Anyone here who's bought a Motive Power Bleeder and had any problem with it? I just received a new one about a month ago. First use today and the clear line from the bottle ruptured and blew about a quart of brake fluid ALL OVER MY CORVETTE!

I am absolutely furious about this....and of course, their office is closed now for the weekend.

Now for some quick background, I'm a 26 year ASE certified vetran in the auto repair industry so I'm very familiar with power bleeders and this unit was only holding about 12 psi when it blew so it wasn't pumped to the moon if that's what you were going to ask. Clean, new regular DOT3 brake fluid

I'm just wondering if this was a one in a million problem or if anyone else has had anything like this happen?

Greg

 

That sucks!

I've used mine many times without a problem.

 

Hope you got it cleaned off fast, that stuff eats paint.
The hose ruptured or blew off a fitting?

 

Sorry dude - no problems with mine

 

me too

 

The hose actually ruptered about 2 inches from the bottle. I'll post a pic.

Here's a little more background on this:

When I first opened the box I got a strong smell of brake fluid and thought I might have gotten a used unit. Then I figured maybe it just had the odor from testing it. The gauge lens and ring were in the bottom of the box instead of attached to the bottle. I installed them but they kept popping off. I know, I should have just returned it then, but I thought it wasn't that big of a deal. Now that the hose has ruptured I can see it's bloated and soft at the rupture point. A couple inches further along it's firm, then it gets blubbery again near the other end. The neck of the bottle is twisted and bent too, like it's been reefed on in the past.
Now, either Motive is using hoses that aren't brake fluid safe (which I doubt) or something has been insude this unit that shouldn't have been.

I'm convinced I've received a re-boxed, returned unit.

I'm pissed.

And Yes, I washed the car, engine, hood, windshield and driveway instantly.

 

Here's the culprit...

 

that sucks....and yes mine looked like it had been used previoulsy...never thought about them pressure checking it.

 

Been very happy with the one I have although I did send one back a few years ago. I was one of the first ones to make a complaint from what I understand about the cheap chain Motive sent in the box to secure the Adapter to the Master Cylinder. At that time at least 3 or so years ago because of that cheap chain stretching brake fluid blew out from under the adapterseal all over my C-3 engine, frame and fenders. Lucky for me I was using Dot 5 Silicone Brake fluid instead of Dot 3. A few months later down the road I read on the C-2 forum about how great the Motive Bleeder was so I responded to the thread with my problem with the Cheap Motive Chain. A well known C-2 Forum member there (JohnZ) responded as well as one other member at the time that I was not the only one who had problems with the cheap Motive chain and advised using a block of wood or metal and 1 or 2 C-Clamps to hold the Adapter down instead of using the chain. That is when I purchased my 2nd Motive Bleeder. With the use of a block of wood the size of the adapter and 2-6" C-Clamps I never had another problem since.

Both of my Motive Pressure Bleeders came as brand new not smelling of any brake fluid and perfectly clean. I think you may be right and someone sold you a return. I would call Motive. I see in the picture where your hose blew out. At only 12psi that is hard to believe to see that hole. Not much pressure is needed to bleed the brakes. I usually don't go more then 10psi but still. Wasn't like you had 50psi pumped up or anything. Looks like a defective hose to me. Maybe Motive will reimburse you for your trouble and mess. They didn't in my case with the crappy chain but I didn't push it. They did take my first Pressure bleeder back with a full refund. I only had to pay the shipping back.

Just for the heck of it. Where did your Motive Bleeder come from? Mine came from a company called Trac-Haus in Connecticut. I remember calling them up on the weekend I had my problem and they did answer the phone. Wherever you purchased it from at least you can prove your point being you have a picture to email them before sending it back. Maybe you should of taken some pictures of the mess the blown hose made to also show them. Good Luck! Let us know how you make out.

 

i also use c clamps

 

I used mine that i got a few months ago.
only problem was getting a good seal on the master cylider lip.
(those chains seem to be the culprit.)
but after reseating it a few times I was able to bleed without any problems.
Oh I tossed the chains and I am using some stainless cable now.
the unit now creates a good seal the first time.

