UR-Idiot Savant-S6

just found blurbs about it. I'm looking for a nice link or article with a complete how to. TIA

Another Drew

Equipment:

1. tools to remove wheel...jack, wrench, etc.

2. 12 inches of clear flexible tubing about the size of a straw (1/4 inch) available from home depot or aquarium store

3. an empty bottle (a heavy glass one with a large base is good so that it doesn't tip over)

4. box end wrench (11mm I think)

5. A friend with at least one leg.

Optional: a turkey baster.


The goal of bleeding the brakes is to change out the old fluid with new fluid that is cleaner and has no water absorbed in the fluid. Basically, the system comprises a fluid reservoir, a pump (connected to your brake pedal), and a caliper at each wheel. Each caliper has a bleed screw. That screw has a hole where the fluid can come out. When the screw is loosened a little, it opens up the hole and fluid can flow out.

Basically, the goal is to open up the bleed screw, pump the fluid through by pumping the brake pedal. So you need to catch the fluid coming out of the bleed screw thus the tubing and the empty bottle.

So here we go:

· Start with removing the wheel farthest from the reservoir (the passenger rear wheel)
· Remove the yellow reservoir cap
· Remove the black rubber cap covering the bleed screw on the brake caliper
· Attach one end of the tubing to the screw and the other end into the empty bottle
· Have your one-legged friend pump the brake pedal a couple times and then hold down the pedal and to not let pedal go all the way to the floor when the brake pressure drops.
· While your friend is applying pressure to the brake pedal, take the open ended wrench and loosen the bleed screw. You should see brake fluid starting to flow out.
· Tighten the bleed screw as soon as the fluid almost stops flowing.
· Your friend should notice that the pedal drops to the floor. Again, don't let the pedal go all the way to the floor.
· Have your friend repeat pumping the pedal and then keep pressure on the pedal.
· Loosen the bleed screw and watch the fluid flow out. As it almost comes to a stop, tighten the screw. The reason you want to close the screw is to prevent any air from being drawn into the caliper.
· Once the tubing is full of brake fluid, your friend and keep pumping without you having to close the bleed screw.
· Check fluid level in the reservoir to make sure that fluid level doesn't drop so low that the system draws in air.
· Keep repeating the bleeding and pumping until the reservoir is almost empty but not too low.
· Once the fluid level in the reservoir drops low, fill the reservoir with fresh brake fluid.
· Repeat bleeding/pumping until you notice a color change in the brake fluid that lets you know that it's now the fresh brake fluid flowing out.
· Repeat all of the above on the next wheel....driver side rear. Then passenger side front, and finally the driver side front, all the while filling the reservoir when the level drops.
· After finishing the last caliper, fill reservoir to the proper level.
· IMPORTANT: BEFORE TEST DRIVING, PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE PEDAL FEELS FIRM IN ORDER PRESSURIZE THE SYSTEM.
· All done!!
· OPTIONAL STEP. Using the turkey baster to remove the old fluid from the reservoir can save a few minutes. Otherwise your friend has to pump the brake pedal until all the old fluid is drawn down. There is a plastic screen in the reservoir that need to be removed first which you can do with a pair of pliers

UR-Idiot Savant-S6

You're the best! Thanks very much. 8^)

Yossarian

Isn't that a full flush instead of a bleed?

Another Drew

Might as well do most of the brake fluid if he's getting new calipers, even though there's little left in the clutch hydraulic system and abs.

UR-Idiot Savant-S6

I'm doing new lines to the calipers too.

Yossarian

Ahh! I though he just wanted to know how to bleed an existing big brake kit. Duh.