bleeding the brakes, the vacuum pump method Options

[nycchef]

i have read the posts on power bleeding ( don't have one ) and the wife helper (not gonna happen) methods, i will have to go with the vacuum pump method. have to ask if i'm going to get it right.
have a hand held vacuum pump, my thinking (don't panic) is this, fit a plastic bottle with a T fitting, one line to the bleeder valve, one to the pump, both with long plasic tubes, open valve,suck until no bubbles, careful not to empty resevoir.
repeat rear right, rear left, front right ,front left. i await your input (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[jt914-6]

That is one way to do it. There is a brand called Mity-Vac that you can do that with. I prefer the "pressure" method. You can buy one for about $50 or make your own. I made my own. Get a pressure spray bottle, the smallest one you can find. (Wal-Mart, ect) I put a pressure guage on it, 90 degree fitting/guage. Drill a hole in the tank near the top and epoxy the fitting/guage to it. Get a can of fix-a-flat and cut off the end near the can that goes on the valve stem of the tire. With a connector, connect the bottle's hose to the fix-a-flat hose. Buy a brake reservoir cap and seal for the 914. Drill a hole in the top of the cap and install a valve stem.
Put the cap and seal on the full reservoir and attach the pressure bottle. Pump it up to about 10-15 lbs and open caliper bleeder screw with hose attached going to a catch bottle. Bleed RR, LR,RF,& LF in that order. Keep you eye on the reservoir. Add fluid as needed. Bleed until no bubbles.
You can make your own pressure bleeder for about half of what it cost to buy one and bleed the brakes by yourself. As pressure goes down from bleeding, pump the pressure back up again.

[nycchef]

That is one way to do it. There is a brand called Mity-Vac that you can do that with. I prefer the "pressure" method. You can buy one for about $50 or make your own. I made my own. Get a pressure spray bottle, the smallest one you can find. (Wal-Mart, ect) I put a pressure guage on it, 90 degree fitting/guage. Drill a hole in the tank near the top and epoxy the fitting/guage to it. Get a can of fix-a-flat and cut off the end near the can that goes on the valve stem of the tire. With a connector, connect the bottle's hose to the fix-a-flat hose. Buy a brake reservoir cap and seal for the 914. Drill a hole in the top of the cap and install a valve stem.
Put the cap and seal on the full reservoir and attach the pressure bottle. Pump it up to about 10-15 lbs and open caliper bleeder screw with hose attached going to a catch bottle. Bleed RR, LR,RF,& LF in that order. Keep you eye on the reservoir. Add fluid as needed. Bleed until no bubbles.
You can make your own pressure bleeder for about half of what it cost to buy one and bleed the brakes by yourself. As pressure goes down from bleeding, pump the pressure back up again.

your giving my mechanical abilities way too much credit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[jt914-6]

I'll post a pic later today. It's really not that hard to make........

[zymurgist]

I never had much luck with the Mityvac. A mechanic friend gave me his old Vacula (when he upgraded to a new one) and I love it. The only thing for the Vacula is that you need a source of compressed air for it to work (like you will need for pressure bleeding, only a lot more air).

[Bruce Hinds]

for a few bucks you can buy a electric windsheild washer pump. Use that to pump the fluid from the bottom up and you will need an extra resivoir cap with a fitting and hose for a return line to a catch jar. Easy and cheap!

[IronHillRestorations]

Forget the Mityvac, it just doesn't work. It will pull air around the threads on the bleeder screws. I use a pressure bleeder made from an old resevior cap. If you have an early car with an overflow line you have to pinch that off so you can pressurize the resevior.

Here's what I posted back in Mar 05.

Get a spare cap for the brake fluid resevior.
Get a tire valve & stem.
Drill a hole in the center of the resevior cap, the same size as the hole in a wheel (or measure the narrow part of the tire valve).
Pull the valve stem through the hole.
Remove the plastic screen in the resevior.
Fill the brake resevior completely, not to the fill line, all the way full to the bottom of the tube that holds the plastic screen.
Put on your new modified pressure bleeder cap.
Drain your air tank to 10 psi, for cheaper compressors setting the regulator at 10 psi may not work. If you put too much pressure in the system, you'll blow off the blue lines that connect the supply lines to the resevior, or worse.
Take a clip on air chuck and clip it on your new pressure bleeder cap.
Bleed the brakes, starting at the furthest bleeder from the master cyl, and finish at the bleeder nearest the master cyl.

