Does a Mity-Vac do a good brake bleed job?

[Deuce Rails]

I was going to bleed some brakes this weekend, but I don't think I'm going to have anyone around to help me. Is a Mity-Vac a helpful little tool? Does it work as advertised? Or, are there any other good ways to do a one-man brake bleed?
Thanks in advance,
--Matt

[Rocket Scientist Chris]

Yes! It does a very good job! Just be carefull not to tip the vacuum jar or the brake fluid will go straight into your Mity-Vac. I know from experience! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Rix2Six]

A couple of tips on using a mity-vac. Since you're using vacuum instead of pressure to bleed the brakes. you have to be aware that you can suck air around the brake bleeders. Put some grease on the bleeder screws to keep air from being sucked in there and also you may wanna clamp the hose to the bleeder screw.

Rick

[jerry]

if the master cylinder is above the wheel cylinders i would just gravity bleed it. attach a short hase to the bleeder and into a cup. open the bleeders and just sit back and have a beer. keep an eye on the m/c level and check the fluid for bubbles occasionly.

the mity-vac does work but you need some thing to keep air from creeping back in around the screws. they do recommend a silicone grease in their instructions.


jerry

[Bruce Lancaster]

Don't you have mechanical brakes??

[Deuce Rails]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you have mechanical brakes??

[/ QUOTE ]

Different car, Bruce!

I hate this dodgy, newfangled technology. It's untried, untested, and unproven. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[stealthcruiser]

another tool that does a great job is the phoenix injector.
it vacuum bleeds as well as pressure bleeds,and you can reverse bleed from each wheel to the master cylinder(pressure bleed),and from master cylinder to each wheel,(pressure bleed as well).
i swear by it.
one man job all the way.

[Spitfire1776]

If your not worried about measuring pressure, you could aways use a hand vaccum pump as well. Save yourself the 40 bucks, for an exchange to 8 bucks. Just a thought.....

[Deuce Rails]

Rick, Thanks for the tip to put some grease on the bleeder screws to keep air from being sucked in. Good idea.

Jerry, how exactly does gravity bleeding work? Do I still do one wheel at a time, moving closer to the M/C? No need to touch the brake pedal? Or should I put a brick or something on the pedal? (I like the idea of cracking a beer at each wheel; four wheels, job's done, and then it's nap time.)

[Bruce Lancaster]

I do the job with just a jar of brake fluid and a hose that has a check valve in it. Alone, this gives you a good workout as you get in and out of the car about 800 times. With a helper, it becomes easier and you can see when you stop getting bubbles.
System geometry can be a factor--GM A bodies like Chevelles have the distribution valve mounted low on the frame rather than up at the master cylinder, and on the one I had I could only successfully bleed the front brakes when the car was parked headed up hill!
I end each bleeding with pressure on when alone by having something (I use a 2 lb hammer) to jam between pedal and seat.

[cool57]

[ QUOTE ]
another tool that does a great job is the phoenix injector.
,(pressure bleed as well).
i swear by it.
one man job all the way.

[/ QUOTE ]The Phoenix is kinda pricey isn't it?

[JOECOOL]

I use a lenght of clear plastic hose with a clear plastic check valve in it and slide it over the bleeder screw and pump away. The hose and check valve are sold at fish supply stores (sorry I couldn't spell aquariam) for pumping air into your fishy tank. About $3 should do it.Pump until the bubbles are out.

[cosmo]

Quoth Stealthcruiser:
"another tool that does a great job is the phoenix injector."
I heartily agree. And the Phoenix will also do those 'impossible' jobs like hydraulic clutches and such.
Cosmo

[flt-blk]

I just attach a hose to the bleeder, run a loop in the hose
into a Mason jar partially full.

As you pump the brakes it will expell more fluid than it
sucks back, the loop and submerged hose end keep air from
sucking back into the system.

The hard part is seeing when the bubbles stop.
TZ

[Rix2Six]

[ QUOTE ]
The hard part is seeing when the bubbles stop.
TZ

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like a job for those X-10 hidden cameras we all get spammed about! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Deuce Rails]

[ QUOTE ]
if the master cylinder is above the wheel cylinders i would just gravity bleed it. attach a short hase to the bleeder and into a cup. open the bleeders and just sit back and have a beer. keep an eye on the m/c level and check the fluid for bubbles occasionly.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you gravity bleed the brakes, do you leave the brake pedal alone?

[jerry]

when i do gravity bleeding i just open the wheel bleeders and relax. just check the bleeders for fluid once in awhile. it just bleeds itself. after i close the bleeder i just spray off the area with some water.

donot touch the pedal. just let gravity do the work. i open allm the bleeders at once and close them off as fluid flows out for a bit.

works better for me than using my mity-vac or using two people to pump the pedal.


jerry

[BigJim394]

KD tools and other manufacturers make "One Man Brake Bleeder" tools that are a clear plastic hose with a check valve at one end and a fitting to firmly hold the hose onto the bleeder screw on the other end. It costs about 5 or 6 bucks at the local "real" auto parts store. Works great.


http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/2538.gif

[stealthcruiser]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
another tool that does a great job is the phoenix injector.
,(pressure bleed as well).
i swear by it.
one man job all the way.

[/ QUOTE ]The Phoenix is kinda pricey isn't it?

[/ QUOTE ]
yes they can be quite pricey.
i talked my mac tool man onto ordering the plastic version for me,not the high zoot chrome jobbie(kinda figgered the metal one wouldn't stand up as well with the kinda shit that could get pumped through it).
best i remember,paid about sixty bucks for it.
have used it for clutches and brakes only so far,but it does these tasks in a timely fashion! (read on the first try!)