1 is the loneliest number... for bleeding brakes

[nicktheviking]

I really need to bleed my brakes but my wife is not around. What a drag. I'm > < this close to taking it into a shop just so I can get it done. Do they make speedbleeders for our cars? And no, I'm not dropping 50$+ on a mityvac kit.

[mbouse]

you don't have a pre-teen neighbor kid?

pay him in empty soda or beer cans, he learns recycling as well as auto mantainence. His mom gets some relief. you get your brakes done, and clean out some room in the garage.

a quickly learned lesson from watching my dad in action.

[Nick]

Hahaha!

[nicktheviking]

Well, crap. 2 of the bleeder screws are broken (broken closed, thank god.)

Looks like I'll be needing two new calipers. Is there anyone in Cali. with used front left and rear left calipers in good condition? I need 'em in the next couple days. If not, I'll just have to get some remans from Kragen.

[ventura ace]

I have some of these items taken from a '76 spider. Let me check the condition when I get home. Give me a call this evening if interested (805-338-1767). I think I live about 45 miles from you (in Ventura), so you could have them pretty quickly.

Alvon

[nicktheviking]

I have some of these items taken from a '76 spider. Let me check the condition when I get home. Give me a call this evening if interested (805-338-1767). I think I live about 45 miles from you (in Ventura), so you could have them pretty quickly.

Alvon

Thanks Alvon, great coincidence because I'm going to be at a funeral in Ventura tomorrow. I may be able to swing by before I go home.

[kristoj]

I really need to bleed my brakes but my wife is not around. What a drag. I'm > < this close to taking it into a shop just so I can get it done. Do they make speedbleeders for our cars? And no, I'm not dropping 50$+ on a mityvac kit.

Actually, they are $35, not $50+ http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=38053and your wife would probably love it if you bought one and no longer had to drag her out into the garage to bleed your brakes. It's less than the cost of buying her a dozen roses and reusable too:lol:

[apexwc]

I got it a Sears for $30-35 (if you don't want to order it)

[ventura ace]

Sorry, Nick. The front left caliper went back east a few months ago to someone else that had a problem with a stuck bleeder. I do still have the front right caliper, and it is off the car. The rear 2 calipers are still on the car, and were operating fine when the car was last driven earlier this year, but I'm sure they need cleaning as bad as yours do. I'd suggest that you go for new ones, or continue looking elsewhere for good use ones (since I don't have the front caliper that you need). The rear two are available if you decided to go that route. I've cleaned up and rebuilt old ones, and it's certainly a viable option, but it does take a lot of work.

Alvon
ventura_ace@juno.com, 805-338-1767

[mdrburchette]

Oops! Must be the one you sent me, Alvon. It's still working great.

[4babycar]

I am by no means an expert but after overhauling my brake system this past weekend, I think that you can bleed your brakes single-handedly in about an hour and a half including the wheel removal and installation, jacking, etc. I had help but I tested the theory and it seems to work just as well without help too, just not as efficiently.
I used the method described in the Factory Fiat Service Manual. This method uses a segment of clear tubing (standard air tubing for a fish tank - $1.50/8ft at Walmart) and new bottle of brake fluid and and another bottle/container filled with a couple of inches of brake fluid (I used the near empty bottle of the fluid that was knocked over earlier in the day.). Cut about a 2.5ft segment of the tubing and force one end over the end of the bleed screw and place the other in the container with the small amount of brake fluid, making sure the end of the tubing in the bottle was completely submerged. Now just barely crack the bleed screw and start pumping the brake pedal. Air and fluid escape through the screw and into the tubing and finally into the bottle. As long as the other end of the tubing stays submerged in the other bottle of fluid, air cannot return through the hose back into the caliper. If you have the jar jacked up, as I did, there will be and gentle arc made by the tubing from the caliper down to the bottle. This arc in the tubing is important if you are bleeding yourself. Air bubbles rise to the top of this arc and remain there until they are forced out of the bottom of the tube. If you are doing this yourself. Pump the brake and then check the tubing if you can see any bubbles left in the tubing you need to keep going. If there are no bubbles and the fluid is clear then you can close the bleed screw and remove the hose. In order not drip brake fluid, pinch the tube at the top of the bleed screw and hold vertically above the other end in the container and gradually release pressure, excess fluid will drain into the container and you are off to your next caliper.
Yeah, I know this could be done simpler by buying one of those fancy gadgets but I am........ frugal.

[So Cal Mark]

that's a perfectly acceptable way to bleed brakes, no need to spend the 40 bucks on a real tool. Just don't pump the pedal too fast, slow and steady works well

[nicktheviking]

I am by no means an expert but after overhauling my brake system this past weekend, I think that you can bleed your brakes single-handedly in about an hour and a half including the wheel removal and installation, jacking, etc. I had help but I tested the theory and it seems to work just as well without help too, just not as efficiently.
I used the method described in the Factory Fiat Service Manual. This method uses a segment of clear tubing (standard air tubing for a fish tank - $1.50/8ft at Walmart) and new bottle of brake fluid and and another bottle/container filled with a couple of inches of brake fluid (I used the near empty bottle of the fluid that was knocked over earlier in the day.). Cut about a 2.5ft segment of the tubing and force one end over the end of the bleed screw and place the other in the container with the small amount of brake fluid, making sure the end of the tubing in the bottle was completely submerged. Now just barely crack the bleed screw and start pumping the brake pedal. Air and fluid escape through the screw and into the tubing and finally into the bottle. As long as the other end of the tubing stays submerged in the other bottle of fluid, air cannot return through the hose back into the caliper. If you have the jar jacked up, as I did, there will be and gentle arc made by the tubing from the caliper down to the bottle. This arc in the tubing is important if you are bleeding yourself. Air bubbles rise to the top of this arc and remain there until they are forced out of the bottom of the tube. If you are doing this yourself. Pump the brake and then check the tubing if you can see any bubbles left in the tubing you need to keep going. If there are no bubbles and the fluid is clear then you can close the bleed screw and remove the hose. In order not drip brake fluid, pinch the tube at the top of the bleed screw and hold vertically above the other end in the container and gradually release pressure, excess fluid will drain into the container and you are off to your next caliper.
Yeah, I know this could be done simpler by buying one of those fancy gadgets but I am........ frugal.

That's a neat method. I actually did end up spending $$$ on a hand pump, because down the line I will need to relieve fuel pressure.