Has anyone used the bleeding system from Phoenix? https://brakebleeder.com/pages/brake-bleeders

just wonder if its worth getting? I have heard and experienced the softness on the C3 brakes and I do my bleeding by myself, wondering it this will be a good decision to help me and ensure I done have soft brakes.

 

Hello there arcticdoggie!

Yes I have the Phoenix Reverse Bleeder that I bought 15+ years ago. I still use it regularly to flush the brakes on my fleet of vehicles. I have used it on Boats, Motorcycles, Aircraft, GM's Hydraulic Clutch master cylinder and even the brakes on my cars.
The Phoenix system is very nice because it PUSHES the air UP and out. You attach it to a bleeder screw that is open and pump the handle to send new clean brake fluid to the master cylinder. To keep it from making a mess I put a bowl under the MC and towels to catch any drips. Using a Turkey baster I pull the old fluid out of the MC as the level rises to prevent the fluid from spilling.

Honestly there are so many Brake Bleeding systems and they all claim to be the very best and easiest way to flush your brakes. I have the Motion Power bleeder and several vacuum bleeding systems all designed to pull the fluid out at the bleed screw on the calipers. Some people swear by gravity bleeding their brakes. After years of experimenting with the Phoenix Kit that I bought has served me very well as it does the most complete bleeding easily. Having a second person who monitors the MC fluid level and pumps out the excess with the basting tool can make the job faster. I can do a whole car in roughly 30-45 minutes for a complete flush by myself.

Since air likes to rise pushing the fluid up and out removes virtually all the air bubbles. I have found (gently) tapping on the caliper with a rubber mallet while bleeding the system can free up the air trapped in the crevices of the caliper. The junction blocks also try to hold trapped air, just a couple gentle taps and the air pops out and goes out with the old fluid. As the new fluid starts filling the MC reservoir you will see a difference in color allowing you to know when the new fluid has arrived.

One important thing and that is to "clean the pump" after using it. The Pump is completely rebuild-able so you don't have to worry about it wearing out. I am still using the one I bought the way it came and have not had a need to rebuild anything yet. I bought a "kit" from Phoenix and it came with several useful adapters to use the tool on other equipment. This tool was the only way I could bleed the air out of my Wife's GM Pickup truck's Clutch master cylinder. Mechanics tried everything and they were unable to make the clutch work properly because of trapped air.

I flush the brake fluid out every five years so I have become pretty good with the Reverse Bleeding System made by the kind folks at Phoenix. The Phoenix may seem a bit pricey but it is one of the important tools helping keep my cars on the road.

I would strongly recommend the Phoenix Reverse Bleeding System to anyone interested in flushing their own brakes more easily.
ctmccloskey

 

I bought one last year and love using it. It does all of the above and more. I have bled the master on the car with their supplied fitting. I upgraded to the mid grade system. One caveat, remove speed bleeders if you have them as they act as a check valve and will not work with the Phoenix system. Jerry

 

speed bleeder?? Not sure I know what these are. I replaced the MC, distributor Block, and put wilwood calipers on, so they have speed bleeders?

 

If I recall the speed bleeders replace the regular bleeders on the caliper. You crack them open, push down on the pedal and you do not have to close the bleeder before you let the pedal come up. perfect for a one person bleeding project. They keep air from coming back into the system.

 

I've been using them since I overhauled the brake system on a 1969 Firebird in the late 90s. The product has changed a bit over the years and actually gotten cheaper, but I still use the one I've had all those years. Most recently replaced all the brake components on a 1997 Jeep Wrangler, and the Phoenix System did the job perfectly. I can't speak for their newer products, but the old one works like a charm and is great if you are doing a lot of work solo.

 

i've had their systems for honestly longer than i can remember. i dont use it that much, i just prefer the pressure bleeder over it. if i had one complaint about the phoenix system-its alot to clean up when you are done.

now i will say this about them- their customer service is awesome. i had one of their original systems, which was all metal. it quit working- i assumed 100% my fault i didnt clean it well enough and it started leaking air into it as you pumped. i tossed it aside and forgot about it. i was working on something and needed to try the reverse bleed, so i emailed them, didnt ask for a warranty or anything, i simply asked if they could either send me parts, or repair it, i would pay. i shipped it to them, and they sent me back a brand new updated version for no charge, even paid the return shipping.

 

The cleanup on the Phoenix Reverse Bleeding system can be a PIA if you are in a hurry. I used it on more than one vehicle when I bleed the brakes. I have 2 Corvettes and they need to be kept on a regular bleeding every 5 years. I also have a total of six vehicles right now so bleeding the brakes myself saves me a ton of money over the years. Pushing the air bubbles UP and OUT of the brake system makes sense and it allows a complete flush to be done easily by yourself if need be.

My Motive Pressure Bleeder sits gathering dust as the Phoenix is still the easiest way to bleed or Flush the brakes. To me there is no comparison and I will use the Phoenix Reverse Bleeding System as long as I am around! When you find a great tool it is hard to go back and use something less effective. My vacuum bleeding tools have been relegated to different uses since the Phoenix system showed up here.

Cleaning the system has not been too difficult. I run clean new brake fluid in it allowing it to get flushed out. If it has any gunk in it I wash the parts with a parts washer with warm de-greaser. Then I break it down and clean parts individually. I try to keep the seals and other parts from drying out but thankfully the pump is completely rebuild-able at home with basic tools.

When I bought my Phoenix it came as a large kit in a plastic box with several different adapters. My primary hoses are getting a bit brittle and I need to replace them. Even with the harder hoses I was able to pull the extra oil out of the engine when It was overfilled. I used a longer small diameter hose and stuck it down the oil dipstick hole to remove the excess oil with the Phoenix Reverse Bleeder pumping the oil out easily. This is a very handy tool and I am glad people are using them on their Corvettes.

Just remember to tap the brake caliper and any brass blocks with a rubber mallet while you are pushing the fluid up as this will ensure that all the air is up and out. When I do that I can see the bubbles breaking free and heading up the hose with the rest of the fluid. It assures you of a firm pedal right away, you would be surprised at the amount of air that the brass blocks and the brake calipers can hold.