Complete Brake Fluid Replacement

I feel 100% the same. Every car ive had its been like that.

Id love one of those pressurised bleeder things but i refuse to spend £50 on one.

Those 1-way bleed valves are a bit of a con. Just stick the end of a normal pipe in some fluid and it does the same job really.

I always do the 2-man annoying way as you can suck air through the thread on the loosened bleed nipple if you just pump the brake. Unlikely in my opinion but its something else to rule out.
 
Your right Ed, I've done diy brake bleeds but doesn't quite feel as solid as when its properly done. But the garage has a proper machine that just does it better & more accurately

Just going to pass them 2Litres of 5.1 and get them to do a full flush out of the old shit :)
 
That's very true about the one way system, still a risk or getting air in through the bleed nipple... hadnt thought of that. I've seen those bleeders that attach to the master cylinder and pump the fluid through. I'd be willing to get one but there's no guarantee it'll work as well as a garage can do it, and also I hear they don't always have the right fitment for a good seal.

How much is your garage going to charge for a full flush Eddie? I know of a place that want's £20 a corner :(.
 
edk said:
I've bled my own brakes a couple of times now, and both times they end up less firm than they started (since a garage did it at a service). I have one of those one way bleed valves but I don't think they do the job. Even with two people, one pumping and one on the nipple (sounds dirty :lol:) it never seems to be as good as when a garage does it. I feel like I'm missing a trick.
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How and when do you tighten the nipple again?
 
Not sure, ive yet to ask. Once its been proporly flushed and new fluid in should last couple of years so dont mind if it costs abit for an uber sharp feel/response for my brakes.... which might save my life one day!

I want them to fit rear braided hoses at the same time too, going to ask them to do a before and after rear brake efficiency test like on the MOT so can see the results of braided hoses/full bleed :)
 
white_biscuit said:
How and when do you tighten the nipple again?
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Obviously doing it by myself with the one way valve I tighten it with a spanner and once I can't see any air bubbles in the tube. But it means it gets tightened after the pedals been pumped and the time it take me to get out of the car and get to the spanner.

There's the eazibleed system that Halfords sell which uses airpressure to force the fluid through but I don't know just how good it is. I'd rather buy once and get a decent bleeding system.

I've moved our recent posts to this thread as it would be good to document this and get to the bottom of it.

I know craiGTi did this great How To using the one way valve method, but as we're finding it's not the best way to do it - http://www.almeraownersclub.com/threads/28888-HOW-TO-change-brake-fluid?highlight=bleeding+brakes
 
Ah, one man.. yeah, the way i do is pump it a few times, then unscrew the nipple, let bit of the fluid out, then get someone to press the pedal RIGHT to the floor then tighten it
 
some cunt did a how to way back when....

http://www.almeraownersclub.com/threads/28888-HOW-TO-change-brake-fluid?highlight=


then simcard added this nugget to finish it...

Simcard said:
Also if you don't have a one way bleed apparatus, remember to tighten the nipple up every time the person applies the brake pedal completely to the floor before they lift off again.
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he said to do it if you don't have the 1-way thing, but i'd say doing it even with should help stop getting air in via the bleed nipple.

My brakes felt perfect when i did that how-to like that. However i've done it the same way since and not had such success, i think it's defo the nipples
 
Craig yeah mate I just posted a link to that how to ;).

Ammar, ah so build up the pressure first? Then open the nipple? I was opening the nipple, pumping a few times, then topped up, then pumped, and repeat until no air bubble, then tightened up the nipple. That's with the one way valve, one man method.

As I say though even the two man method of one pumping and one on nipple duty it wasnt quite right.

This looks the business, but the universal adaptor is another £20+ - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEALEY-Brake-...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item588cc07c88

But if the garage is charging £80 for them to do it, I might as well get this, then I've got it for future use for the brakes, and my clutch, plus could be useful for other members is they'd like to borrow it :). Thoughts?
 
edk said:
But if the garage is charging £80 for them to do it, I might as well get this, then I've got it for future use for the brakes, and my clutch, plus could be useful for other members is they'd like to borrow it :). Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Id agree if you werent 300 mile away!
 
Yeh, build up pressure and then open it to let it squirt out the nipple ;)

And when tightening it again, make sure the pedal is pressed FULLY against the floor..
 
white_biscuit said:
Yeh, build up pressure and then open it to let it squirt out the nipple ;)

And when tightening it again, make sure the pedal is pressed FULLY against the floor..
Click to expand...

Not possible when doing it the one man method but the idea of the one way valve is to allow that. How does it build up pressure though if you're letting the pedal up each time anyway?

More info: http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?p=2440404

They talk about pressing the pedal too far too.
 
Yeah lets get away from that as really we're after finding a way to get a firm pedal here.
 
ed and eddie.

when you bleed your brakes do you do them in a X pattern?

front left, back right, back left, front right? the calipers are on alternate circuits so if one fails you can still stop

i've bled numerous brakes and always got a bang on pedal feel.
 
Yes, I do.

Which method Ross? One man one way valve? Just trying to work out what I could be doing better and so far I've done all the things that have been advised... This was on the grey car and this black one, and both times they've been spot on before I touched it, then after I swapped the calipers/lines it went crap. So it's nothing wrong with the brake system, just my bleeding! :lol:
 
way me and rick do it is

firm fitting pipe over the nipple into an empty can.
loosen bleed nipple then close again.
open, squeeze pedal, close, release pedal.
repeat till no air comes out at all.

i find washer jet hose is perfect as it is slightly undersized so seals well.

forget all these gizmo's get some one to help, even if its your maw or gran.
 
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