SBT Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 Well, I've got a new power bleeder, which I've wanted for a while, and my question is, does anyone on here use any type of power bleeder for bleeding your Subaru(s)? If so, how do you like it? How does it work: Ease of use? Clean and tidy? Speeds up the process? I've gone the Miti-Vac route and find that does not work well, or fast enough for me since I like to set aside one day and bleed all the brakes at the same time. The Movtive unit that I have is the #250 Motive Power Pro Bleeder http://www.motiveproducts.com/02bleeders.html, which includes adapters for US, German and Japanese autos. But, the Japanese version is a mount on adapter (held on by clamping mechanism around the bottom of the master cylinder) versus a "screw on" type like the German version. I would prefer to be able to screw this right on to the master (clutch and brake) cylinder but wanted to know if any of you had the right adapter or knew where to get one. My thought was that if used in conjunction with the speed bleeders themselves, this could really make what is typically a two-person task, a relatively easy/faster, one-person job. I may just get a good second hand brake cap and make my own. Can't be that hard to fabricate one. If it works well enough, and there's enough interest, I could probably fab up some additional ones for the crew. Any feedback is appreciated. SBT - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 I never used a pressure bleeder or bother to find the adapter to the master cylinder for Subarus. All it matters is that you dont get any air in the lines and you are fine. I usually just call a buddy up or my gf to help me to pump the brakes as I bleed the brakes, it's quicker for me to do it that way because I dont have to go back to the bottle to pump the hand pump to keep it above 18 psi worth of pressure. It's all still air in that bottle anyways. 2 people share the good times in brake bleeding (pst, this is how I spend some "quality" time with my gf ) Keefe Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 I never used a pressure bleeder or bother to find the adapter to the master cylinder for Subarus. All it matters is that you dont get any air in the lines and you are fine. I usually just call a buddy up or my gf to help me to pump the brakes as I bleed the brakes, it's quicker for me to do it that way because I dont have to go back to the bottle to pump the hand pump to keep it above 18 psi worth of pressure. It's all still air in that bottle anyways. 2 people share the good times in brake bleeding (pst, this is how I spend some "quality" time with my gf ) v Keefe Keefe, This worked for the first 20 or so years of marriage and I've done this with my daughters as well (which IS a cool way to spend time with your wife, gf, so, kids) But now that we have many cars, "schedules" get in the way and I hate tying up someone for several hours in order to get them all done. That, and I like to do things in "sets" so I maximize my work repetition potential and keep my learning curve/times down. WRT the air in the bottle, are you suggesting that the air gets into the fluid under pressure? BTW - is 18 psi the magic number to pressurize the Subaru system? SBT - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted January 5, 2005 Share Posted January 5, 2005 It's not a big deal if you use a power bleeder or not, but most of the SCCA pro cars I work with my friends run anywhere from 18 psi to 30 psi worth of pressure to ensure the fluid is pushed through. Just make sure you have enough fluid in the bottle so that there is no way the tube inside has a chance of sucking up the air in the bottle. Keefe Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deer Killer Posted January 6, 2005 Share Posted January 6, 2005 pssh.. I put a clear rubber hose over the bleed screw and pump the brakes. That way you can easily see if you're still pushing out air bubbles. Not really guaranteed even if you pressurize to 18psi... and it's a one person job. Now that I have ABS it would be good to have an ABS override to pump the brakes for you.. Audi's do this with the vag-com. You also don't have to worry about fluid stuck in the ABS unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anexartist Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Restarting this long-dormant thread... I too am looking for something that makes a tighter fit for a Motive Power Bleeder. The universal clamp just can't keep a seal on the MC reservoir. Has onyone else experienced this problem? If so, how did you resolve it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Buy a Subaru brake cap and make your own adapter or send it to Motive for them to make up one for you. More custom adapter info here. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Friend of mine has a vacuum bleeder that we hook up to an air compressor. Very slick and we bled the brakes very quickly. The power bleeder seems like a nice unit too. I thought it had an adapter that screws on directly to the reservoir? Also, assuming the power bleeder has enough fluid you don't need speed bleeders at all. Just go to each corner with a tube and bottle and open the bleeder screw.. watch bubbles/fluid come out,, and then close the screw again. Unless we are confusing terminology.. speed bleeders are the check valve bleeder screws vs normal bleeder screws? -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Buy a Subaru brake cap and make your own adapter or send it to Motive for them to make up one for you. More custom adapter info here. The Ford adapter fits Subaru. