Re: [T3] Brake bleeding question

["Jim Adney" <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 23 Mar 2002, at 22:35, Mark Healey wrote:

> I'm having trouble finding someone reliable to act as a helper for
> bleeding brakes.  It seems to me that an easy way to do it oneself
> would be to run a hose from the bleeder valve to the resovoir
> (making sure it is below the fluid level) and pump for a while.
> 
> Is there any reason this wouldn't work?

I wouldn't reuse old brake fluid. It absorbs moisture from the air and picks up 
dirt in the system. It is often pretty disgusting when you see it. I recycle 
silicone brake fluid, but it doesn't absorb moisture and I "wash" and filter it 
carefully. I don't think that will work with standard brake fluid and it takes 
special equipment and skills to do with the silicone.

It's not too hard to bleed brakes alone, although a helper makes things a lot 
easier. You don't need a skilled helper, just someone to pump while you 
watch things. Just get 18" of clear plastic hose that will fit the bleed valves 
snugly and a plastic pop bottle to catch the old fluid in.

Note that there is no need to close the bleed valve on the upstroke, in spite 
of what most of the books say; many of those people seem never to have 
worked on a car themselves. Of course I did this when I first started, but 
some real mechanics straightened me out and I haven't done that for years. 
Just let the hose loop up as it comes out of the bleed valve and then dip all 
the way to the bottom of the catch bottle.

The hard part is that you have to keep getting out of the car to see how 
you're doing and check the reservoir to make sure that you don't suck it dry.

-
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Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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