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.

 

[6PTsocket]

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?

ANSWERS:
1. They tell you not to be concerned with the air in the line when you hook it up. It seems not to be a problem. It pumps out when bleeding.

2. They recommend denatured alcohol to wash out the system, before storing and warn against using brake cleaner.

 

[6PTsocket]

From what I can gather it is a slighty modified Gilmour 1 gallon Professional garden sprayer. The pressure gauge is mounted in the recess on the tank where Gilmour normally mounts their pressure release valve. They swapped Gilmour's, "D" pump handle for a "T" handle. For spares, Motive only stocks the big O ring for the cap and the pump check valve. Motive told me they have never seen the piston cup fail but if you should ever need one, The O ring, check valve and piston cup and holder are in Gilmour maintenance kits, R11C and R30C. It does not save you anything starting with the Gilmour sprayer, adding the pressure gauge,hose and MC cap.
I had an initial problem not getting pump pressure and not holding pressure. Motive said the piston should come from the factory with blue grease, which I assume is silicone that they sell for O rings. I saw no blue grease. I spread a little Raybestos silicone on the check valve and will try some on the piston cup. It is not leaking down now, but takes too much pumping to get to 15 PSI. There is an "OIL HERE" molded on the cap to lube the piston rod and piston cup. Gilmour says to use 20 drops of oil Motive says not to use oil. This must be a left over from Gilmour selling it as a garden sprayer.

 

[andys]

You relieve the pressure by opening the cap. It's only ten or so psi so there is no spray of fluid.

As for cleaning the line, we hang ours up at work and let gravity clear it out. I only add as much as needed each use so the fluid doesn't go to waste. Any amount left in the lines is inconsequencial as far as moisture is concerned.

I'd buy another in a heartbeat if ours broke. Speaking if which, you will want to get a braided, reinforced line for the top of the reservoir. My only issue with the tool is that the lines get soft and mushy with time and will eventually split. They are easy to cut off and crimp a new one in its place.

 

[Chevy-SS]

Got one. Been using it for years. Great tool. You gotta have the right adapter for the MC or it won't work......

-

 

[Qualitytools]

I have on also That I have used for years and recently did some modifications to it in order to alleviate the line twisting when installing or removing the cap from the master cylinder

 

[dogdog]

I got that one last year.... ok product.. priced about the if not almost the same if you were to make it your self. the hose leaks a little and difficult to connect and disconnect (clumsy to use),but does the bleeding job way better than the vacuum type brake bleeders once it's setup. it's a little mess to clean up, expect some brake fluid spills, from the hose from the brake fluid reservoir cap area.....

 

[2CRUZ]

Hey fellas it seem like they have a lot of different kit to choose from. Can any one tell me what i would need to bleed my factory 57 Treadle Vac system? I'll order one today.

 

[camaross]

Unfortunately, they have terrible customer service. I called them multiple times for the part number of the cap that is compatible with my car, they never got back to me as they promised.

Good news is that I figured out a cheaper way of bleeding my system without any fancy tools. Gravity will do it, as long as you have the needed time and patience.

 

[dlwilson]

I got one from Amazon a few months ago, and it came without the check valve (they called it something different). I called customer service, and they sent a new one after a week. That didn't fix the issue, so I called back, and they sent the whole pump assembly after another week wait. That got it working. I have the adapter for older GM master cylinder reservoir. It's a piece of aluminum with two chains and four J-bolts to clamp it on top of the reservoir. It worked okay on a 1981 Corvette, but on my G-body El Caminos I have to add a large C-clamp to hold down the top of the adapter. It takes some fiddling to get it to seal, but once it does, yes it works as advertised.

We tried making an adapter for late model Chrysler from a spare brake reservoir cap, but it leaked where our fitting went through the hole we drilled in the cap. Does anybody have a suggestion for adding a 1/4" NPT male fitting to the top of a plastic cap?

 

[Ggg]

Have you tried a bulkhead fitting on the master cylinder cap?

 

[Ggg]

Are there any other competitive brake bleeders to compare to?