y'sguy
Well-known member
I like Liane's choice of lighting. And she seems to have chosen an adequate installer! Seriously though they do look nice. I may have to check those out for our own place.
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium
- Thread starter Bob Heine
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Kirk, I guessed that a twelve inch lift would light the flower bed. I hesitate to call it perfect but making Liane happy is good enough for me.
Marc, I like daylight color (5-6000°K) lighting in the garage but boy does it look harsh outdoors at night.
Mark, I got off the modern train at the end of the last century. I am trying to use my smartass phone but it frustrates me. I'm OK with touch typing one-handed on a real keyboard but thumbing spots on a teeny tiny picture of a keyboard feels like backward progress. Not as backward as the Morse Code-esque world of the flip phone but damn close.
Nick, that's one of the two sconse lights on the garage. When the LED bulbs give up the ghost (they're 4 years old) I'll replace them with warmer ones.Looks great Bob, very inviting! Now you just need to replace that bulb over the window off to the right of frame
Warm color temperature at night is always the right choice (in my humble opinion). Personally I wouldn't go cooler than 2700k at night, which is around what incandescent is. Daylight balanced bulbs have a purpose, but I don't understand why so many LEDs take it a step further to a "cool white". And are so bright. What you ended up with looks great.
When I started buying LED replacement bulbs I paid no attention to the color range and shopped mostly by price. The fixtures I bought come in two brightness levels, 3000°K and 4000°K so I chose the warmer one. Years ago, when I started buying LED replacement MR16 low voltage floodlights there was no mention of color and I ended up with warm ones. It was a shock when the path light replacement LED bulbs turned out to be so glaringly blue-white.
Shorty, they are from Amazon. I couldn't tell from the photos but they are really sturdy. At first I was put off by the price but the unit price turned out to be around $17 and that's half what I was paying for Malibu floodlight fixtures. Only downside to these fixtures is the light itself. It appears to be a hard-wired light source. I decided to order six more fixtures so I have spares when these die. The description says 50,000 hours average life but I'm a skeptic.
Thanks Uncle Willie! Congratulations on the move (and surviving it).
Roger, when it's 95°F in the shade, heating something up isn't my first thought but you are right. Next time!
Jim, our house is located between two street lights and the giant Florida Mahogany blocks any light from reaching the house at night so I like having the low voltage lights on at night. When they used incandescent or halogen bulbs it was a small but noticeable bump to the electric bill but the LEDs make it a no-brainer. We're two blocks from the main Police Station so it's not a high-crime area but I like to see my targets at night without a night vision scope.
Alan, she screwed up big time on the choice of installer. He should have been done in five minutes but took five days and he still hasn't finished the other important jobs he was hired to do.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
My neighbor put in a bunch of 6K landscape lights, mostly uplights on big cactus, columns, courtyard walls, etc. At night his house looks like a scene out of an Alfred Hitchcock or M. Night Shayamalan movie- dozens and dozens of nighthawks circling all night, swooping in for the insects the harsh lights attract. Place looks like a ******** haunted house; one of the other neighbors actually descibed it as a Secret East German Mental Hospital.
Scott, I rarely drive at night these days but I when I do I encounter more and more vehicles with super bright blue lights coming at me. I decided to fight back by putting a pair of 6500°K low beam LEDs in the PT Cruiser. I told Liane not to stand in front of the car when they're on -- she sunburns easily.My neighbor put in a bunch of 6K landscape lights, mostly uplights on big cactus, columns, courtyard walls, etc. At night his house looks like a scene out of an Alfred Hitchcock or M. Night Shayamalan movie- dozens and dozens of nighthawks circling all night, swooping in for the insects the harsh lights attract. Place looks like a ******** haunted house; one of the other neighbors actually descibed it as a Secret East German Mental Hospital.
I'm on the lookout for some blue laser fixtures for the high beams.
Ford52PU
Well-known member
those garden lights look really nice. Glad my wife wasnt looking over my shoulder as I was checking out your pictures or I'd be on amazon ordering a dozen!!
Thanks Dennis, I'm lucky Liane doesn't want anything to do with computers or smart phones. I am able to look at a screen full of advertisements without seeing any of them. She came in to ask me to do something and instead said "Are you shopping for ladies clothing and shoes?" That's when I realize her request for me to find ladies bib overalls two weeks ago has triggered a flood.
RickP
Well-known member
Why do those on-screen ads always show up right after I need them?!?
Invariably, an ad for the perfect tool will show up on my screen one minute after hitting the "buy" button on another tool (after wasting hours searching/comparing prices on various other tools, that are less than perfect...)
And I feel your pain on ads showing up for Liane's purchases -- I'm still getting ads for kitchen cookware weeks after helping my wife search for stainless frying pans...
Ford52PU
Well-known member
my wife was having lady "issues" a few months ago. I goggled a couple of things for her since she doesnt do much online, for weeks I got ads I never want to see again!
Rick, I should know better than to click on a 'SALE'. I have plans to upgrade the cam in the '72 Corvette's big block to a more radical hydraulic roller, which could make for marginal vacuum. I've already converted the vacuum power brakes to hydroboost and eliminated the vacuum door on the wipers so the headlight doors are the last item. An ad popped up for electric motor replacements for the vacuum actuators. They have been around for a while, most selling for a little less than a grand. This one, regularly $602.99, was on sale for $519.99. Feeling proud of myself, I jumped on it. About the time I got the e-mail that it had shipped, I found the manufacturer's site and that kit goes for $399.99.
I thought ***** pill ads were bad until I googled i-n-c-o-n-t-i-n-e-n-c-e after my prostate surgery (FAIR WARNING - don't google that word without the hyphens). I had no idea that world existed. I also know way too much about u-n-d-e-r-w-i-r-e support.
Dennis, I have resigned myself to the ads but may have to report some of them to the Special Victim police. Failing to do that may leave me vulnerable to *********** trafficking charges.
patlun
Well-known member
Maybe you should use a private profile for that kind of things? 
Shopping online i mean. Ctrl + Shift + P in Firefox. I suppose that private profiles / windows / tabs exists in all browsers tooay.
On the other hand then you will not get those entertaining stories to tell
Shopping online i mean. Ctrl + Shift + P in Firefox. I suppose that private profiles / windows / tabs exists in all browsers tooay.On the other hand then you will not get those entertaining stories to tell
GeddyT
Well-known member
Maybe you should use a private profile for that kind of things?
On the other hand then you will not get those entertaining stories to tell
There are very simple to install browser extensions that will make those ads disappear from your life. I also use Firefox, but these same extensions are available for Chrome as well: Adblock Plus and Ghostery. Just find the add-ons or extensions link in your browser's settings, do a search for those two, and install both. Done. You will no longer be tracked across websites by Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter just because a page loads their button; you will never watch a YouTube ad; and you will be blown away by how different (in a very good way) a site like Garage Journal will look. Every time I go to Garage Journal on a computer that's not mine, I'm shocked at how many ads there are!
