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I Am begining to put back new calipers and MC. I have the Motive Brake bleeder but I think I'm doing something wrong? The fluid in the old calipers was very dirty so I wanted to flush out all of the old fluid before installing new calipers and MC.
I put the adapter on the MC with a C Clamp as everyone suggested , no problems there. I pumped up the pressure to about 6 psi and got the fluid out of the two front lines. I had to pump it up to about 10 psi to get it comming out of the back left line. I will have to plug the rear left line to get it out of the rear right one. due to junction block.
The issue I cant seem to figure out is when you first put fluid in the bleeder tank and pump it up , how do you get rid of the air in the line so you don't put it into the MC?
It takes care of itself. The pressure with air will force the fluid thru the brake lines & the new fluid will go in before the cavity gets low. I just used mine today will working on the parking brake. If you can't get fluid to the back lines, check your rubber hoses. They will swell up & not let the fluid thru.
If you are talking about the air you can see in the clear Motive line between the Motive tank and your mastercylinder - don't worry about it, the brake fluid flows past and the air in the line won't enter your system. Just be sure you always have fluid in the Motive tank.
Yes I am talking about the air thats in the clear line on the motive bleeder. I thought i would want a solid line of break fluid going in. I Don't see how it would not push the air into the MC?
The air goes into the MC but so does additional fluid. The fluid is heavier than the air and will keep the MC full while the air will just pushes the MC fluid out the lines.
Now that's my attempt at explaining why the air does not go into the system. Hope it makes a little bit of sense.
I ran a gallon of fluid through my Motive, with a stop and refill, and see air in the line as I'm bleeding the lines, but it just delivers the fluid to the M/C somehow. I keep the pressure at about 20 psi, that's about what you want to bleed at. at that pressure you'll just get a trickle at the rears, the fronts will bleed at about 2 or 3x the rate of the rears. 1 quart per caliper, works great.
The small amount of air you see in the plastic line will stay in the master cylinder and just float to the top. It can't flow down to get in the lines.
Thanks for the replies. It still does not make sense on how you are not pumping air into the system when you are using a sealed container like the Motive. And I was wondering about refilling the Motive while half way through the Bleed. But I guess it works! Thanks Again
It does work, I replaced the RF and LR calipers and installed speed bleeders on all calipers. Bled the system with the Motive power bleeder and I have a firm pedal. I'm still converting to C5 brakes though.
The professional brake bleeders are constructed with a diaphram in the cannister to separate the pressure side from the fluid side, much like a brake booster works. There is never any air in the brake line once purged and this also allows a much higher pressure to flush the brakes. You use a higher pressure (usually up to 60 psi on up to 150 psi on some units) to first flush the system and then a lower pressure (with almost all the air already out, up to 15 psi) to bleed the air. Really 2 different processes. These bleeders are in the $500.00 plus range.
The Motive bleeders are an affordable alternative for hobbyists, and as mentioned, work well because of the lower pressure used, not forcing the air thru the clear tube with the fluid. As always, you get what you pay for.
You can bleed the air out, by pumping the bleeder with the tube straight up and and/or installing a check valve in the line, but it really isn't necessary.
I modified my bleeder and put standard air line quick connect fittings on the lines. I put a female adapter on the line from the bleeder and a male on the line from the MC cap. I use 15 psi and pump the pressure up, use a small screwdriver to open the check valve on the female fitting and purge the air out of the line from the tank. Then connect to the line from the MC adapter. Before you flush the system it helps to take a syringe and suck most of the old brake fluid out of the MC (not all of it so you don't get air in the MC) and fill with fresh fluid. Then flush the lines with the bleeder. I usually can flush the entire system with about a quart of fluid.