 

One would think by now in 2007 Motive would tell its customers that there is a problem with the chain they are providing and the use of a block of wood with 2, 6" C-Clamps is recommended for a good seal of the adapter. By the way that chain has been the culprit for a very long time. As you tighten down that cheap chain stretches. You were very lucky to get away with the use of that cheap chain after some adjustments. On my C-3 as I explained earlier with my first Motive Pressure Bleeder purchased 3 or so years ago I also thought I had a good seal with the use of the chain. I walked away for a couple of minutes to get a wrench to loosen the bleeder screw from my toolbox and to grab my bleeder bottle and hose when I heard a noise coming from my car. As I looked to the car I could see brake fluid dripping all over from under my car and when I got back it was still coming out from under the adapter on top of the master cylinder because of that little bit of pressure pumped 10psi and the cheap chain that stretched around it. What a friggen mess I had. As I said earlier lucky for me I was using Dot 5 silicone brake fluid. It did no damage like Dot 3 brake fluid will do on most paints. Problem is a quart of Dot 5 is very expensive brake fluid to just throw away but I have been running Dot 5 since the early 90's in my C-3. I am still using Dot 3 in my C-2 though. I have used my Motive Pressure Bleeder with the C-2 just last year. I had no problem with either car with my 2nd Motive Pressure Bleeder with the addition of the 6" C-Clamps. If I would of known about the crappy chain 3 or so years ago not to use it but to use C-Clamps I would of still had my 1st Motive Pressure bleeder I purchased and would of never sent the first one back but of course not even Motive back then knew how to correct the problem people were encountering or chose not to deal with it. Not once when I explained the problem to Trac-Haus back then did they know of a solution until a couple of months later when I made another purchase of a Motive Pressure Bleeder telling them of the solution to the sealing problem after hearing about it on the C-2 forum. Even then they were reluctant to sell me another Motive Pressure Bleeder because I already returned one. I actually had to promise that I wouldn't send the 2nd Pressure Bleeder back in order for them to fill my order again.

Again the problem here in this forum thread is the Motive clear plastic hose that blew out on Corvette forum member (Greg). Still hard to believe that it happened but as we could all see in the picture it blew a nice size hole in its side. No reason for that other then defective hose I would say.

 

Years ago the pro units used flat steel bands with threads spotwelded to it and wingnuts. Never a problem. Those units were air pressure powered with a relief valve, used a real brake hose and were also several hundred dollars.

Here is a modern adapter kit. Pricey but good.
http://www.powerprobe.com/bbkits_pg1_master.html

 

Not many of us on this forum want to spend several hundred dollars though. I know Greg had a problem but I still stand by the Motive Pressure Bleeder. For the money I feel you can't go wrong. As I told someone else on the forum in another thread not to long ago for what I paid for my Motive Pressure Bleeder it cost me to fill my work Van with regular gas. Actually it probably cost me more to fill the Van now with the gas prices the way they have been going up lately.

 

ffas23,
I bought it directly from Motive here in Berkeley, CA.
I think I'm just going to return this unit and step up to a better product. The $$$ matter, but not as much as depending on the tool when you need it. What if this had F'd up on a client's car? I won't take the chance. I do quite a bit of brake work so it will pay to get something reliable.
I might look at the unit noonie gave the link to.
Thanks for sharing my grief guys.
Best,
Greg

 

I know where you are coming from here with the problem you encountered but I know of no other problems with the Motive Pressure Bleeder other then the fact that they provided a crappy chain for use with the master cylinder adapter for older GM Cars. Plenty on the C-2 forum are using this Motive Pressure Bleeder. Forum member (JohnZ) formerly employed at GM who had something to do with these older Corvettes and then later on at Chrysler with the Dodge Viper swears by the Motive Pressure Bleeder. He has recommended it plenty over at the C-2 forum. As I said, this is a first for me to hear about as far as anyone having one of Motives hoses blow out. My guess you got someones return and maybe someone cleaned it with the wrong solvent or something.

 

I also had problems with the hose blowing out. It would develop a hole and I'd cut it and put a connector in. After adding 3 connectors I threw it in the trashcan. Ended up getting some black hose (fuel line) from AZ. Have had no problems with that hose.

Another problem I had was that the square black piece that fits over the MC developed a crack. They replaced it free of charge.

The last and final problem I had was that in removing the hose from the black square piece, I broke the nipple off (part of the square piece). Ended up buying a part at home depot that screws in. Got it to work again.

Gotta use the c-clamps for it to work properly. Throw the chains in the trash.

All in all, the Pressure Bleeder is a great tool for bleeding brakes........just seems to break a lot.

 

I totally agree with you, these bleeders are a great bargain.
The pro models have always been high priced, but considering the speed you can zip thru a bleed totally by yourself always made it well worth it.
I currently use one myself. I have older adapters and have made current ones from master cyl caps. Have also replaced the cheesy clear hose to 250psi rated longer hose.