I recently figured out what the whole Alliance thing is, and I've been meaning to sign up to support the site in light of years of ad-blocking here, and this post just reminded me to do so. Since you're already an alliance member, start blocking all of those ads and guilt-free.
Oh yeah, these same extensions are available for mobile browsers as well. My life is about as ad-free as you can get these days. It's pretty easy to pull off.
RickP
Well-known member
That big block upgrade sounds great -- but I had no idea it would lower vacuum that much. Any progress updates? We need pictures!
(don't get me wrong, I'm also interested in landscape lights and sprinklers, but this is the Auto Emporium after all!)
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Lyndon
Well-known member
Bob
Speaking of the dreaded PC... how is your neighbour fairing. I remember you saying he freaked out for a while after diagnosis.
Personally, I'm practically back to normal, except for needing a little sharp encouragement for you know what!!!!
Lyndon
"I hid the evidence in the bottom of a pile of iguana corpses"
Genius
Tom, I installed the Adblock Plus extension on Firefox and it has blocked 4,097 ads already. It's "free" but I donated some money to the site. Didn't install Ghostery because they want me to pay a subscription fee. I hate subscriptions, especially the little ones because they add up. It feels like I've signed up for a mortgage but it's worse because it never goes away. I paid off the mortgage on our last house when I was in my 40s and paid cash for our current home. I don't HATE banks but when one of them gets fined a gazillion dollars for screwing over their customers, I LOVE it.
Rick, it probably won't have that big an impact but vacuum operated stuff bothers me. Pretty sure it goes back to the days when the windshield wipers were vacuum operated and ran at one speed -- inadequate -- until you had to give the car gas to get up a hill or pull out to pass. The '72 Corvette has vacuum everything except the wipers. The Heat and A/C system is controlled by vacuum.
Lyndon, my neighbor, like you and me, is getting better all the time. He does a lot of heavy lifting (owns a consignment shop) so has the occasional leak but is very happy with the robotic surgery choice.
The flooding you recently experienced was unreal. Even the wet summer of 1990 wasn't that crazy. I, along with a lot of your fans, am patiently waiting for updates on the Yass compound. If I recall right, you are above the Yass River 100 year flood zone. I prefer to view flooding from well above the water's edge.
GeddyT
Well-known member
@Bob Heine, I've been using Ghostery for at least a decade, and I've never paid a dime. They might want you to subscribe, but there's no requirement. Here's the kick: It's a bit of a deal with the devil. Ghostery itself IS a tracker. What you're trading is not being very personally tracked by dozens of entities in exchange for being very vaguely tracked by one. How Ghostery makes money is by selling data to e-commerce sites about what ads people are blocking. So all Ghostery tracks of your browsing is what extensions and ads it blocked. Even this can be disabled, but I'm fine with them collecting that not-personalized data so they can make money and keep doing what they do.
Adblock-Plus is mostly a script blocker. It definitely helps. Ghostery, at least on the surface, blocks waaaaaaaaay more stuff. I can turn off ABP and not really notice much of a difference (I'm sure there are plenty in the background). Turn off Ghostery, and I don't even recognize some websites. It does a lot of heavy lifting and is totally worth it.
Adblock-Plus is mostly a script blocker. It definitely helps. Ghostery, at least on the surface, blocks waaaaaaaaay more stuff. I can turn off ABP and not really notice much of a difference (I'm sure there are plenty in the background). Turn off Ghostery, and I don't even recognize some websites. It does a lot of heavy lifting and is totally worth it.
Grizz1963
Well-known member
Time flies when you are doing next to nothing. The low voltage lights leading up to the front door have been acting up for a year or so. They have glass globes and use T10 wedge bulbs. I switched to LEDs last year and they have been failing at the rate of one a month for more than a year. Decided to go with a different, more modern style (our house is nondiscript era but leans modern. Solar lights, which keep getting better, still require sunlight and the tree in our front yard makes sure we get very little. On the other hand, cheap low voltage systems seem to have all but disappeared. I settled on the black stanchion ones.
Outdoor low voltage lights usually come with connectors but these, costing a lot more, expect you to buy your own connectors. I dug the pebbles up and used these truly frustrating connectors that probably would have worked well with new wire but the 20+ year old cable insulation has hardened to rock.
Took an hour to install each light so I quit after installing two fixtures. I am amazed at the amount of light these throw out and happy I chose a warmer color. The old lights were bright but didn't really illuminate the walkway. However, they did shine in your face!
Got the first five installed and discovered one had a bad connection. Dug it back up and found one wire had pulled out. Fixed it and tested to make sure it wasn't going pull out again. I like that the lights are further back and less of a tripping hazard.
Had a long discussion with SWMBO regarding the lights in the garden. If I break one of the plants, sleep in the garage or risk an accidental stabbing in the night. I managed to remove all the old lights, pull the cable out of the ground and install the new lights with only one plant damaged. I hid the evidence in the bottom of a pile of iguana corpses. The install was delayed by a few days waiting for 12-inch long black pipe ******* to get the lights above the lower foliage.
Liane was skeptical about these lights but liked them better when they came on after dark.
I just re-read this post again, slowly Bob.
I like the idea of random lights out in the back garden, and the solar ones Sally put in there a few years ago are now intermittent in appearance.
I cannot be bothered with a wired system, but yours do make me wonder.
The new ones do appeal.
harley jim
Well-known member
I will need to add lighting once I get everything moved around. The only light on our road is across the road in the neighbors yard and its hidden in the trees. I did have a 4' led on a motion sensor until I moved the car port now its pretty dark out here.
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Tom, thanks for all the great advice and for sharing your experience. I'm going to go back and try Ghostery again and be hard-hearted. If they offer a one-time donation, I'll do it but if it's a monthly subscription I'll act like I don't understand Engrish.
Rian, I like having the lights on in the evening and since finding outdoor astronomic timers (self adjusting for the changing seasons) I don't have them lit up in the daytime and can have them shut off around midnight. We have some decent solar lights on the fences but they don't get a consistent amount of daylight so they shut off pretty early in the winter (when I need it more).
Jim, I saw you were putting up LED strip lights in the gazebo. That's going to make it real inviting. Might be a good idea to put a bug zapper as well since they will be inviting themselves to your gatherings.
Dennis (@Denwood)has been posting some great information on brake fluid and braking systems. Looks like I have a little work to do on two of the cars. He recommended a brake fluid moisture tester so I had Amazon deliver one today (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076SC377J/?tag=atomicindus08-20). As soon as it arrived, I tested the brake fluid in the Cadillac.
