brake bleeders

[tahoe healey]

I asked on the Healey forum with little response so I thought I'd ask the general group about brake bleeders. Has anyone used or have an opinion about the EZbleeder and the Mityvac? Thanks,
Rich

 

[TR3driver]

I tried a Mityvac on my TR3A : didn't work well at all. Tended to pull air around the bleed screw, instead of fluid through the system.

IMO, if you can't find someone to help you bleed them the old-fashioned way, then these are the only way to go. But since I mess with them so rarely (after switching to DOT 5), I've never bothered.

 

[philman]

I also had problems with the mityvac on my TR7's. It worked ok for bleeding the master cylinder, but failed miserably when I tried to bleed the rear wheel cylinders. It just wouldn't pull the fluid through the system. It also didn't work for bleeding the clutch system. It also didn't work on my TR10 brake system.

 

[Biff]

Why bother with either the Mityvac or Ezbleeder when for half the cost you can make your own one-person brake/clutch bleeder or system flusher.
Go to https://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm

I built mine for $19.95 as I had all the bits required except for the sprayer. I use it ever spring to completely flush my brake & clutch systems without any help.

 

[sparkydave]

I have a Mityvac, and I've had the same problems with air bubbling in around the screw threads. It works, but tends to require letting it bleed by gravity to get all those bubbles out. I usually end up either bleeding by gravity or the two-person method.

 

[70herald]

Much easier, get a set of these:

Solo-bleed

the easiest way to bleed brakes. You replace the standard brake nipples with them, put them part way in, pump the brakes a few times. The solo-bleeders have a one way spring which lets out fluid without sucking air back in. Just pump one corner, tighten the nipple and go onto the next corner. The job should take under 10 minutes alone.

 

[Banjo]

I've never tried the valved bleeders. They look like a good idea.
Otherwise, go with a pressure type bleeder, not a vacuume type. the pump sprayer idea is a good one.
Vacuume types never seem to work so well. Mainly because it's hard to seal up the threads on the bleeders so they don't just suck air in around them.
a mighty-vac is a good tool to have for other stuff though.

 

[GregW]

I had a little issue with the valve type bleed screws. I used Speed Bleeders. The problem was trying to prime a dry system. I left one open overnight to have gravity help me out. Came back the next morning with no progress. Pump pump pump nothing. Finally removed the speed bleeder and installed a normal bleed nipple and all worked fine from there.

 

[70herald]

I had a little issue with the valve type bleed screws. I used Speed Bleeders. The problem was trying to prime a dry system. I left one open overnight to have gravity help me out. Came back the next morning with no progress. Pump pump pump nothing. Finally removed the speed bleeder and installed a normal bleed nipple and all worked fine from there.

Yep, you could have just removed the bleeder all together for a few pumps. The volume of fluid pumped by the master cylinder won't build up enough pressure to overcome the spring. Fluid is (basically) not compressible so this is not a problem.

 

[DrEntropy]

I use an Eezi-Bleed. Had one for decades, used it in the shop to bleed out about every English car hydraulic system imaginable. It even works on Italian cars! :wink:

 

[PAUL161]

I guess I'm a little backward. I pump fluid back through the wheel cylinder bleed screws. Starting at the furtherest point. Have to watch the reservoir though, so it doesn't over run. Seems to get all the air out. I only do it this way when recharging the entire system. Works for me on the clutch slave cyl also.