Crazy new bleeding technique

I was thinking about brake bleeding this morning, and pondering about charging a master cylinder by putting the hose end into the reservoir and I was wondering if this method would work for generic brake bleeding.

I am assuming you have flushed the system and that there is new brake fluid in the lines and reservoir, is there an problem in taking a hose from the bleed nipple and submerging the other end in the reservoir? As you pump, you’ll kick the air out of the tubing and it will bubble out in the reservoir. Then as your circulate the fluid, it will get re-deposited into the master cylinder without the introduction of air. 2 or 3 full cycles, and you can be sure it’s air free, super simple!

Anyone got thoughts on trying this? I am thinking of doing it on my rear brake tonight. Front dual brakes would require a two tubes or a two-to-one hose adapter.

Easiest way I've found to bleed is use a mityvac bleeder kit. Makes bleeding brakes and clutch a couple minute job.

It can be such a pain bleeding mater clyinders! I've had good luck by removing the calipers from the discs and pumping them up to push the pistons out farther than normal(but not all the way!!). I then let them sit for a few hours so the bubbles can float upward, then compress the caliper pistons to force the bubbles and fluid back into the reservoir. Your idea is the same as recomended to bleed new auto master cylinders, though most times I've had to put my finger over the line in the fluid to make a one way valve of sorts.

you are better off to run it to a can on the ground and pour it back in as needed, that way you get all the air out.
car master cyls bled that way but they have a larger area to reclaim the fluid

Unless the system is perfectly clean, there is always the chance of putting contaminants back into the system. Brake fluid is cheap. :side:

Not only that, but I have read that aerated brake fluid should not be introduced into the system. When you buy a can of fluid, it should sit for several hours before use. Don't shake the bottle so that air bubbles are kept out of it.

With that in mind, introducing aerated brake fluid right back into the system kind of defeats the purpose of bleeding, not? Like I said above, brake fluid is cheap. Don't cut corners on brakes.

Post edited by: N0NB, at: 2007/06/11 19:54

Muddy wrote:

Easiest way I've found to bleed is use a mityvac bleeder kit. Makes bleeding brakes and clutch a couple minute job.

+1

And Harbor Freight sells them for less than $30.

The technique I started to use a couple years ago was using a syringe and forcing the fluid from the caliper back to the master cylinder....this is amazingly fast. All you need is a syringe (buy them anywhere) and a short piece of 1/8" tubing.
No air bubbles, no tapping the lines, no pumping the levers......

Do you need to pump the lever to open the circuit to let the air out, or is it naturally open? I can't remember..

I think I'd like to try this syringe method since my brakes aren't as solid as they could be.

no pumping required with the syringe....simply remove the existing fluid from the resevior (use the syringe to do this also) then draw the new fluid up into the syringe, attach the 1/8" tube to the bleed nipple on the caliper. Open the nipple with a wrench, push on the plunger of the syringe, look inside the resevior and keep pushing the plunger until the res is full....thats it....tighten the bleed nipple, put the res cover on and away you go....

Wait, so do you only fill the syringe once? It seems like you would have to remove the syringe to get more fluid, at which point you'd be letting air in, then pumping that in through the caliper. No?

You need to get a med sized syringe not the little thin ones. You then only have to fill it once.
Once you try this method there will be no going back....

Night_Train01 wrote:

You need to get a med sized syringe not the little thin ones. You then only have to fill it once.
Once you try this method there will be no going back....

Okay--I've got one of those syringes the dentist gives you after pulling a tooth, a "monoject." It's supposed to rain tomorrow and I have no garage, so I'm itching to do this thing right now, and I'm debating whether to try your method. This is going from empty, brand new steel lines. What do you think?