When I had the transmission issue in the Cadillac I asked the dealer to also flush and replace the coolant as well as the brake fluid. That was two years ago this week and I was never sure they actually replaced the brake fluid. It appears they did because the fluid tester indicates about 2% moisture and that's an acceptable level.
Both the 1987 Corvette and 2004 PT Cruiser did not turn out well. The brake fluid in both vehicles showed moisture levels at more than 5%, which means it's time to flush the brake fluid in both cars.
I have been trying to get a decent brake bleeder for years. When I was working on the '72 Corvette I wanted to switch to DOT 5 silicone fluid, thinking it would be better for autocrossing and wouldn't ruin the paint on the car. Bad idea. Silicone brake fluid does not absorb water so condensation lets water enter the system and collect at the lowest points, namely the calipers. Years after I switched to silicone fluid, I had to check the calipers because they were seeping brake fluid. The calipers were sleeved with stainless steel liners so they weren't ruined but there was a significant amount of rust in the cast iron next to the sleeves.
I used an ancient pressure brake bleeder to convert the brake system to silicone.
Turned out the thing was no longer supported so I couldn't buy master cylinder adapters. So I opted for the cheap solution, a Harbor Freight vacuum bleeder. It worked OK but wasn't great for flushing the whole brake system.
I caved and bought a Motive setup when I had to fix the brakes on the 1987 Corvette. While I was emptying my wallet, I bought adapters for the 1972 Corvette, 2004 PT Cruiser and 2011 Cadillac CTS-V.
The adapter for the '87 Corvette (on the left) didn't work very well because it was designed for the single reservoir that was standard on that year Vette. I didn't like the idea of the whole brake system running dry when one caliper leaked. When I replaced the master cylinder I ordered the double reservoir model. I did that work in 2013 and even with the cylinder adapter being stored in a Ziploc bag, the latex hose disintegrated. Not as bad as the hose on the '72 Corvette adapter in the lower center -- just touching it caused it to crumble. The Cadillac adapter (upper right is still in decent shape, probably because I bought it in 2016. The adapter for the PT Cruiser (lower right) is also OK but it didn't seal very well.
I'm going to follow Dennis's lead and order the SpeediBleed kit.
When I had the transmission issue in the Cadillac I asked the dealer to also flush and replace the coolant as well as the brake fluid. That was two years ago this week and I was never sure they actually replaced the brake fluid. It appears they did because the fluid tester indicates about 2% moisture and that's an acceptable level.
Both the 1987 Corvette and 2004 PT Cruiser did not turn out well. The brake fluid in both vehicles showed moisture levels at more than 5%, which means it's time to flush the brake fluid in both cars.
I have been trying to get a decent brake bleeder for years. When I was working on the '72 Corvette I wanted to switch to DOT 5 silicone fluid, thinking it would be better for autocrossing and wouldn't ruin the paint on the car. Bad idea. Silicone brake fluid does not absorb water so condensation lets water enter the system and collect at the lowest points, namely the calipers. Years after I switched to silicone fluid, I had to check the calipers because they were seeping brake fluid. The calipers were sleeved with stainless steel liners so they weren't ruined but there was a significant amount of rust in the cast iron next to the sleeves.
I used an ancient pressure brake bleeder to convert the brake system to silicone.
Turned out the thing was no longer supported so I couldn't buy master cylinder adapters. So I opted for the cheap solution, a Harbor Freight vacuum bleeder. It worked OK but wasn't great for flushing the whole brake system.
I caved and bought a Motive setup when I had to fix the brakes on the 1987 Corvette. While I was emptying my wallet, I bought adapters for the 1972 Corvette, 2004 PT Cruiser and 2011 Cadillac CTS-V.
The adapter for the '87 Corvette (on the left) didn't work very well because it was designed for the single reservoir that was standard on that year Vette. I didn't like the idea of the whole brake system running dry when one caliper leaked. When I replaced the master cylinder I ordered the double reservoir model. I did that work in 2013 and even with the cylinder adapter being stored in a Ziploc bag, the latex hose disintegrated. Not as bad as the hose on the '72 Corvette adapter in the lower center -- just touching it caused it to crumble. The Cadillac adapter (upper right is still in decent shape, probably because I bought it in 2016. The adapter for the PT Cruiser (lower right) is also OK but it didn't seal very well.
I'm going to follow Dennis's lead and order the SpeediBleed kit.
GeddyT
Well-known member
Oh boy, brake bleeding... I hesitate to even comment because it's not my thread and there's just no "short version" of this, but brake bleeding is absolutely my least favorite maintenance task (on motorcycles, at least; I've weirdly met zero resistance when changing brake fluid on the four-wheeled vehicles). I don't know if I've ever attempted to bleed a motorcycle's brakes without getting an eyeful or mouthful of good ol' DOT4, always when the bleed tube explodes off the ******.
The biggest battle I've ever had with brake fluid was with a CBR600RR that developed incredibly spongy front brakes after a lowside crash. I tried every trick I knew to get them bleed down (vacuum bleeder, gravity bleed, pressure bleed with a syringe-slash-eat brake fluid...), but it always came back exactly the same. So I bought a master cylinder rebuild kit and put fresh guts in the master cylinder. No dice. So I bought new brake calipers off eBay. No change. Finally, in a fit of desperation, I bought every jar of DOT4 I could find in town (at this point I'd already exhausted the whole town's worth of shop's supply of crush washers for the banjos, so I was having to order those) and poured them into a 5-gallon bucket, then I submerged every component of the braking system in brake fluid, put everything together, bled the system down while completely submerged in fluid, removed it all and wiped it down, installed it on the bike, aaaaaaaaand spongy lever.
This meant war, so off to the hardware store to assemble a homemade pressure bleeding rig using a cheap pump sprayer for the motive force and clamping all tubing to bleed ******* so leaks wouldn't happen and lines wouldn't explode off and spray into my mouth. Looked like this:
With this setup, I could bleed each caliper and the master cylinder all at the same time or in sequence, and I could reverse the position of the pump and catch can to pressure down from the master cylinder or up from the calipers. I thought I was a friggin' genius.
It didn't do anything.
I gave up and bought a new master cylinder, and the lever was rock hard after two pumps of the lever...
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack. Figured you'd find it entertaining.
The biggest battle I've ever had with brake fluid was with a CBR600RR that developed incredibly spongy front brakes after a lowside crash. I tried every trick I knew to get them bleed down (vacuum bleeder, gravity bleed, pressure bleed with a syringe-slash-eat brake fluid...), but it always came back exactly the same. So I bought a master cylinder rebuild kit and put fresh guts in the master cylinder. No dice. So I bought new brake calipers off eBay. No change. Finally, in a fit of desperation, I bought every jar of DOT4 I could find in town (at this point I'd already exhausted the whole town's worth of shop's supply of crush washers for the banjos, so I was having to order those) and poured them into a 5-gallon bucket, then I submerged every component of the braking system in brake fluid, put everything together, bled the system down while completely submerged in fluid, removed it all and wiped it down, installed it on the bike, aaaaaaaaand spongy lever.
