How to clean a E Z Bleed ?

[nevets]

I have an EZ Bleed brake bleeder. How does one clean it out after use?
Soap and water?

Thanks,

 

[Roger]

Alcohol is better, IMO.

 

[nevets]

Thanks for the reply. I assume you mean ordinary rubbing alcohol?
I see you are a Lotus guy. I had an S1 Elan, which I sold but wish I didn't.

 

[PC]

Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol has water in it, usually 30%, and is less than ideal for cleaning.

The paint department at your hardware will have denatured alcohol (ethanol+additives), a.k.a. Shellac Thinner, which doesn't have water in it.

 

[Roger]

Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol has water in it, usually 30%, and is less than ideal for cleaning.

The paint department at your hardware will have denatured alcohol (ethanol+additives), a.k.a. Shellac Thinner, which doesn't have water in it.

That's what I meant - should have said so!

 

[DrEntropy]

Yup! I'll "third" denatured alcohol. You can also use it to flush out brakelines and A/C plumbing.

...and it smells good too. :wink:

 

[nevets]

Thanks, and denatured alcohol will not attack any of the plastic in the EZ Bleed system?

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, I was taught that only methanol is safe for use on brake components.

'Denatured' alcohol can have all sorts of things in it, they deliberately do not tell you everything, including things like mustard oil and gasoline. Basically, they want to be sure that you cannot easily make it fit to drink by simply running it through a still.

Last time I bought a bottle of methanol (aka methyl alcohol, aka wood alcohol), the local drugstore had it behind the counter. I had to explain to the druggist what I wanted to use it for, and he had to caution me not to drink it, get it on my skin, etc.

YMMV

 

[DrEntropy]

We've used it for decades with no ill effects. It <span style="font-style: italic">is </span>chased with plenty of 100PSI compressed air.

 

[TR3driver]

We've used it for decades with no ill effects.

But is your "denatured" alcohol the same as mine? How do you know?

 

[DrEntropy]

So there's a vast right-wing conspiracy at play here?!?

I dunno. All I can say is: it's worked for us over decades' worth of rebuilds. If there's a "new formula" for it, then the best bet would be DON'T use it.

...I bow to superior knowledge, Randall. You have current info and all we have is anecdotal data. Decades old.

 

[AN5Sprite]

Both "Denatured Alcohol" and "Mineral Spirits" are total mongrel solvents. There are many different chemicals and formulas that either of them -could be- when sold under the those names. (Randall's point)

The contents vary but the performance usually doesn't. I'm only pointing this out 'cause it's interesting to me since I work with both of them near daily.

If Denatured Alc is a good solvent for brake fluid I'd use it as Doc says. I just wouldn't leave rubber or metal parts soaking in it for long periods.

There's something like 46 different formulas for denatured alcohol using compounds from the list below.

It's all really pretty interesting isn't it?

§ 21.151 List of denaturants authorized for denatured spirits.
Following is an alphabetical listing of denaturants authorized for use in denatured spirits:

Denaturants Authorized for Completely Denatured Alcohol (C.D.A), Specially Denatured Alcohol (S.D.A.), and Specially Denatured Rum (S.D.R.)

