Questions re: ThatGuy's pressure bleeder.

[Guest Anonymous]

I have used a commercially available vacuum bleeder (that draws fluid from the bleeders) but it is time consuming to setup so I typically use a volunteers right foot. Your pressure bleeder made me think about going that route. If the picture of the pressure bleeder http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,download/id,26562/ is the one you constructed? A few questions:

Where did you get the cap, and could you not have used a stock plastic cap?

If the pressure source is on its side, does that mean the you only use air in the tank and just keep topping up or refilling the small brake fluid reservoir?

Somewhere I have a small hand pump (MightyVac?) I also have a number of fishtank (style) airpumps that are stepped down to 12 volts so I could use the car's battery? Could I not just use these pressure sources to force the fluid from the reservoir, OR must I have an external source of brake fluid (like the tank depicted in your picture).

Thank you in advance.

[ray_]

http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm

Just a reference.

Cheers,

Ray

[Guest Anonymous]

Appreciate the quick feedback. I have several pressurized sprayers around that would seem suffice including a 1.59 Quart unit. (1500ML) I was thinking out loud that having to open several tins of brake fluid (1 -2 liters as suggested) seems wasteful if there is only one caliper to bleed or one wheel cylinder on a routinely bled system. That is why I asked if one could use just the fluid in the brake fluid reservoir with the pressure unit dry.

I am well aware that you could easily empty the reservoir, if not careful. But, will it work? Or, even better, does it work with an empty, albeit pressurized container? Asked in another way, if I take a long hose/tube and attach it to my hand vacuum pump, could I not control the whole bleeding process by just pressurizing the small reservoir, with the hand pump? This seems less wasteful although a little more time consuming in that I would have to repeatedly check the reservoir to insure it does not run dry.

Thoughts?

[wagnerf15]

There is no magic to the reservoir pressure bleeder, just a shitload of fluid force fed into the system. Your method should work fine as long as you

1. Keep the system topped up

2. Seal the top WELL so you don't bleed your pressure out. It's really a small amount of pressure to bleed very effectively (I used about 10 psi)

The hassle with your method would only be taking off the pressure cap to refill. With a small amount of bleed necessary, there is no reason it won't work. Let us know

[DanOKC]

I used a stock brake cap to make a pressure bleeder & just pushed some 1/4" rubber air tubing like used for fish tanks through the center of the cap.

I push the other end of the 1/4" hose over a small tip air nozzle, pop a hose clamp around the button on the air nozzle to hold it on, & set my air compressor regulator down to 10 to 20 lbs, works great.

[ThatGuy]

Basically what everyone else said.

The garden sprayer just provides air pressure, it does not supply the fluid.

I put an air hose quick connect so I could leave the sprayer pressurized and still be able to disconnect and refill the fluid reservoir. As opposed to pumping it up every time.

The cap is from ultimategarage.com and was $15. the fittings and the gauge were in my barn.

I tried 10, 15, and 20 psi. It didn't go any quicker at higher pressures but the hoses between the reservoir and the m/c started to leak above 15psi.

HTH