This meant war, so off to the hardware store to assemble a homemade pressure bleeding rig using a cheap pump sprayer for the motive force and clamping all tubing to bleed ******* so leaks wouldn't happen and lines wouldn't explode off and spray into my mouth. Looked like this:
With this setup, I could bleed each caliper and the master cylinder all at the same time or in sequence, and I could reverse the position of the pump and catch can to pressure down from the master cylinder or up from the calipers. I thought I was a friggin' genius.
It didn't do anything.
I gave up and bought a new master cylinder, and the lever was rock hard after two pumps of the lever...
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack. Figured you'd find it entertaining.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
For bikes, my go-to has been bleed em, let em sit open for a week. Bleed em again. Done.Oh boy, brake bleeding... I hesitate to even comment because it's not my thread and there's just no "short version" of this, but brake bleeding is absolutely my least favorite maintenance task (on motorcycles, at least; I've weirdly met zero resistance when changing brake fluid on the four-wheeled vehicles). I don't know if I've ever attempted to bleed a motorcycle's brakes without getting an eyeful or mouthful of good ol' DOT4, always when the bleed tube explodes off the ******.
The biggest battle I've ever had with brake fluid was with a CBR600RR that developed incredibly spongy front brakes after a lowside crash. I tried every trick I knew to get them bleed down (vacuum bleeder, gravity bleed, pressure bleed with a syringe-slash-eat brake fluid...), but it always came back exactly the same. So I bought a master cylinder rebuild kit and put fresh guts in the master cylinder. No dice. So I bought new brake calipers off eBay. No change. Finally, in a fit of desperation, I bought every jar of DOT4 I could find in town (at this point I'd already exhausted the whole town's worth of shop's supply of crush washers for the banjos, so I was having to order those) and poured them into a 5-gallon bucket, then I submerged every component of the braking system in brake fluid, put everything together, bled the system down while completely submerged in fluid, removed it all and wiped it down, installed it on the bike, aaaaaaaaand spongy lever.
This meant war, so off to the hardware store to assemble a homemade pressure bleeding rig using a cheap pump sprayer for the motive force and clamping all tubing to bleed ******* so leaks wouldn't happen and lines wouldn't explode off and spray into my mouth. Looked like this:
With this setup, I could bleed each caliper and the master cylinder all at the same time or in sequence, and I could reverse the position of the pump and catch can to pressure down from the master cylinder or up from the calipers. I thought I was a friggin' genius.
It didn't do anything.
I gave up and bought a new master cylinder, and the lever was rock hard after two pumps of the lever...
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack. Figured you'd find it entertaining.
slimpickins
Well-known member
Bob,
My apologies for being absent from your thread far too long. I went back a few pages to catch up a bit and I feel your pain with regard to the cd changers. I wanted one of those exact units quite a few years ago but never had the spare cash. I can still see the appeal of having one for the "nostalgia" (laughing at myself for that) of having an actual CD changer. No I'm not making fun - honest!!! I had accumulated quite a collection of CD's and it had become quite annoying after a while to get up and change the cd in a single disc player (but only half as annoying as getting up twice as often to flip or change the vinyl disc - or more often if you were into 45's).
So I was thrilled when I heard about PLEX, but I waffled for almost a year before shelling out for a lifetime license. That was six or seven years ago and so the savings over the year to year subscription cost has paid off.
Anyway, I easily ripped my CD collection to the server, as well as all of my DVDs and BluRays. My Plex server now also serves as a central store for my photos - including all "pre-digital" photos which I have scanned on high res sheet fed scanners (borrowed from work). I have also digitized all of my old home videos from tape, and even my parents super * films from my childhood have been digitized just using a digital camcorder pointed at a projection screen in a dark room (it's acceptable quality given the low quality source.)
My PLEX server currently has 14 terabytes of storage and is 75%+ full. I also maintain offsite backups of individual libraries (photos, home movies, etc.) and I care less about the movies and tv shows as they are replaceable.
I really don't want all my media in the cloud as many people have done - I really don't trust it - for privacy or permanence of data.
Anyway, sorry for the long rant here but my point was that having a digital media server like PLEX has been a game changer. I know its also a steep tech hurdle for some. Just my two cents.
I really did love those CD changers and wanted one so bad ....
I also love your garden lights. I have yet to tackle that project in my house.
Cheers!
My apologies for being absent from your thread far too long. I went back a few pages to catch up a bit and I feel your pain with regard to the cd changers. I wanted one of those exact units quite a few years ago but never had the spare cash. I can still see the appeal of having one for the "nostalgia" (laughing at myself for that) of having an actual CD changer. No I'm not making fun - honest!!! I had accumulated quite a collection of CD's and it had become quite annoying after a while to get up and change the cd in a single disc player (but only half as annoying as getting up twice as often to flip or change the vinyl disc - or more often if you were into 45's).
So I was thrilled when I heard about PLEX, but I waffled for almost a year before shelling out for a lifetime license. That was six or seven years ago and so the savings over the year to year subscription cost has paid off.
Anyway, I easily ripped my CD collection to the server, as well as all of my DVDs and BluRays. My Plex server now also serves as a central store for my photos - including all "pre-digital" photos which I have scanned on high res sheet fed scanners (borrowed from work). I have also digitized all of my old home videos from tape, and even my parents super * films from my childhood have been digitized just using a digital camcorder pointed at a projection screen in a dark room (it's acceptable quality given the low quality source.)
My PLEX server currently has 14 terabytes of storage and is 75%+ full. I also maintain offsite backups of individual libraries (photos, home movies, etc.) and I care less about the movies and tv shows as they are replaceable.
I really don't want all my media in the cloud as many people have done - I really don't trust it - for privacy or permanence of data.
Anyway, sorry for the long rant here but my point was that having a digital media server like PLEX has been a game changer. I know its also a steep tech hurdle for some. Just my two cents.
I really did love those CD changers and wanted one so bad ....
I also love your garden lights. I have yet to tackle that project in my house.
Cheers!
Denwood
Well-known member
Bob, those moisture readings were quite telling on the older cars! I also found the caliper pic the best explanation ever for why brake fluid is hygroscopic...it's not a weakness, it's part of the design spec to prevent rust. The other issue with silicon fluid on newer cars is that the ABS will not work correctly due to the silicon fluid viscosity and tendency to cavitate (foam up) in the ABS pump/valves.
