Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 23:41:28 -0600
From: Ronnie Lyons
To: xj-owners@micapeak.com
Subject: Re: BLEEDING BRAKES
Message-ID: <396C0507.26CD3E81@rmci.net>
I'll share my tip with you. I do a lot of fork jobs, brake rebuilds,
etc. Seems like I was always fighting the dreaded hidden air bubble
until my local Yamarobber turned me on to this nifty trick.
Buy yourself a GOOD pump oil can ($10-15), the kind with the flexible
spout like they use in machine shops. I stress a good one because the
cheapies leak like a sieve. Suck all the old fluid out of the reservoir,
fill the oil can with new brake fluid and attach about a foot of clear
vinyl tubing to the spout. Slide your 8mm box end over the tubing after
opening the bleeder on the caliper your going to bleed and attach the
oil can to the bleeder with a length of clear vinyl hose. Now you have
your own hydraulic pump full of fresh brake fluid!
With the bleeder open, SLOWLY begin pumping the oil can. If you get an
air bubble in the clear hose, take it off the bleeder and purge it out
or just go slow enough and it will stay in the highest point of the
hose. As you work the oil can you are forcing brake fluid, under
pressure, in the system from its lowest point and going uphill. This
pushes all the old fluid out at the same time it pushes any hidden air
bubbles out of connections, etc. Have someone watch the master cylinder
and keep it sucked out so it won't run over. When you get clear fluid up
top, close the bleeder and install the cap and you're set !!