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 The Ford adapter fits Subaru. That's right... the one with the 2 or the 3 tabs, can't recall which one... - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 3 tabs, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I made my own pressure bleeder and adapter modeled after Motive's. My adaptor is aluminum with some 1/8-inch soft rubber acting as a gasket. The thumbscrews tighten chain that goes underneath the master cylinder. I get no pressure leakage. I use 15-25psi typically. I think I've gone as high as 30psi with no problems. This is so much easier than using foot on brake pedal. If you do suck up air because your tank went empty, it isn't a big deal as that will just lower the level in the reservoir. Obviously if that gets too low you'll start pushing air into your brake system, but there is a fair bit of buffer there. I usually use 1L of fluid on my annual flush, but I always have another liter on hand just in case I run low. --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anexartist Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Thanks for the replies. I tok another stab at it on Sunday and it worked as advertised. I read on some other forums that it won't seal correctly if you overtighten it, so my guess is that was exactly what I was doing. It's a real slick system once I figured it out. But I might just opt for Subietonic's suggestion of having a custom adapter fitted to it. Now another question: how do you clean the resivoir out once you're done? I'm affraid that even a little bit of brake fluid remaining in the hose and the pump is going to collect moisture. Or am I being paranoid? If it matters, I just flushed the system with ATE Super Blue so that's what residue remains in the hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I spray some brake cleaner in the empty pressure bleeder tank and then pump it through the hose (obviously not attached to car). My hose is a bit stained by ATE Super Blue, but I think the residue remaining is minimal. If I had to do it over again, I would use ATE Typ 200 (or whatever it is called) instead of Super Blue. Same stuff but yellow and doesn't stain as badly. --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I ordered a Motive Power Bleeder and it should be coming in today. I'll be doing my brake install and system bleed sometime in the next two or three weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 ilh - nice adapter. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I spray some brake cleaner in the empty pressure bleeder tank and then pump it through the hose (obviously not attached to car). My hose is a bit stained by ATE Super Blue, but I think the residue remaining is minimal. If I had to do it over again, I would use ATE Typ 200 (or whatever it is called) instead of Super Blue. Same stuff but yellow and doesn't stain as badly. --Lee I alternate between gold and blue. Makes it easy to tell when you've gotten all the old fluid out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilh Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I tried that. Going blue to gold I could never really get rid of the blue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 gold only ftw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 I think the point is that as long as there's any "fluid" in the reservoir or the hose, there's the potential for water contamination between uses. I shoot some brake cleaner into the reservoir and then dry it out with a lint-free cloth and spray a small swab of the same cloth with brake cleaner, put it on a rifle cleaning rod and swab out the hose. Using a stiff coat hanger works just as well. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buru Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 my motive power bleeder i bought did not work for me either, so i returned it. I put speedbleeders on my vette last weekend and they are the beez kneeesss. I will put them on what ever BBK i pick this time LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 So I helped psucaptainkickass with his brake job today at another fellow members house. I used the Motive Bleeder and let me say this thing is awesome! It took a few minutes for me to figure out how to connect it. IMPORTANT TIP for use: If you plan on bleeding your brakes as you are visiting each corner to replace hardware... make sure you DEPRESSURIZE the system before working on the next corner. If you keep the line pressurized it will make it really hard to compress the caliper piston and it will also push the piston out of the caliper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 ^ That's doing it the hard way. Replace all hardware, then bleed all wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 ^ That's doing it the hard way. Replace all hardware, then bleed all wheels. I guess you're right. Do all the hardware first and then bleed the brakes. Also... If you are going to do the rear rotors make sure the parking brake is not on! I'm done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindspin311 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Speed bleeders + motive power bleeder + 1 helper = Bled brakes in under an hour. Install the speed bleeders on all 4 corners. Then just work each wheel until you dont see any more air. Clear tubing connected to the speed bleeder should work just fine. Work RR, RL, FR, FL in that order. Furthest away from the MC to the closest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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