Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Middle River, MD
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    One Man Brake Bleeding/Pressure Bleeders, or: Can I Bleed the Brakes without Raising the Vehicle?

    Hey All,

    How many of you guys use a pressure bleeder when bleeding brakes? I was thinking about investing in one since it would make things a lot easier (and faster) when doing brakes. Would it damage the ABS components at all? Would this also bleed the clutch line at all?

    Alternatively, would I have to raise the car at all to access the bleed screws on the brakes? I can almost reach the rear wheels if I shimmy under the car, and I can probably turn the wheels to full lock to get to the fronts. I could always get my girlfriend to push the pedal for me while I do the dirty work at the bleed screws. I don't want her getting in the car while the car is up on the jack. Not because she's heavy, but because it's unsafe - duh!

    So, whatchu think, Mafia?
    Peter

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Hanover, PA
    Posts
    2,024
    Motive Power Bleeder (black label) FTW.

    Hankook Ventus V4's 205/55/16 | 16" BMW OE Style 45's | ECSTuning 15mm Spacers | Thule 45050 Crossroad Rack | Thule 870XT Fairing | LLumar 35%/20% Tint
    Custom Vienna Austria Euro Plate | GoMiniGo "No-Holes" License Plate Bracket | Smoked License Plate Cover | Black License Plate Frame | Khoalty LED License Plate Lights


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    Werd.

    Quote Originally Posted by billschusteriv View Post
    Motive Power Bleeder (black label) FTW.
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Middle River, MD
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    Hmm I gotta watch the demo video when I get home...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Hanover, PA
    Posts
    2,024
    I also do not recommend a vacuum bleeder. I could've been doing it wrong, but I tried a Craftsman model and had NO LUCK.

    I've used the Motive Power Bleeder on my e30 and e46 about 3-4 times with great success. Allows me to bleed all four corners and maintain level in the resevoir with no issues.

    http://store.motiveproducts.com/blac...-0109-p21.aspx


    One time, the fluid port in the right rear caliper on the e30 was blocked - so when I didn't get anything out of the bleed screw, I was a bit alarmed and figured I was doing something wrong. I pumped the brakes, raised and lowered the pressure in the power bleeder, and nothing. Ended up rebuilding and found the issue. Had to hook up a 100# air line to clear the obstruction.

    The only thing that concerned me occured during the first time using it. Whenever you fill the Power Bleeder with brake fluid, hook it up to your resevoir, and pressurize the bottle, the line from the Power Bleeder to the resevoir immediately fills with brake fluid and appears to top off your resevoir. Now once you've gone through the bleeding process (from furthest caliper to the closest, at least once, with clear fluid exiting), how do you get all that "excess" fluid out of your resevoir and restore the system? Well, once you brake the seal on the Power Bleeder bottle, the pressure drop will 'suck' the brake fluid back into the Power Bleeder - leaving your brake fluid resevoir filled to the right level, or pretty close to it.

    Oh. Not a bad idea to get a few extra Catch Bottles while you are at it, especially if you are doing a full fill and flush or replacing the brake lines. Seems when I replaced the lines on the e30, I ran out of room and had to find a temporary place to store the old fluid.

    Quote Originally Posted by llll1l1ll View Post
    Hmm I gotta watch the demo video when I get home...

    Hankook Ventus V4's 205/55/16 | 16" BMW OE Style 45's | ECSTuning 15mm Spacers | Thule 45050 Crossroad Rack | Thule 870XT Fairing | LLumar 35%/20% Tint
    Custom Vienna Austria Euro Plate | GoMiniGo "No-Holes" License Plate Bracket | Smoked License Plate Cover | Black License Plate Frame | Khoalty LED License Plate Lights


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Liberty Township, OH
    Posts
    37,935
    Thank God the guy put gloves on for the second part of the bleed process. I thought he was gonna get his hands dirty.

    Looks like a pretty sweet tool.

    About $10.00 cheaper here. Ima pick one of these up....

    http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Blac...ean/ES1895871/
    Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Hanover, PA
    Posts
    2,024
    Nice find DW.



    Oh - that rubber gasket shown on the ECS page? This requires assembly. It arrives in the box with the Power Bleeder, but not installed in the machined aluminum cap. If you do not put this gasket in the cap before first use (you should be doing a pressure test anyway), you will not be able to build up any pressure. Ask me know I know.

    That swivel cap is a gem. Doesn't require you to rotate the Power Bleeder around the resevoir in order to screw it on.

    Hankook Ventus V4's 205/55/16 | 16" BMW OE Style 45's | ECSTuning 15mm Spacers | Thule 45050 Crossroad Rack | Thule 870XT Fairing | LLumar 35%/20% Tint
    Custom Vienna Austria Euro Plate | GoMiniGo "No-Holes" License Plate Bracket | Smoked License Plate Cover | Black License Plate Frame | Khoalty LED License Plate Lights


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Middle River, MD
    Posts
    1,022
    Man, I gotta get one of these things...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Seacoast, NH
    Posts
    832
    I use a one man brake bleeder all the time. Very simple to easy and it's nice not to have to tell someone to push the brake pedal.
    "The server is too busy at the moment. Please try again later."


    2009 Horizon Blue Mini R56 Cooper S 6spd
    2012 Pepper White Mini R56 "Justa" Cooper 6spd
    On the hunt for an e30, z3, or 318ti...


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Middle River, MD
    Posts
    1,022
    Looks like it would just make things a lot faster.

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