You'll want to find some EPDM or poly tubing to convert those motive caps over. I ordered a pack (they come in a 4 pack) of the 1/8" NPT (male) quick release fittings from Speedibleed's site to adapt (via hose and clamps) to my motive caps. That way you can quick release all of them
You'll want to find some EPDM or poly tubing to convert those motive caps over. I ordered a pack (they come in a 4 pack) of the 1/8" NPT (male) quick release fittings from Speedibleed's site to adapt (via hose and clamps) to my motive caps. That way you can quick release all of them
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zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Bob, I have the same Motive pressure style of brake bleeder that I had to purchase for a specific job one time. I used it for a Jaguar with a GM 5.7 liter V8 that gave me fits trying to bleed the brakes. I was told the pressure type was better in this application than a vacuum bleeder so I bit the bullet. The Motive worked well and I still have it with a few various adapters, however, I continue to grab my old tried and true Blue Point vacuum style of brake bleeder that I've had for about 25 or so years now. This thing works great and is my go-to bleeder. It also came in very handy when I was building sand-rails and drag bikes for bleeding clutches just as well as brakes.
Denwood
Well-known member
Mike, (@zmotorsports ) that looks like a great system..and takes things up a notch by providing constant vacuum and taking care of the mess at each caliper
One caveat with vacuum systems is this:
I stopped using the Mityvac system because I found I had to finish the job with a two person pressure bleed, likely due to some air returning to the caliper via the bleed screw threads. Something like your system provides constant vacuum while the screw is open, so would mitigate some/all of the issue, particularly if you lube the bleeder screw threads with silicon or similar.
One caveat with vacuum systems is this:
I stopped using the Mityvac system because I found I had to finish the job with a two person pressure bleed, likely due to some air returning to the caliper via the bleed screw threads. Something like your system provides constant vacuum while the screw is open, so would mitigate some/all of the issue, particularly if you lube the bleeder screw threads with silicon or similar.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Mike, (@zmotorsports ) that looks like a great system..and takes things up a notch by providing constant vacuum and taking care of the mess at each caliper
One caveat with vacuum systems is this:
I stopped using the Mityvac system because I found I had to finish the job with a two person pressure bleed, likely due to some air returning to the caliper via the bleed screw threads. Something like your system provides constant vacuum while the screw is open, so would mitigate some/all of the issue, particularly if you lube the bleeder screw threads with silicon or similar.
Denwood, your picture is exactly what I have experienced.
However, the air is not actually "in" the system, the air is coming around the threads and being pulled through along with the brake fluid once the system is properly bled. This is something that I have just had to recognize over time of what is normal and what is abnormal as far as air bubbles coming through the clear line. When first bleeding a system that has been opened the air bubbles will be slightly larger and more prevalent, but as the air from the actual system is removed the bubbles get very small and fewer passing through the clear line to the external reservoir indicating that the air is out of the actual sealed brake system and only coming around the bleeder's threads.
I have also found that opening the bleeder screw more doesn't necessarily help as it allows more threads of the bleeder to have the ability to have air pass by them, think surface area. I crack the bleeder screw open only enough to get fluid flowing and that's it. This minimizes the air being pulled through the threads.
I have never had to finish up a job with a traditional two-person brake bleed after bleeding brakes using my vacuum bleeder. This process or idiosyncrasies is just something that the mechanic needs to be aware of and uses the tool accordingly.
Denwood
Well-known member
Yes, there are two mechanism at play. I think the trick is constant vacuum vs intermittent (hand pump). Your system would provide constant vacuum while the bleeder is open, so air should not have a chance to enter the caliper via the bleeder threads. Conversely the hand pump will quickly drop to zero vacuum (via air leaks at the threads) which in turn can allow air to enter the caliper via the bleeder threads. That has been my experience with the hand tool. A constant vacuum device like yours using shop air would be only way I'd attempt bleeding via negative pressure, vs positive pressure at the reservoir
Tom, first, you may have noticed I jack this thread in paths so far from the garage you need a GPS to follow. Second, my brake bleeding arsenal started with the cheapest and pretty effective system ever used -- a tall olive jar. It required a piece of vacuum hose long enough to reach from the bleeder screw to the bottom of the jar. With the tiniest crack of the bleeder screw and a couple of pumps on the brake pedal and my '56 Chevy was good to go. To make sure I got all the air out, I would contort myself into a headstand position while in the driver seat. That way I could watch the bubbles at each wheel.Oh boy, brake bleeding... I hesitate to even comment because it's not my thread and there's just no "short version" of this, but brake bleeding is absolutely my least favorite maintenance task (on motorcycles, at least; I've weirdly met zero resistance when changing brake fluid on the four-wheeled vehicles). I don't know if I've ever attempted to bleed a motorcycle's brakes without getting an eyeful or mouthful of good ol' DOT4, always when the bleed tube explodes off the ******.
The biggest battle I've ever had with brake fluid was with a CBR600RR that developed incredibly spongy front brakes after a lowside crash. I tried every trick I knew to get them bleed down (vacuum bleeder, gravity bleed, pressure bleed with a syringe-slash-eat brake fluid...), but it always came back exactly the same. So I bought a master cylinder rebuild kit and put fresh guts in the master cylinder. No dice. So I bought new brake calipers off eBay. No change. Finally, in a fit of desperation, I bought every jar of DOT4 I could find in town (at this point I'd already exhausted the whole town's worth of shop's supply of crush washers for the banjos, so I was having to order those) and poured them into a 5-gallon bucket, then I submerged every component of the braking system in brake fluid, put everything together, bled the system down while completely submerged in fluid, removed it all and wiped it down, installed it on the bike, aaaaaaaaand spongy lever.
This meant war, so off to the hardware store to assemble a homemade pressure bleeding rig using a cheap pump sprayer for the motive force and clamping all tubing to bleed ******* so leaks wouldn't happen and lines wouldn't explode off and spray into my mouth. Looked like this:
With this setup, I could bleed each caliper and the master cylinder all at the same time or in sequence, and I could reverse the position of the pump and catch can to pressure down from the master cylinder or up from the calipers. I thought I was a friggin' genius.
It didn't do anything.
I gave up and bought a new master cylinder, and the lever was rock hard after two pumps of the lever...
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack. Figured you'd find it entertaining.
You have pointed out a secondary reason for me not owning a motorcycle. The primary one is my inability to board a train safely. The chance of me surviving my first solo motorcycle ride is so small it approaches a negative number (if that's possible).
Kay, that's what I did with the hydraulic clutch on the Fiat X1/9s (we had 4). Bleed to get the clutch to work then do it again a week later. It was like that last little air bubble took a while to reach the upper reservoir.
@slimpickins, great to have you stop by. I love the woman I live with but she got off the technology train when it left the rotary phone behind. Ever since she failed to put gas in the car from the green nozzle, she has waited at the full service pump. I tried both PC and Mac machines with her and even put a flip phone in the glove compartment of the car she drives.
