Motive Products brake bleeder

[Senorpablo]

A post about brake bleeder screws reminded me of a great tool I purchased and used not too long ago.

I've done many brake jobs, and bleeding always seems to be more art than science. I find the two person bleeding procedure to be a bit lacking in terms of confidence of being well done. Often times, there's no one around to help anyway.

There must be a gizmo to bleed brakes. I have a Mightyvac vacuum pump, but had terrible luck using it for brake bleeding. Vacuum systems require the bleeder screws be perfectly sealed. The Motive Products power bleeder is a pressure system, and seemed to be well regarded on the internet, and the price seemed right.

http://www.motiveproducts.com/02bleeders.html

The unit was well made and came with everything needed for my application. They sell an assortment of caps to fit different vehicles, as well as some universal adapters. I've read reports of the universal adapters being a bit tricky sometimes--there are sealing surfaces and hold down chains. My Subaru has a fairly common screw on cap, and Motive makes a direct fit part for it.

The power bleeder works as follows: Fill the power bleeder reservoir with brake fluid and close the top. Remove the cap to your vehicle's master cylinder reservoir, and screw on the power bleeder cap. Pressurize the bleeder using the built in pump, and pressure gauge. In the proper order for your vehicle, and using the familiar clear tubing over the bleeder screw into container, bleed each corner.

The flow of fluid isn't terribly high--it took under a minute at each wheel to fully flush the line with new, clear fluid from the master cylinder. The large reservoir on the power bleeder allowed me to fully flush my car without refilling.

The power bleeder really makes bleeding/flushing brakes a smooth and satisfying operation. If you're not satisfied with your brake bleeding method, I would definitely recommend one.

[mshedb]

Two questions:

1. How do you get the air out of the line from the tank to the MC once the tank is pressurized?

2. how do you clean the tank/tubing once the job is done?

[TNToy]

Two questions:

1. How do you get the air out of the line from the tank to the MC once the tank is pressurized?

2. how do you clean the tank/tubing once the job is done?

I use a similar, but heavier-duty system, from Snap-On to do brake flushes at work. Instead of a hand pump, it's electric, and it uses airline-type quick-dsiconnects so no air gets into the system at all... but the operation is similar.

You don't have to worry about the air in the line from the tank up to the master. That piece of tubing probably holds enough air to move the fluid level from "MAX" to maybe 1/8" below MAX... small diameter tubing has very little volume. As long as you don't pump enough air into the master to completely fill it and start pushing air down the lines, you're fine.

Use this doohickey, then top off any low fluid state in the master cylinder, and you're done. ;)

Also, if the catch-can you're hooking up to your bleeder screws is fully enclosed... drill a small 1/8" hole in the top. If you provide a place for the pressure to dissipate instead of forcing the power bleeder to pressurize the can, the brake fluid flows much more quickly.

I don't usually use it because I'd have to roll it all the way across the shop, but we also have a brake-flushing machine at work that applies pressure to the master AND vacuum to the bleeder screw. That thing is really fast. ;)

[Senorpablo]

As TNTroy said, the air in the line is inconsequential. Your master cylinder is full of fluid, so no air is introduced into the brake sytem. The pressure of the system is minimal as well, which minimizes any dissolved air into the fluid.

Cleanup ammounts to emptying the fluid, and draining the line as a starting point. I suppose you could use some kind of solvent if you were inclined to. No brake fluid is introduced to the pump, so it's just the tubing and resivior.

[Pops]

Excellant part and something I need.

J.

[DaveL.]

I've got one of those Motive Bleeders also. One of the best tools I have ever bought. I can bleed the brakes on my Corvette in about 5 minutes.

[junkman104]

I made my own with a trip to Lowes, a piece of 1/2 lexan from the local glass store and a master cylinder gasket from the help section at the local parts house to bleed the brakes on my Vette. Had a whole 35 bucks in it

[katit]

Excellent tool. And here is another trick I learned which answers question "how do you clean it"

I just don't fill it with brake fluid :)

Use fluid in your brake reservuor. You have plenty in there to bleed 1-2 wheels. Then disconnect bleader, top it off, reconnect, pump and go for other wheel.