[ArkV50]

Hi,

I am planing to do 1 person bleeding and I saw many examples, with a bottle, spray and syringe. Is there anyone who tried any of these methods? IMO, the syringe method looks like the most logical, go each wheel and such old fluid with a big syringe until I see clean fluid without any bubble. I have no brake bleeding experience so really appreciate any tips and trips.

 

[Blue SUV]

Motive makes a pressure bleeding system for one man job. Incredibly useful and pretty cheap.

0100 European Power Bleeder

European cars, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Ferarri, Fiat, Mercedes, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, SAAB, Volkswagen, Volvo, 45mm, Power bleeder, best brake bleeder, ATE

www.motiveproducts.com

 

[AM Reed]

Motive makes a pressure bleeding system for one man job. Incredibly useful and pretty cheap.

0100 European Power Bleeder

European cars, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Ferarri, Fiat, Mercedes, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, SAAB, Volkswagen, Volvo, 45mm, Power bleeder, best brake bleeder, ATE

www.motiveproducts.com

I second this. I've been using the Motive for over 15 years. Works very well.

 

[barstow]

I second this. I've been using the Motive for over 15 years. Works very well.

Me too. Been using it for several years.

 

[Monocog007]

Hah. They've all beaten me to it. The motive brake bleed system is amazing. 1 person, all 4 calipers on my XC90, bleed ~16 ounces, and it took like 15 minutes tops.

 

[ArkV50]

Blue SUV, AM Reed, barstow and Monocog007 thanks a lot for the responses, now I know what I am going to do there are many videos about it as well, this will be super easy then. Thanks again.

 

[romanster]

1-person solutions I've had success with, from simple bleeding, to caliper replacements:

-Simple gravity bleeding will accomplish fluid exchange too. Just connect a hose to your bleed valve, with a catch container (I've used an empty water bottle), and open the bleeder to let the fluid drain out until you see fresh stuff. Slow, but works. Did the CTS-V Brembo caliper swap on my CTS Coupe this way, 4 monoblock calipers, with 8 total bleeders, 1 bleeder at a time.

-With 1 bleeder open at a time, and hosed into a catch container, push the brake pedal slowly and not all the way to the floor, maybe 50%, release slowly. Fluid will drain out. And no, releasing the brake pedal didn't suck fluid/air back in through the drain tube. Did all 4 on my Saturn Astra this way.

-Those cheapo vacuum bleed kits, squeeze trigger until fresh fluid comes out. This one is a bit confusing because it inevitably sucks air bubbles into the drain tube through bleed valve threads, and through the tubing/bleeder connection, making it seem like it's always pulling bubbles out of the caliper. But this "external" air is not introduced into the system, nor is it coming from inside the caliper, so just trust it. Did the Brembo caliper swap onto my V90 this way, and bled both front/rear calipers. I have new Big front/rear kits coming, and will be using the cheapo vacuum again.

As always, keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir and top up as needed.

 

[02duxv70]

I made my own pressure bleeder using a $10 pump sprayer from a hardware store. I use the thing for all kinds of other stuff too. I don't fill it with fluid though, I just made up an adapter that I clamp over the master cylinder to pressurize what's in the reservoir. I suck out the old fluid with a mighty-vac or you can use a turkey baster. Then fill it to the brim with fresh fluid, attach the pump, pressurize it then go crack the bleeders. Be sure to check the fluid level in the reservoir to make sure it doesn't empty out. There really is no better way to bleed brakes then by pushing fluid from the master cylinder out the bleeder and using pressure over the fluid allows you to get a nice steady flow.

Filling the sprayer up leaves me with a bunch of fluid that I have to get rid of, plus it can make a mess when I disconnect it.

 

[ArkV50]

Hey and thanks a lot for the input.

I didn't decide yet but there is no Motive products in EU and other options are quite expensive so I already eliminated it. I bought couple of medical syringes (100, 160 and 200 ml) so most probably I go with syringe method.

romanster, yes I saw videos about gravity bleeding, that can be the second alternative and those cheap Chinese vacuum bleed kits are very bad quality. Honestly,they look like ready to destroy itself in first bleeder.

02duxv70, good info and pump sprayer will be the first alternative to syringe if something goes wrong.

 

[02duxv70]

 

[romanster]

romanster, yes I saw videos about gravity bleeding, that can be the second alternative and those cheap Chinese vacuum bleed kits are very bad quality. Honestly,they look like ready to destroy itself in first bleeder.

You have to trust the science
There's nothing fancy to these cheapo kits, just tubing and a basic squeeze trigger. All it has to do is create and hold a vacuum to draw out the fluid faster than just gravity bleeding. Given my personal experience with it and no issues, I'll continue to use it. My next brake kit for the V90 will have 8 total bleeders.

 

[EricSan]

There are a ton of YouTube videos to demonstrate a one-person brake bleed. Attach a small hose, open the bleeder, and run it into a clean plastic container (an old Mayo or Peanut Butter jar is great) that is partially filled with some brake fluid already. Just make sure the end of the hose is sitting in some fluid to ensure that you don't suck up new air bubbles, and then just give the brake pedal a few pumps. It works very easily and you don't need to spend money on a bleeder kit to do it. I've done lots of cars without a worry this way.

Alternatively, get a neighbor to help you out for a few mins on a Saturday afternoon and pump the brake pedal while you hold the hose.

 

[DFrantz]

I have the single person big bleeder kit but still prefer to just get someone else to help and pump the brakes. Maybe if I had a lift I'd look for a pressure solution... but I don't yet.

 

[anarekist]

+1 for motive bleeder

 

[zak]

Gravity bleed. Patience, check often, least likely to muck up the internal seals of the master cylinder.