The 400 CD changers are set up in the garage as part of the garage entertainment system, including surround sound and an Amazon fire stick TV setup. The receiver feeds speakers as well as the home intercom system. The Outlander series of books lulls her to sleep every night and all she has to do is flip a light switch in the garage. Her car has an iPod in the glove compartment that randomly plays all 1,500 of her favorite tunes. OK, maybe she likes half of them but I showed her how to skip forward or back on the radio.
I love technology but not the businesses that control it. I would consider a NAS and PLEX but fear the nightmare of a Photobucket scenario.
I have scanned a fair chunk of the slides and photos in our collection, mostly using an inexpensive ION scanner I bought back in 2011.
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038WJXIM/?tag=atomicindus08-20)
I even bought a couple of small reel-to-reel recorders to try to capture some tapes my brother made 60 years ago (speech therapy class). Neither machine worked (or the mag tape has degraded) so that's on hold, along with the 8mm family films. I have a super 8 projector but won't risk melting the old film or mailing it off to a black hole.
Of all the garden lights I've come across, I like these the best. Solidly built and I have my fingers crossed the light sources will hold up.
Dennis, I was caught up in the "silicone is the greatest" discussions on several auto enthusiast sites a decade or two back. The fans of silicone brake fluid praised its high boiling point and its paint friendliness. It was also praised for not absorbing water, which while true, fails to explain where the condensed water will go if it isn't absorbed in the brake fluid. They also don't mention the damage the silicone fluid can do to silicone-containing components in the braking system, like caliper seals and boots. The seals and boots on my calipers leaked enough to ruin all the brake pads on the car.Bob, those moisture readings were quite telling on the older cars! I also found the caliper pic the best explanation ever for why brake fluid is hygroscopic...it's not a weakness, it's part of the design spec to prevent rust. The other issue with silicon fluid on newer cars is that the ABS will not work correctly due to the silicon fluid viscosity and tendency to cavitate (foam up) in the ABS pump/valves.
You'll want to find some EPDM or poly tubing to convert those motive caps over. I ordered a pack (they come in a 4 pack) of the 1/8" NPT (male) quick release fittings from Speedibleed's site to adapt (via hose and clamps) to my motive caps. That way you can quick release all of them
Mike, I see a huge advantage to that kind of brake bleeder. There is zero chance the cap on the master cylinder will blow off under pressure, creating the situation I experienced with the PT Cruiser. The cap didn't blow off completely but it allowed brake fluid to spray all over the engine compartment so I had to stop, seal the brake system and thoroughly hose the engine compartment down. Fearing water would drip from the area above the master cylinder, even after blowing everything dry, added a day to the job. The Cadillac has a tri-coat paint job so a fluid spill could get expensive real fast. The other benefit of a good vacuum bleeder would be sucking the old fluid out of the master cylinder reservoir before starting the flush.Bob, I have the same Motive pressure style of brake bleeder that I had to purchase for a specific job one time. I used it for a Jaguar with a GM 5.7 liter V8 that gave me fits trying to bleed the brakes. I was told the pressure type was better in this application than a vacuum bleeder so I bit the bullet. The Motive worked well and I still have it with a few various adapters, however, I continue to grab my old tried and true Blue Point vacuum style of brake bleeder that I've had for about 25 or so years now. This thing works great and is my go-to bleeder. It also came in very handy when I was building sand-rails and drag bikes for bleeding clutches just as well as brakes.
I googled your Blue Point brake bleeder and found one on eBay for about $120. When I widened the search to include vacuum brake bleeders, a clone popped up on Amazon. It looks pretty good and at $70 is within my comfort zone.
Dennis, you nailed it. I tried the Mityvac (Harbor Freight version) and had a hard time controlling the flow with the bleeders -- too loose and got lots of air bubbles, too tight and it took forever to bleed one caliper.Mike, (@zmotorsports ) that looks like a great system..and takes things up a notch by providing constant vacuum and taking care of the mess at each caliper
One caveat with vacuum systems is this:
I stopped using the Mityvac system because I found I had to finish the job with a two person pressure bleed, likely due to some air returning to the caliper via the bleed screw threads. Something like your system provides constant vacuum while the screw is open, so would mitigate some/all of the issue, particularly if you lube the bleeder screw threads with silicon or similar.
Mike, I'm willing to spend money to extend the life of our vehicles. Because the tools I've used haven't been great, I haven't been flushing the brake systems like I should and end up paying the price. To try to improve my odds, I replaced all the crusty lines in the '87 and '72 Corvettes with pre-bent stainless from Inline Tube. Had to do the '72 because I put that silicone fluid in the system. A spring in the master cylinder on the '87 disintegrated and I feared the steel and rust particles could ruin the ABS unit.
Dennis, one or the other system should do the trick and I'm going to try them both. If I can make flushing the brake system a quick and easy process, I'll do it more often. The '87 Corvette was done in 2013 (1,400 miles ago) and the '04 PT Cruiser was done in 2016 (4,000 miles ago). The '11 Cadillac was done in 2020 (950 miles ago). It appears that brake fluid changing is a calendar rather than a mileage maintenance item. Obviously the two older vehicles need the fluid flushed now, while the Cadillac might be OK for another year. That tester is going to be seeing a fair bit of use. I splurged and installed a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery in it.Yes, there are two mechanism at play. I think the trick is constant vacuum vs intermittent (hand pump). Your system would provide constant vacuum while the bleeder is open, so air should not have a chance to enter the caliper via the bleeder threads. Conversely the hand pump will quickly drop to zero vacuum (via air leaks at the threads) which in turn can allow air to enter the caliper via the bleeder threads. That has been my experience with the hand tool. A constant vacuum device like yours using shop air would be only way I'd attempt bleeding via negative pressure, vs positive pressure at the reservoir
Denwood
Well-known member
Oh boy..the origin story artfully makes it's way into the humour stream...ha.
I'm with you on motorcycles. I've ridden "big boy" motos a few times. One of them (BMW 1200cc) was fun until I dumped it and burned the **** out my leg. The other time, looked down at the speedo on the crotch rocket I was driving and saw 100km/h in a 30 zone...promptly returned the bike with a self sticky " ride again when you want to die"
One major advantage of the constant vacuum bleeders...no fancy caps required! Just a few hose sizes and you're done.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Bob, the vacuum bleeder you referenced above is nearly identical to my Blue Point and should work every bit as well.
I too am not as fond of pressurizing a brake system vs. pulling the fluid for the EXACT reason you mentioned, the possibility of brake fluid getting on paint which is the death of a paint job. I don't even like getting brake fluid on the flat black undercarriage paint, which is why my vacuum bleeder is hands down my go-to bleeder and it gets used a lot. Like you mentioned, I extract as much of the old brake fluid as I can out of the reservoir before I begin pulling fresh fluid from the furthest caliper. I am **** about my brake fluid and even in our semi-arid climate here in northern Utah, I find myself flushing my brake systems about every other year to keep them in tip top condition. I did enough repairs early on in my career on neglected brake systems to see the value in keeping the fluids clean and free of moisture.
