Brake bleed help?

[Dean]

Just getting ready for Miller this weekend and want to bleed the burned stuff from the PDX and autocross out.

Somebody got 1/2 an hour or so to push on a brake pedal sometime today or this evening?

[MPREZIV]

you need this...

http://www.holeshot.com/old/ttools/brk_bldr.jpg

[Dean]

Actually, I think I'm going to pick up some of the Earl's Solo-Bleeds (http://www.holley.com/types/Solo%20Bleeds.asp). I like their design over the speed bleeders. Need to figure out if the stock STI bleeders are 27 or 32mm long...

http://www.holley.com/data/types/pictures/Solo%20bleed%20chart.jpg

[MPREZIV]

Eh, I'm personally still out on the idea of any kind of an "automatic bleeder screw". They all sound good in theory, but I'm just a nay-sayer... I still like the old fashioned "open the bleeder screw and pump the pedal/suck fluid from the bottom" approach. Of course if you're by yourself, pumping the pedal is out of the question.

As often as you're bleeding brakes, it's definitely worth the $100 or so for the Mity-Vac that I have. Hell, if you wanna keep being cheap, you can get the "trimmed down" version in the picture for like $40 or $50...

[JonnydaJibba]

Let us know what you decide to do, I can swing by after work if you decide against those neat gadgets.

[Dean]

Jonny, I make take you up on that...

Eh, I'm personally still out on the idea of any kind of an "automatic bleeder screw". They all sound good in theory, but I'm just a nay-sayer... I still like the old fashioned "open the bleeder screw and pump the pedal/suck fluid from the bottom" approach. Of course if you're by yourself, pumping the pedal is out of the question.

As often as you're bleeding brakes, it's definitely worth the $100 or so for the Mity-Vac that I have. Hell, if you wanna keep being cheap, you can get the "trimmed down" version in the picture for like $40 or $50...I'm old fashioned as well, thus this thread...

I'm not a fan of vacuum bleeding because it often generates bubbles as air gets sucked around the bleeder threads so it is difficult to tell if air is coming out of there or the caliper.

I like Matt's pressure bleeder, but not the fluid that gets left in it's parts that can get contaminated between uses and require some new fluid to be wasted to purge the thing.

The reason I like the Earl's is it doesn't rely on thread sealant like the Speed bleeders. With the SBs, the fluid at the threads is under pedal pressure whereas the Earl's don't thus no need for thread sealer.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I put Earl's screws on the Miata a few weeks ago. They seemed to work ok as far as bleeding out air goes; the problem I had is that they puked fluid around the threads with each pump of the pedal, because - wait for it - there is no sealant on the threads. So I had a mess on the ground under each caliper when I was done. I think the next time I do a bleed I'm going to pull each screw and paste on some thread sealant to try and mitigate the problem.

[sperry]

Those solo-bleeders certainly look like an improvement over the speed-bleeder by helping to prevent air from seeping into the system through the threads during pedal suction.

But the pressurized bleeder setup that removed pumping entirely just seems so much more convenient. Just crack each corner open and count to 10, and you're done! What do those solo-bleeders cost anyway? I can see them being priced at $80 for four... which puts them right in the same price range as a bleeder pump or pressure bleeder.

[sperry]

I put Earl's screws on the Miata a few weeks ago. They seemed to work ok as far as bleeding out air goes; the problem I had is that they puked fluid around the threads with each pump of the pedal, because - wait for it - there is no sealant on the threads. So I had a mess on the ground under each caliper when I was done. I think the next time I do a bleed I'm going to pull each screw and paste on some thread sealant to try and mitigate the problem.
That's the same thing that happens with non-valved bleeder screws if you open them too far. Do the solo's just have to be opened a ton to the point where they're really loose during normal operation, or can you just turn them half a turn to unlock 'em like you would on a normal bleeder?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

They were ~$10/pair.

[sperry]

They were ~$10/pair.
So $80 for an STi, due to the dual bleeders on each caliper.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

That's the same thing that happens with non-valved bleeder screws if you open them too far. Do the solo's just have to be opened a ton to the point where they're really loose during normal operation, or can you just turn them half a turn to unlock 'em like you would on a normal bleeder?

I *think* it was only about half a turn; enough so I had a normal "bleed" pedal feel while pumping.

[Dean]

I was afraid of that... SB start leaking even with sealant. Maybe the lower pressure of the earl's will work better with sealant.

[Dean]

So $80 for an STi, due to the dual bleeders on each caliper.$10 for 2 = $40 for 8...

[sperry]

$10 for 2 = $40 for 8...
Duh... oh yeah. :lol:

[JonnydaJibba]

Well Dean post here, or I'll just give you a call at 4:30 and see what you decided to do.