Acetaldehyde S.D.A. 29.
Acetone, U.S.P S.D.A. 23-A, 23-H.
Acetaldol C.D.A. 18.
Almond oil, bitter, N.F.X S.D.A. 38-B.
Alpha Terpineol S.D.A. 38-B.
Ammonia, aqueous S.D.A. 36.
Ammonia solution, strong, N.F S.D.A. 36.
Anethole, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Anise oil, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Bay oil (myrcia oil), N.F.XI S.D.A. 23-F, 38-B, 39-D.
Benzaldehyde, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Benzene S.D.A. 2-B, 2-C, 12-A.
Bergamot oil, N.F.XI S.D.A. 23-F. 38-B.
Bone oil (Dipple's oil) S.D.A. 17.
Boric acid, N.F S.D.A. 38-F.
Brucine alkaloid S.D.A. 40.
Brucine sulfate, N.F.IX S.D.A. 40.
n-Butyl alcohol S.D.A. 44.
tert-Butyl alcohol S.D.A. 39, 39-A, 39-B, 40, 40-A, 40-B, 40-C.
Camphor, U.S.P S.D.A. 27, 27-A, 38-B.
Caustic soda, liquid S.D.A. 36.
Cedar leaf oil, U.S.P.XIII S.D.A. 38-B.
Chloroform S.D.A. 20.
Chlorothymol, N.F.XII S.D.A. 38-B, 38-F.
Cinchonidine S.D.A. 39-A.
Cinchonidine sulfate, N.F.IX S.D.A. 39-A.
Cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamaldehyde), N.F.IX S.D.A. 38-B.
Cinnamon oil, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Citronella oil, natural S.D.A. 38-B.
Clove oil, N.F S.D.A. 27-A, 38-B.
Coal tar, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-B.
Denatonium benzoate, N.F. S.D.A. 1, 40-B.
Diethyl phthalate S.D.A. 39-B, 39-C.
Ethyl acetate S.D.A. 29, 35, 35-A.
Ethyl ether S.D.A. 13-A, 19, 32.
Eucalyptol, N.F.XII S.D.A. 37, 38-B.
Eucalyptus oil, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Eugenol, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-B.
Formaldehyde solution, U.S.P S.D.A. 22, 38-C, 38-D.
Gasoline C.D.A. 18, 19; S.D.A. 28-A.
Gasoline, unleaded C.D.A. 18, 19, 20; S.D.A 28-A.
Gentian violet S.D.A. 33.
Gentian violet, U.S.P S.D.A. 33.
Glycerin (Glycerol), U.S.P S.D.A. 31-A.
Green soap, U.S.P S.D.A. 27-B.
Guaiacol, N.F.X S.D.A. 38-B.
Heptane C.D.A. 18, 19; S.D.A. 2-B, 28-A.
Hydrochloric acid, N.F S.D.A. 38-F.
Iodine, U.S.P S.D.A. 25, 25-A.
Isopropyl alcohol S.D.A. 3-C.
Kerosene C.D.A. 18, 19, 20.
Kerosene (deodorized) C.D.A. 18, 19, 20.
Lavender oil, N.F S.D.A. 27-B, 38-B.
Menthol, U.S.P S.D.A. 37, 38-B, 38-C, 38-D, 38-F.
Mercuric iodide, red, N.F.XI S.D.A. 42.
Methyl alcohol S.D.A. 1, 3-A, 30.
Methylene blue, U.S.P S.D.A. 4; S.D.R. 4.
Methyl isobutyl ketone C.D.A. 18, 19; S.D.A. 1, 23-H.
Methyln-butyl ketone C.D.A. 18, 19; S.D.A. 1.
Methyl salicylate, N.F S.D.A. 38-B, 46.
Mustard oil, volatile (allyl isothiocyanate), U.S.P.XII S.D.A. 38-B.
Nicotine solution S.D.A. 4; S.D.R. 4.
Nitropropane, mixed isomers of C.D.A. 18, 19; S.D.A. 1.
Peppermint oil, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Phenol, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-B, 46.
Phenyl mercuric benzoate S.D.A. 42.
Phenyl mercuric chloride, N.F.IX S.D.A. 42.
Phenyl mercuric nitrate, N.F S.D.A. 42.
Phenyl salicylate (salol), N.F.XI S.D.A. 38-B.
Pine needle oil, dwarf, N.F. S.D.A. 38-B.
Pine oil, N.F. S.D.A. 38-B.
Pine tar, U.S.P S.D.A. 3-B.
Polysorbate 80, N.F S.D.A. 38-F.
Potassium iodide, U.S.P S.D.A. 25, 25-A, 42.
Pyridine bases S.D.A. 6-B.
Pyronate C.D.A. 18.
Quassia, fluid extract, N.F.VII S.D.A. 39.
Quassin S.D.A. 40.
Quinine, N.F.X S.D.A. 39-A.
Quinine bisulfate, N.F.XI S.D.A. 39-A, 39-D.
Quinine dihydrochloride, N.F.XI S.D.A. 39-A.
Quinine sulfate, U.S.P S.D.A. 39-D.
Resorcinol (Resorcin), U.S.P S.D.A. 23-F.
Rosemary oil, N.F. XII S.D.A. 27, 38-B.
Rubber hydrocarbon solvent C.D.A. 18, 19, 20; S.D.A. 2-B, 2-C, 28-A.
Safrole S.D.A. 38-B.
Salicylic acid, U.S.P S.D.A. 23-F, 39.
Sassafras oil, N.F.XI S.D.A. 38-B.
Shellac (refined) S.D.A. 45.
Soap, hard, N.F.XI S.D.A. 31-A.
Sodium iodide, U.S.P S.D.A. 25, 25-A.
Sodium, metallic S.D.A. 2-C.
Sodium salicylate, U.S.P S.D.A. 39, 39-D.
Spearmint oil, N.F S.D.A. 38-B.
Spearmint oil, terpeneless S.D.A. 38-B.
Spike lavender oil, natural S.D.A. 38-B.
Storax, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-B.
Sucrose octaacetate S.D.A. 40-A.
Thimerosal, U.S.P S.D.A. 42.
Thyme oil, N.F.XII S.D.A. 38-B.
Thymol, N.F S.D.A. 37, 38-B, 38-F.
Tolu balsam, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-B.
Toluene S.D.A. 2-B, 2-C, 12-A.
Turpentine oil, N.F.XI S.D.A. 38-B.
Vinegar S.D.A. 18.
Zinc chloride, U.S.P S.D.A. 38-F.
[T.D. ATF-133, 48 FR 24673, June 2, 1983, as amended by T.D. ATF-442, 66 FR 12854, Mar. 1, 2001]