-wife try to help once, she'd pump up the brakes, but everytime I'd hit the bleeder she'd panic and lift her foot off the pedal. :mad2:

[Shora]

Received the bleeder.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5785_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11276&c=3&userid=3513)

Who can tell me exactly where the attachment goes and which screw needs to be loosened or removed in order to bleed the brakes?

Front:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5783_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11275&c=3&userid=3513)

Rear:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5782_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11274&c=3&userid=3513)

Does the attachment go where the rubber nibble is? If yes, do I just pull it off?


Yes, first timer.

[larryo340]

Received the bleeder.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5785_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11276&c=3&userid=3513)

Who can tell me exactly where the attachment goes and which screw needs to be loosened or removed in order to bleed the brakes?

Front:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5783_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11275&c=3&userid=3513)

Rear:

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/157_5782_thumb.jpg (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/showimage.php?i=11274&c=3&userid=3513)

Does the attachment go where the rubber nibble is? If yes, do I just pull it off?
Yes sir, just pull off the rubber dust caps, push on your vacuum pump, loosen bleeder and pump away.


Yes, first timer.
I would add to keep doing it until you get clean clear fluid out to insure as much of the old fluid is removed.

When I was working in a dealership service dept, I had my brake fluid power flushed with a machine, it did all four wheels at the same time. It had a firmer and higher pedal than when done manually.

[Shora]

I would add to keep doing it until you get clean clear fluid out to insure as much of the old fluid is removed.

When I was working in a dealership service dept, I had my brake fluid power flushed with a machine, it did all four wheels at the same time. It had a firmer and higher pedal than when done manually.

Thanks Larry!

Can you point out the bleeder valve for me in pics 2+3?

[larryo340]

Thanks Larry!

Can you point out the bleeder valve for me in pics 2+3?
Sorry about that, the bleeders are under the rubber boots. Once you pull the boots (they keep the bleeders clean) you will understand. In addition you just have to crack them loose to bleed, in that I mean 1/4 turn should be more than enough.

If I was a little closer to you I'd help.
Good Luck :beer:

[Shora]

After doing the following today:

-Replacing the Fuel Filter
-Air Filter
-Oil and Filter Change
-Replacing 4 quarts of Transmission Fluid via drain plug in pan (done at every 3K mile oil change)
-Engine Coolant and Thermostat Change

I attempted to use the Vacuum Bleeder show in the previous posts. Maybe it was because it was my first time bleeding brakes but I consider the item garbage (at least that is where my item ended up after trying to use it just once).

The attachments don't hold on tight and it forces you to pump like a mad man trying to keep the pressure all while you still need to loosen and tighten the nut. Maybe if I had 4 hands this would have been a possible feat but in my opinion, it just takes forever and with poor results to boot.

I ended up bleeding the brakes manually by placing one end of a tube over the bleeder nut and the other end submerged in a cup partially filled with fresh brake fluid.

It looks like this...

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/5/1/3/2.gif

Had my neighbor press the brakes while I loosened and tightened the nut and went from wheel to wheel (started at Passenger Rear and ended at Driver's Front.)

By the time I finished I had all clear and new fluid come out.

The main reason I post is to let others know to CHECK THEIR BRAKE FUILD.

My Marauder is at 48K miles and I couldn't believe how dirty my fuild was. It was the darkest green possible before black. Hunter Green has nothing on how dark and dirty my fluid was.

I never would have known it if it wasn't for MarauderJack motivating me to add this to my yearly DIY maintenance. Thanks Marauder Jack for all the advice in this thread and via PM.

Also a special thanks to Larryo for all the advice and help. It really helped.

I thought that my Marauder was stopping fine before but I can really feel a better pedal response from this procedure.

In MarauderJack's works...Get er' Done!

[sailsmen]

When ever I was my car I wash my brake fluid!

It's amazing how contaminated a fluid in a sealed system can get. Being hydroscopic it absorbs water which probably rusts components contam the fluid.

28 years ago I switched to silicone based brake fluid on a car. Anyone know what happened to silicone based brake fluid?

I designed and built my own brake fluid changing machine to do the switch over.

[Spectragod]

I have used a Mighty-Vac before to bleed brakes, used the air powered version as well, much faster btw.

On my MC's, I use a Phoenix injector setup that reverse bleeds, i.e., it pushed the air out the master cylinder.

SG