Bleeding sequence (LR-RR-LF-RF)
Pump the pedal hard about ten times and repeat the proceedure.
Do not get brake fluid on painted surfaces it will ruin them.
If the pressure bleeder cap retains pressure, bleed it down before taking it off the resevior.
This works very well, and makes it a one person job.
Replace brake fluid every two years.
Properly discard used brake fluid.

[Project 6]

In my experience, consider using speed bleeders or use the gravity method when no help is around.

Many times a brake system needs to sit awhile between bleeds. The bubbles need time to go from little tiny dissolved bubbles to big ones that will actually leave the building when asked.

The worst bleed is after a MC or brake line r&r.

[charliew]

I bought a phoenix system and have never used it. It also pumps from the bleeder back to the mc. I don't like that precedure as the wheel cylinders ALWAYS will have goop and moisture in them when you use regular brake fluid. You just push this stuff back somewhere in the system. I have always gotten by with the mity vac but the bleeder screws need to have a heavy grease or neversieze put on them to seal, or use the one way bleeders that are available they come with a sealant on the threads.

I am going to make a cap and tire valvestem setup like posted above and use a regulator on my air compressor system regulated to about 10lbs.

The 914 may be as hard to bleed as the fiero system. I think the pressure procedure might be the least painful.

[zymurgist]

I agree. I would probably use the pressure method if the Vacula had not literally fallen into my lap.

The PO of my 911 used the gravity method... since the car was not his DD, he could put it up on jackstands and crack each bleeder screw in turn.

[charliew]

I think a problem with gravity is the tiny bubbles will hang on to the top areas in the high places and just cling there as the fluid drains past where under pressure they are grabbed by the flow currents and pushed along and out.

[jt914-6]

Spot on Perry. Are you planning on coming to the MUSR 10?????
As promised, pics of my homemade bleeder. PRESSURE CHANGE NOTE: I would only pump the bottle up to 6-9 lbs. pressure......

[nycchef]

lots of good stuff here can some one elaborate on the gravity method?

[Drums66]

Pick your Vacuum!

it's the best way to bleed your brakes
mine were never better until I had that done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[wobbletop]

Something I have not tried yet, but was suggested as the ULTRA CHEAP way to pressure bleed:

Use a mountain bike inner tube.
Cut it in half and tied one end closed.
Then secure the other end over the reservoir (this is probably the tricky part) maybe with a band clamp.
Use a bicycle pump to pressurize the tube up to maybe 10 lbs.
Open bleed screw.

Let me know if anyone tries it or sees an issue with it.

[jt914-6]

Haven't seen ANYONE doing that at a race track..........and I would close the garage door @ home.......

[Dave_Darling]

I've used the MityVac on my "other car". Worked OK on it. It has come in handy for other uses, like un-over-filling a 911 oil tank... (Sigh!!)

It isn't a simple "T" fitting. The vacuum line goes to the top of the bottle. The bleed line pretty much goes through the cap (air-tight, though) to the bottom of the bottle. So the fluid stays in the bottle instead of going into the pump.

I haven't had much luck using it on my 914, though.

--DD

[nycchef]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) Oh no! Chef do I need to do everything.

What exactly is wrong with the brakes? Do they need new seals, or do you just need to bleed them? If all you need is to bleed them we can do that before we install the CB Hex bar on the IDF's.

Make a list of what needs to be done to get that car on the road. Let's figure out our schedules and get it done. I want to see it on the road before the 4th of July. Actually I think we can get it going in 1 or 2 more sessions.

Scott

i replaced the rear brake housing. brakes work but are spongy . just need to bleed. other than that have to set the tension on the gas pedal cable, rewire the horn inside the steering wheel, hope the clutch and shifter are in properly and away we go. i'll be out there all day sunday and probably monday afternoon /evening (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[r_towle]

get speed bleeders. You will like them.

Rich

[nycchef]

get speed bleeders. You will like them.

Rich

if you say so. i will ,are they idiot proof?. i checked out the web site , what size fits a 914
more importantly how do they work?