I too am not as fond of pressurizing a brake system vs. pulling the fluid for the EXACT reason you mentioned, the possibility of brake fluid getting on paint which is the death of a paint job. I don't even like getting brake fluid on the flat black undercarriage paint, which is why my vacuum bleeder is hands down my go-to bleeder and it gets used a lot. Like you mentioned, I extract as much of the old brake fluid as I can out of the reservoir before I begin pulling fresh fluid from the furthest caliper. I am **** about my brake fluid and even in our semi-arid climate here in northern Utah, I find myself flushing my brake systems about every other year to keep them in tip top condition. I did enough repairs early on in my career on neglected brake systems to see the value in keeping the fluids clean and free of moisture.
bolensboneyard
Well-known member
Looks like Heff's pad! Solar seduction OuI? Looks great! Makes me wonder who is in the shadows??
Dennis, I helped a neighbor fix a mini bike for his son and took it for a test drive in the field behind our house in upstate New York. The grass was more than a foot high so I didn't notice the Viet Cong man trap the neighborhood kids had dug. Front wheel went in, I went over the handlebars but had locked my hook on the left handle. The mini bike made the trip over me and I landed hard on my right shoulder. Made it all the way to work the next day when it flared up into excruciating pain. Took the day off but it was a long drive home. I couldn't move my arm in any direction without starbursts so I put the Triumph Herald in second gear and steered with my thighs. Traumatic bursitis only requires a good shot of cortisone so it could have been worse. I admire motorcycles from a distance and even help friends repair them -- I just keep my **** far away from the seat (they fall over if you aren't careful).Oh boy..the origin story artfully makes it's way into the humour stream...ha.
I'm with you on motorcycles. I've ridden "big boy" motos a few times. One of them (BMW 1200cc) was fun until I dumped it and burned the **** out my leg. The other time, looked down at the speedo on the crotch rocket I was driving and saw 100km/h in a 30 zone...promptly returned the bike with a self sticky " ride again when you want to die"
One major advantage of the constant vacuum bleeders...no fancy caps required! Just a few hose sizes and you're done.
Mike, thank you for the photo of your vacuum bleeder. Without it I didn't know what to look for but with it for a guide, I knew the one I found was a decent copy. Not sure if anything can go wrong but I'm willing to chance a concrete stain instead of a paint job. Because it's in the garage, the Corvette doesn't have rust problems but the paint on the section of frame directly under the master cylinder has suffered severe damage from brake fluid spills. View from the top shows how the paint has lifted...
...and from underneath it shows nothing is safe when brake fluid hits it.
I also have to give Inline Tube a big thumbs up for the pre-bent stainless brake lines. The ABS system makes for a lot of tubing modern art. It also makes for an expensive kit (the one for the '72 is $150 and the one for the '87 is more than triple that). This is just a small part of the set they sent.
GeddyT
Well-known member
Oh man, reading @zmotorsports and @Denwood's back and forth is waking up a whole bunch more brake bleeding hell suppressed memories!
I totally forgot about constant vacuum bleeders, and I also have one, made by BikeMaster. It's very similar to the ones shown above and costs $33.
I tend to use it to fill empty systems, but I've never gotten a good, hard lever from just the vacuum bleed. Now that I think about it, I think this little pot is also why I've always had quick success bleeding the brakes on my cars and trucks: They tend to be less finicky, and I use the vacuum pot.
There's also an interesting product called SpeedBleeders that I used for a while. They're a bleed screw with a built-in ball check so fluid can come out but air can't get back in through the screw. The concept is to crack it open (@zmotorsports is right: just a little cracked open is just as good as nine turns open) and pump away on the pedal until there's no more air bubbles. They actually work great. Once. Then the sealant around the threads is shot, and they allow air in around the threads.
What I tend to do these days is something similar to a SpeedBleeder but simpler and free: I fill an empty system with the vacuum pot, then once I have what appears to be bubble-free fluid in the catch tubes at every caliper, I take a long length of tubing, clamp it to the caliper bleed screw, run it straight up into the air until it's above the highest point in the system, twist a loop into it to form a trap, then zip-tie it in place. Top off the reservoir, then start pumping the pedal/lever. Fluid and bubbles will push up into this tubing, the bubbles climbing to the top. Pump slowly enough, and you won't **** the bubbles right back into the system. Essentially, you create a little P-trap with tubing. Pump, wait for the bubble to float to the top of the column of fluid, release. Nothing but clear fluid gets pulled back in. Repeat until no more bubbles. Rock hard lever.
The main lesson I've learned from all of my bleeding trauma is this: Brakes are not rocket surgery. If the system doesn't bleed down with a reasonable amount of effort, there's either a leak or some component is faulty (and therefore leaking).
I totally forgot about constant vacuum bleeders, and I also have one, made by BikeMaster. It's very similar to the ones shown above and costs $33.
I tend to use it to fill empty systems, but I've never gotten a good, hard lever from just the vacuum bleed. Now that I think about it, I think this little pot is also why I've always had quick success bleeding the brakes on my cars and trucks: They tend to be less finicky, and I use the vacuum pot.
There's also an interesting product called SpeedBleeders that I used for a while. They're a bleed screw with a built-in ball check so fluid can come out but air can't get back in through the screw. The concept is to crack it open (@zmotorsports is right: just a little cracked open is just as good as nine turns open) and pump away on the pedal until there's no more air bubbles. They actually work great. Once. Then the sealant around the threads is shot, and they allow air in around the threads.
What I tend to do these days is something similar to a SpeedBleeder but simpler and free: I fill an empty system with the vacuum pot, then once I have what appears to be bubble-free fluid in the catch tubes at every caliper, I take a long length of tubing, clamp it to the caliper bleed screw, run it straight up into the air until it's above the highest point in the system, twist a loop into it to form a trap, then zip-tie it in place. Top off the reservoir, then start pumping the pedal/lever. Fluid and bubbles will push up into this tubing, the bubbles climbing to the top. Pump slowly enough, and you won't **** the bubbles right back into the system. Essentially, you create a little P-trap with tubing. Pump, wait for the bubble to float to the top of the column of fluid, release. Nothing but clear fluid gets pulled back in. Repeat until no more bubbles. Rock hard lever.
The main lesson I've learned from all of my bleeding trauma is this: Brakes are not rocket surgery. If the system doesn't bleed down with a reasonable amount of effort, there's either a leak or some component is faulty (and therefore leaking).
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
Those brake bleeders are worth it. I can bleed by myself and don't have to keep yelling pump and hold.
stillp
Well-known member
If that's the average, it means that half will fail before 50 000 hours - you're right to be skeptical Bob.
