Help with Bleeding the brakes

[wtousand]

A bit of trivia:
The opinion on changing brake fluid varies a bit but the best explanation I heard was that brake fluid lasts a long time as long as someone doesn't keep opening the cover to look at the level.

Every time the cover is opened, new humid air (compared to the former interior air which has been dehydrated by the fluid previously) is allowed to replace the dryed air in the reservoir and the fluid begans to absorb the water all over again. Many reservoirs are translucent so that checking them can be done without opening them but some mechanics feel that they must look each time the oil is changed. Evidence that not looking is good is the fact that when additional fluid is needed, every info I have seen says to use a new UNOPENED container. Any alcohol or brake fluid left standing to the open air will absorb water until it reaches max.

I recently changed front pads on my wifes Impala and I did look because I couldn't see the level through the plastic. But the reason I couldn't see the level turned out to be that it was so low that I thought the dark line was part of the master cylinder. I needed to know because it is recommended to remove some fluid when compressing the wheel cylinders so as to not overflow the reservoir. Her Impala had apparently never had any added as the level dropped with pad wear. I didn't have to remove any and when the job was done with new thick pads taking up the slack, the level looked good ...through the translucent reservoir.

[hakachukai]

Bleeding braks is easy: takes 2 people... unless your smarter than me.

One guy pumps the pedal, the other guy works with the bleeder valves on each brake caliper.

The guy at the caliper opens up the bleeder, and tells the other guy to push down on the pedal.

break fluid with air bubbles in it squirts out.

The guy on the pedal holds it down until the guy at the caliper tightens the bleeder, and tells him to let the pedal up.

Just repeat over and over again until no more air bubbles come out, and all 4 calipers are blead. Don't let the master cylinder get so low on fluid that it sucks in air, or you'll have to start all over again.

[paqman]

Originally Posted by hakachukai

Bleeding braks is easy: takes 2 people... unless your smarter than me.

One guy pumps the pedal, the other guy works with the bleeder valves on each brake caliper.

The guy at the caliper opens up the bleeder, and tells the other guy to push down on the pedal.

break fluid with air bubbles in it squirts out.

The guy on the pedal holds it down until the guy at the caliper tightens the bleeder, and tells him to let the pedal up.

Just repeat over and over again until no more air bubbles come out, and all 4 calipers are blead. Don't let the master cylinder get so low on fluid that it sucks in air, or you'll have to start all over again.

Thanks, that's some good info.

[mightymoose_22]

It's easily done by one person with a long enough hose and a plastic bottle.
There are simple devices sold at the stores for doing it alone too.