Vacuum brake bleeders

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Grand_Wag_85
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Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by Grand_Wag_85 »

Looking to see if anyone has heard of an electrically operated vacuum bleed tool for doing brakes? I see a lot of air operated systems but no battery powered ones.

Also, with a pump like that in place I’d love to find a 1 gallon reservoir/catch can to use. The little bottle with the hand pump kit is too small and clumsy.
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sierrablue
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by sierrablue »

I don't know for sure but would love that too--the hand vacuum pump is a PITA to deal with 'cause it always falls off.
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tgreese
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by tgreese »

I have a pressure bleeder and an adapter to the GM-style master cylinders (same style as Jeep used). Seems to work fine.

I know the dealership I worked at had a whomping pressure bleeder, not a vacuum bleeder. Maybe the vacuum style is more modern. I have a MityVac which I found to be a lot less effective than the pressure bleeder (also with a tiny catch bottle).
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by letank »

I used a small electric vacuum pump, and a 1.2L suction canister used for suction of body fluid. The canister also comes in 5L size, very useful when doing transmission fluid purge. The 1.2L canisters are $4 ea, buy a few to cut down on the price of shipping

In fact the small vacuum pump doubles as a air pressure apparatus from the outlet of the vacuum.

You could use a vacuum pump from a AC pump, but create a small leak to control the amount of vacuum.

Image

Image

As for the canister tipping off, I attached a round plastic spacer from a speaker mount to the pump handle.
Last edited by letank on Wed Jan 18, 2023 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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will e
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by will e »

I switched to speed bleeders a while back and they work great.
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by Grand_Wag_85 »

will e wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:09 pm I switched to speed bleeders a while back and they work great.
I just checked those out. Those are cool! Definitely going to get some for the Jeeps.

The vacuum bleeder contraption is for my work stuff. When you've got 30 brand new brake systems to establish, the hand bleeder gets old fast!
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Grand_Wag_85
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by Grand_Wag_85 »

letank wrote: Wed Jan 18, 2023 11:08 am I used a small electric vacuum pump, and a 1.2L suction canister used for suction of body fluid. The canister also comes in 5L size, very useful when doing transmission fluid purge. The 1.2L canisters are $4 ea, buy a few to cut down on the price of shipping

In fact the small vacuum pump doubles as a air pressure apparatus from the outlet of the vacuum.

You could use a vacuum pump from a AC pump, but create a small leak to control the amount of vacuum.

Image

Image

As for the canister tipping off, I attached a round plastic spacer from a speaker mount to the pump handle.
That is a cool setup! Going to try it.
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Grand_Wag_85
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by Grand_Wag_85 »

Ordered a 5 gallon degassing chamber for doing epoxy. Work’s incredible!! Only thing I need to change is a second port dedicated for the vacuum from the brake bleeder. It works fine as it is except without the second port, you do get some brake fluid going into the pump.

Literally set up a brand new brake system from factory packaging to functional and under a minute. Going to try it on one of the project cars to see how it really works.

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ghcoe
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Re: Vacuum brake bleeders

Post by ghcoe »

If you have the time. I put a clear hose that fits over the bleeder nipple and run it into a clear jar. I start with the nearest bleeder and open it. The fluid will begin to flow slowly. Once I see no bubbles and clean fluid I switch to the next closest bleeder and so on. It bleeds slow enough that you can keep a eye on the fluid level in the reservoir and the condition of the fluid coming out of the slave cylinder. I been doing this for years since I usually have no one to help and no fancy tools. I think I had read something about doing it that way years ago somewhere. Works great.
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