On the subject of brake fluid - I've got silicone fluid in my TR4A. I've heard the argument that condensation will travel to the lowest point in the system, but I'm doubtful about that, for two reasons. One is that the volume of moisture that could condense in a brake master cylinder over any reasonable period of time is tiny, and if not it would surely be noticed in the master cylinder when you check the fluid level, which I'm sure you do frequently. Secondly, if a bead of water did condense on the m/c, how would it migrate through the silicone to the calipers? There isn't much movement of fluid during normal brake operation. Also there would be very little oxygen present to cause rusting. I suspect that the rust you found in your calipers was due to water that was already in the brake fluid before you flushed the system, you'll never get all the old fluid out when you flush. My Triumph had every component in the braking system renewed except for the calipers and the rear brake cylinders, and they were washed out with alcohol and all the seals replaced. That was in 1989, and the brakes still work fine, although I don't know if there's any surface rusting on the inside of the calipers.
One of the reasons I used silicone was that at some point in the restoration I'd tried to strip the paint from the boot (aka trunk) lid, but it had been sprayed with some sort of high-build epoxy primer that resisted all the paint strippers I could buy here in the UK. When I drained the hydraulics, I'd mopped up the spilt fluid with a rag, which I left on the boot lid for a few months while I got on with other tasks. Whene I eventually picked the rag up, nearly all the paint/primer/filler came up with it, leaving clean shiny steel.
The only downside I found with the silicone fluid was that the fluid in the clutch master turned black and then cleared. I suspect this was some reaction with the new seals in the master or slave cylinders, but it didn't affect the clutch operation, and still hasn't.
Of course I might be completely wrong - that's happened once before!
Pete
You might try your local library to digitize your old videos/images. Ours started it a few years ago for VHS tapes and a really expensive scanner. Of course that was well after my mom used a scanner similar to yours to go through hundreds of slides.
68400BIRD
Well-known member
I used the new speed bleeders when I did a mini restoration on my 2003 1500HD truck from the rust belt.
I started with a gravity bleed with the old bleeders. I then put the new speed bleeders in and found out right away that you cannot use a vacuum gun to pull through them. Duh!! Time to read the instructions. All 1-2 sentences. Turn the new bleeders out about one full turn, push the brake pedal down a few times with a hose on the end of the bleeder going into a jug and you are basically done.
I started with a gravity bleed with the old bleeders. I then put the new speed bleeders in and found out right away that you cannot use a vacuum gun to pull through them. Duh!! Time to read the instructions. All 1-2 sentences. Turn the new bleeders out about one full turn, push the brake pedal down a few times with a hose on the end of the bleeder going into a jug and you are basically done.
Bobby, thanks for stopping by. Any resemblance to Heff's pad is a photographic miracle.
Tom, I've only had one brake failure and it was with the '87 Corvette, caused by the return spring in the master cylinder (shown in the post above). The spring broke into pieces and jammed the piston, locking the front brakes. Had to drive a half mile home with the front tires scrubbing (had them balanced after the repair). Absolutely certain it was a result of brake fluid degradation. I always get the brakes bled in the end but I really want a clean method to completely replace the fluid without crossing fingers or casting spells.Oh man, reading @zmotorsports and @Denwood's back and forth is waking up a whole bunch more brake bleeding hell suppressed memories!
I totally forgot about constant vacuum bleeders, and I also have one, made by BikeMaster. It's very similar to the ones shown above and costs $33.
I tend to use it to fill empty systems, but I've never gotten a good, hard lever from just the vacuum bleed. Now that I think about it, I think this little pot is also why I've always had quick success bleeding the brakes on my cars and trucks: They tend to be less finicky, and I use the vacuum pot.
There's also an interesting product called SpeedBleeders that I used for a while. They're a bleed screw with a built-in ball check so fluid can come out but air can't get back in through the screw. The concept is to crack it open (@zmotorsports is right: just a little cracked open is just as good as nine turns open) and pump away on the pedal until there's no more air bubbles. They actually work great. Once. Then the sealant around the threads is shot, and they allow air in around the threads.
What I tend to do these days is something similar to a SpeedBleeder but simpler and free: I fill an empty system with the vacuum pot, then once I have what appears to be bubble-free fluid in the catch tubes at every caliper, I take a long length of tubing, clamp it to the caliper bleed screw, run it straight up into the air until it's above the highest point in the system, twist a loop into it to form a trap, then zip-tie it in place. Top off the reservoir, then start pumping the pedal/lever. Fluid and bubbles will push up into this tubing, the bubbles climbing to the top. Pump slowly enough, and you won't **** the bubbles right back into the system. Essentially, you create a little P-trap with tubing. Pump, wait for the bubble to float to the top of the column of fluid, release. Nothing but clear fluid gets pulled back in. Repeat until no more bubbles. Rock hard lever.
The main lesson I've learned from all of my bleeding trauma is this: Brakes are not rocket surgery. If the system doesn't bleed down with a reasonable amount of effort, there's either a leak or some component is faulty (and therefore leaking).
I completely rebuilt the brake system on the '87 Corvette with new master cylinder (with dual reservoirs), stainless hard lines, braided stainless flex hoses and new calipers. I even bought a used ABS unit, dismantled it and made sure it was clean. When I was all done, the brakes worked great but the ABS idiot light on the dash is always on. There are two relays on the ABS unit so I replaced those. The OBD-I port on the early C4 corvettes has no connection to the Bosch ABS system so you need a special tool to do diagnostics. The unique Kent-Moore J35890 ABS test tool can sometime be found but they sell for north of $300 and I have no idea how they work. After I change the brake fluid I'll have to take the Vette out in the rain and try locking up the brakes. Supposedly that can reset the system and fix the issue. I also have the original ABS unit and in a moment of weakness I could put it back in. f all else fails I can always pull the ABS bulb out of the information center.
Pete, I was pretty careful when I switched to silicone fluid. I did the alcohol flush and pushed two quarts of fluid through the system. It is quite possible old DOT fluid was trapped in the calipers (the bleeders are on the top of each 4-piston caliper). I failed to disassemble the calipers before I flushed the system so it may not have been the fault of the silicone fluid that rust formed in all four calipers. On the other hand, there was rust in the master cylinder pistons so moisture definitely got in the system and condensed, probably during one of the many Florida thunderstorms that raise the humidity and lower the temperature dramatically at the same time. Those storms do a great job fogging up the windows on the house.
I agree that DOT5 silicone brake fluid is a good choice for virgin brake systems in cars that are rarely driven or have show quality paint jobs. I also agree when aircraft paint stripper doesn't work, DOT3 is the best fluid for removing paint.
stillp
Well-known member
Yes, I've noticed the Florida weather has more extremes of temperature and humidity than my area in the central UK.
Pete
Pete