Bleeding Brakes

[chr15gb]

I have one of the Sealy brake bleed kits but the is250 doesn't have a screw cap on the brake fluid reservoir so I can't use it. 

Sealy do make a universal mount with a chain but the reviews are terrible. 

Rather than spend £20 on a useless universal mount I need to spend a day modifying  does anyone have any alternative suggestions?  

[Mr Vlad]

Get a friend to press the brake pedal as required. 

[Barry14UK]

5 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Get a friend to press the brake pedal as required. 

Problem with this is one of timing and synchronising as hydraulic pressure needs to be maintained while bleeder is open.  If bleeder is not under pressure when open, air can pass back into the system along the bleeder threads.  The modern answer is power bleeding which I believe is what Chris has.  This requires the reservoir cap (which is normally a screw fit), to be connected to the device providing the pressure in an air tight manner.  I don't know the reservoir and cap on the 250SE but would it be possible to get a suitably sized cap that could be clamped air tight and connector fitted.  I had a somewhat similar situation some years ago when none of the various screw caps that came with my Eezibleed  would fit on my daughter's car.  I obtained a spare cap from a breakers of the same model and modified it to take the fluid/air connection, although this one was threaded, so appreciate your problem is more difficult.

It should be noted that the reservoirs on some cars must have a lower pressure exerted on them so I would go with a lower pressure that does the job even though more slowly.

If you decided to use a manual one man way foot method, you could use a more modern version of the old ABV automatic valves like 'Speed Bleeds'.  These are designed or coated to prevent air getting back into the system while foot pedal is raised.  However, this means ordering the correct thread, size and length for the callipers and using these to replace originals.  An example of the type https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/goodridge-speed-bleeder-bleed-nipple-g-bn 

There is another way to do this job and that is by using a vacuum pump, so no need to modify cap.  This shows how in video if you scroll down. https://www.google.com/search?q=bleeding+brakes+by+vacuum&biw=1280&bih=551&ei=WCGfYMCIKJXQUrS-u4AG&oq=bleeding+brakes+by+cacuum&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIHCCEQChCgATIHCCEQChCgATIHCCEQChCgAToHCAAQRxCwAzoCCCk6BggAEBYQHjoCCAA6BAgAEEM6CAguEMcBEK8BOggILhDHARCjAjoICCkQFhAdEB46BwgpEEcQsAM6BQgpEKABOgYIKRAWEB46BAgpEEM6BQgAEJECOgQILhBDOgIILjoFCCEQoAE6CAghEBYQHRAeUI5HWNmgBGC2yARoCHACeACAAZMBiAGAJpIBBDYxLjOYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6sAEKyAEIwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz#kpvalbx=_lyKfYJTDDdPlgwf1mKWgCQ19 

 

[Mr Vlad]

Excellent post Barry. My post was meant by not using the self bleed kit Chris has but using the old fashioned way. 

[steve2006]

“Down....hold it down.....up slowly....down....slowly.....up......hold it....in...out...shake it all about, OK you go and make the tea I’ll manage” 😀

[ColinBarber]

I've just used one of these to change brake/clutch fluid on a Yaris - worked really well other than the usual difficulty of getting a good seal around the bleed nipple.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B079JMTQZB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[chr15gb]

Thanks guys.  I have one of those hand pump vaccuum things as well.  

I dropped it and oil got into the handle piece,  it squishes oil whenever i pump it now.  

Sends a scam spending 20 on something i need to modify but i can't see any other way aside from building the whole thing from scratch. Seems bizarre to only have a push on lid on the reservoir.  

[Howplum]

I always use something like this, and have done for over 50 years, although not the same one obviously! It's very simple and very effective and never given me a problem. Being rubber it tends to stay where you put, i.e. in the container, unlike plastic ones, which have a mind of their own, especially in cold weather.  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wot-Nots-Pearl-PWN189-Automatic-Brake/dp/B00ALTZEQ0/ref=asc_df_B00ALTZEQ0/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310493449173&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10970993838730740026&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046056&hvtargid=pla-684390483250&psc=1

[Barry14UK]

7 hours ago, Howplum said:

I always use something like this, and have done for over 50 years, although not the same one obviously! It's very simple and very effective and never given me a problem. Being rubber it tends to stay where you put, i.e. in the container, unlike plastic ones, which have a mind of their own, especially in cold weather.  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wot-Nots-Pearl-PWN189-Automatic-Brake/dp/B00ALTZEQ0/ref=asc_df_B00ALTZEQ0/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310493449173&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10970993838730740026&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046056&hvtargid=pla-684390483250&psc=1

Certainly at the price not much lost if you don't get on with it.  I still have one which I used to use on my motor cycles but I found for cars in particular, it has disadvantages, viz, air can pass back into the system when the bleed is open and being rubber and getting fluid as you fit it on all successive bleeds, it is inclined to slip off, so it's best if one person holds it in place and watches for bubbles while another pumps the footbrake, so becomes a 2 man operation.  I like my Eeezibleed for the occasional use it gets these days although it requires air pressure from a tyre with pressure reduced to a recommended figure.  This and the build quality would make it unsuitable for frequent use and you really need a threaded reservoir and cap to match it so I think Chris will find it difficult to hold an airtight cap in place with a pressure through reservoir type. So perhaps the vacuum type I linked to and Colin used in the circumstances.

I think the design of the bleed valves should be improved so as to enable a tube to be more effectively clamped on but we have to work with current design. 

[Howplum]

Or maybe something like this:

http://www.stahlbus.com/products/en/bleeding-system/index.php

Not really answering the original question of course, but an interesting bit of research nevertheless.