need info on bleeding brakes
Freshman User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 44
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Start at the farthest wheel away from the master cyl.
Work in the order of RR, LR, RF, LF.
Remove the lid from the brake master cyl and top off the fluid.
Attach a hose from the bleeder valve into a can/bottle.
With the key off, have a helper pump up the brakes until they are firm, then hold pressure on the pedal.
With pressure on the pedal, open the bleeder screw 1/4-1/2 turn and let some fluid/air out. Try to close the valve before the fluid stops. As the fluid drains, the pedal will sink to the floor. With the valve closed, have your helper then release the pedal and it will come back up. Have them pump it up again and hold it. Again open the valve to allow the fluid/air to escape. Continue to repeat this process until you see no more air bubbles in the stream of fluid coming out. Close the valve, replace the dust cover, check the fluid level in the MC and move to the next caliper in order.
Do not let the MC run dry!
This will fill your system full of air, and you will be bleeding it for the next 5 years trying to get all the air out.
Work in the order of RR, LR, RF, LF.
Remove the lid from the brake master cyl and top off the fluid.
Attach a hose from the bleeder valve into a can/bottle.
With the key off, have a helper pump up the brakes until they are firm, then hold pressure on the pedal.
With pressure on the pedal, open the bleeder screw 1/4-1/2 turn and let some fluid/air out. Try to close the valve before the fluid stops. As the fluid drains, the pedal will sink to the floor. With the valve closed, have your helper then release the pedal and it will come back up. Have them pump it up again and hold it. Again open the valve to allow the fluid/air to escape. Continue to repeat this process until you see no more air bubbles in the stream of fluid coming out. Close the valve, replace the dust cover, check the fluid level in the MC and move to the next caliper in order.
Do not let the MC run dry!
This will fill your system full of air, and you will be bleeding it for the next 5 years trying to get all the air out.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
Key off?
Run the motor at idle while the brakes are bleed, save your helpers leg!
My wife would walk away if I told her she had to pump the brakes without the power assist while I went around cracking bleeders loose. That and I doubt she'd have the power in her legs to do it without it running!
If you only take the front apart there would be no reason to bleed the rear brakes.
Have the new caliper ready to put right on when you remove the old one, top off the master cylinder before you start keeping it full. If you let it run dry you will have to bench bleed the master cylinder, then the lines.
Do not use vise gripes to pinch the rubber line off while you swap the calipers.
Run the motor at idle while the brakes are bleed, save your helpers leg!
My wife would walk away if I told her she had to pump the brakes without the power assist while I went around cracking bleeders loose. That and I doubt she'd have the power in her legs to do it without it running!
If you only take the front apart there would be no reason to bleed the rear brakes.
Have the new caliper ready to put right on when you remove the old one, top off the master cylinder before you start keeping it full. If you let it run dry you will have to bench bleed the master cylinder, then the lines.
Do not use vise gripes to pinch the rubber line off while you swap the calipers.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
The term "Bench bleed" is a little misleading, it can be done while it's mounted on the truck.
Generic way of saying the master cylinder must be bleed first if it runs dry, if you try to bleed it and the lines all at the same time you will never get all the air out.
You must get all the air out of a "dry" master cylinder first.
Generic way of saying the master cylinder must be bleed first if it runs dry, if you try to bleed it and the lines all at the same time you will never get all the air out.
You must get all the air out of a "dry" master cylinder first.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
I have never, ever bleed the brakes without the motor running.
Try it once, much easier on your helper and works just as good if not better. Better because your sure to get full pedal travel with the power assist working for the pumper. Full pedal travel means full master cylinder piston travel. No lazy or tired leg giving up on ya mid job.
Try it once, much easier on your helper and works just as good if not better. Better because your sure to get full pedal travel with the power assist working for the pumper. Full pedal travel means full master cylinder piston travel. No lazy or tired leg giving up on ya mid job.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
<i>I have never, ever bleed the brakes without the motor running.</i>
Wait, that's not a entirely true statement.
When I was young some vehicles had manual brakes. The motor would not be running to bleed them. I wouldn't help the pumper any if it was.
Wait, that's not a entirely true statement.
When I was young some vehicles had manual brakes. The motor would not be running to bleed them. I wouldn't help the pumper any if it was.
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Post Fiend
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 11,289
Likes: 6
From: Lakewood, Ohio
it is just not that hard with the engine not running and i see no reason to try it with the engine running.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 1
From: St Louis
Get a vacuum hand pump, it works so much easier if you had to do it by yourself. Helpers are a luxury for me, so it is easier just to use the hand pump then to bribe a friend into helping me out. Besides, yelling over a running motor would make me horse after bleeding four brakes.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
Get a vacuum hand pump, it works so much easier if you had to do it by yourself. Helpers are a luxury for me, so it is easier just to use the hand pump then to bribe a friend into helping me out. Besides, yelling over a running motor would make me horse after bleeding four brakes.
Either way I like the pedal pump method better, faster.
"Horse" time for a new muffler? Lol
Run the motor, or don't, makes no difference to me. Let the guy doing the work decide.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
Actually pumping brakes is old school. Ever since the proportioning valve has been used it is not recomended to pump the brakes. Just open the bleeder screw and slowly push the brake pedal down, close bleeder and release pedal, repeat till no air is left. Alot easier on the leg.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
<i>Actually pumping brakes is old school.</i>
That'd be me!
The pumping action forces all the air in the system to the wheels, crack the bleeder a couple times and let it out.
Cars have had proportioning valves for a very long time now, never had a problem using the pump and hold method. Most don't know or forget to hold the PV's pin out (When the model calls for it "GM" comes to mind) or to bleed the RABS valve when bleeding the rears anyway so either way its not a "complete" job. Some guy are happily done when the get pedal back, " automatic left turn" when applied and all. LOL
That'd be me!
The pumping action forces all the air in the system to the wheels, crack the bleeder a couple times and let it out.
Cars have had proportioning valves for a very long time now, never had a problem using the pump and hold method. Most don't know or forget to hold the PV's pin out (When the model calls for it "GM" comes to mind) or to bleed the RABS valve when bleeding the rears anyway so either way its not a "complete" job. Some guy are happily done when the get pedal back, " automatic left turn" when applied and all. LOL
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Toasty FLORIDA
if you go to Discount Auto you can buy a brake bleeding kit that has a magnet, thus you put the magnet with the bottle connect to you break via a house higher than your break so you can have you bleeding screw open and just pump no giving pressure resistance, just look every so often to make sure that you arent over feeling the bottle once the fluid is clear close the bleeding screw grab a beer and move on to the other, fallow process until all break are with clean fluid, and make sure to have the master cylinder filled up.
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