The Poor Mans brake and clutch speed bleeder

[scubabatdan]

Ok,
While washing my hands one day (a repeated ritual when working on my MG) I was looking at this:

And thought hey this has a one way check valve in it
Upon removal:

And dissection:

I was left with a one way check valve:

I could connect a clear hose on both side and connect one to the cylinder nipple valve and the other into a catch cup. Then open the nipple valve and start pumping, since it is a one way check valve it will stop fluid from going back into the cylinder, so all I have to concentrate on is the fluid level in the reservoir and pumping until no air bubbles come out. A lot cheeper than buying speed bleeders for every cylinder and cheeper than buying a vacumm bleeding system
Just ensure this "valve" is positioned vertically (it works better)

Well I hope this helps someone out there having problems bleeding your system!
Dan

 

[drooartz]

Have you tried it yet? Sure looks like an ingenious and inexpensive solution, so long as the valve is good and doesn't let air back into the lines.

 

[scubabatdan]

I will be trying Sunday when I bleed the clutch, but I have done the SUCK test (Don’t laugh) and one way it allows air flow and the other is a complete block. The internals is made of nylon with a steel spring, so the brake fluid should not eat it. I will post pics in use and give comment, have an Idea for keeping the clutch res full constantly so I can pump the crap out of it and blow all the air out. Will post pics of in progress work.
Dan

 

[jlaird]

What a super idea.

 

[tweety]

you should post this on www.instructables.com

And I thought I was brilliant for my hockey puck steering wheel spacer.

 

[Guest]

https://www.speedbleeder.com/automobile_applications.htm#MG

 

[mccalebr]

Cool (and practical) idea. Brake fluid can be nasty stuff...do let us know if it attacks/melts the pump.

Ray

 

[tweety]

Cool (and practical) idea. Brake fluid can be nasty stuff...do let us know if it attacks/melts the pump.

Ray

I doubt it could destroy the soap pump if you do it quickly. What's the worst that can happen? You need five soap pumps..... four wheels and the clutch.

we'll see. I'm probably going to try this myself one of these days.

 

[scubabatdan]

Ok,
So I installed the hoses and connected it to my Right front brake and worked like a charm, now I will let it set for awhile with brake fluid in it and see if it works later today.

The setup:

On the car:

Well I think we are a go!
Dan

 

[DarwinT]

Stupid question. You are pumping the fluid out of the brake or clutch line into the cup, right?

Ingenious idea. Thanks for sharing it

 

[Midget78]

Dan, Its weird how things work. Im currently trying to bleed my clutch after removing the slave and putting on a new line. I called the auto store and they will rent me their easy bleed unit for $50 then give the cash back upon return. I tried making one of these and I cant get it to work. I tried pumping water from the sink through the hose and it wont do much of anything. I made sure everything has a tight seal. It probably is the soap bottle pump leaking. Or I though it may be different in an "open" sink. Cool idea but Im not sure if all these pump units are going to be good enough to do the job.
I was going to just remove the master and put it at a higher point then the line but the bottom mounting bolt is impossible to get to without removing the entire brake and clutch master bracket.

 

[scubabatdan]

I am doing the brake line in that picture.
Dan

 

[scubabatdan]

If you take your "Valve" and blow in one side air should go through, that line goes to the cylinder, the other end when you blow in should not allow air flow, that line will go to the catch cup. I found that the "Valve" must be in the vertical position to work effectivlly. It does not get pumped, you only pump the brake or clutch pedal in the car. It acts like a one way check valve allowing fluid out but not back when you release the pedal.
Trust me it works great, I will be testing the clutch today.
Dan

 

[bugimike]

Kudos to you! That is truly ingenious!!! :thumbsup:

 

[jvandyke]

Cool, I knew there was a reason why just Friday, when a huge tub of hand sanitizer ran out, one with a nice pump on top, that I refused to pitch it and kept it. Great idea!

 

[Midget78]

Well, I tried it on the clutch and it did kinda work enough that I think it is a helpful tool. It for sure helps draw that air down to the cylinder. The pump portion is the key. Trying to find one that is sealed well enough. Good thinking!!! Thank-you for telling the rest of us!

 

[Midget78]

I took heat shrink tubing and shrunk it around where the seal is to give it some backup to generate pump pressure. works good enough to do the job.

 

[scubabatdan]

If you like that, you’ll love this.

I just hate how small the reservoir is for the clutch, so I thought there must be a way to keep it full during the bleeding process. So after some pondering and while getting gas for the lawnmower I noticed that the spout hat to hoses, one for air and one for gas. Hmmmmm If I applied that to a sealed reservoir and place the hoses 3/4" down in the clutch reservoir the when the fluid dropped and air go to the opening it would allow fluid in to replenish it but not over fill it.

So I bought 1 foot of clear 3/4" hose .40 cents, 1 1/2 feet 1/4" clear hose, and cleaned out a tea bottle my wife has finished.

Next I used wire and wrapped it around a screw driver and a dowel and fit the 1/4" line into the wire twist I made and the pushed it all inside of the 3/4" line:

Next I cut a 3/4" hole in the plastic cap of the tea bottle and pushed the hose into it, notice the 1/4" line is all the way to the top:

Now I fill it with brake fluid and can push the hose into the clutch reservoir and suspend the bottle, when the fluid gets below the level of the nozzle the air is allowed up and fluid down keeping the clutch reservoir full during the bleeding process:

This can also be used for the bleeding the brakes, but it is easier to see the fluid level for the brakes.
Enjoy,
Dan

 

[texas_bugeye]

Well look at that a spridget on an IV!
You no if the other cars see that they will think it a sign of weakness and out of the garage she goes!!!

 

[scubabatdan]

Hey she was sick and needed the transfusion
LOL good one,
Dan