Ok, so I'm a basic all around dumb ass and have to ask questions about everything. I just want to check with you guys to make sure I have the proper procedure for bleeding/replacing my brake fluid. As I understand it, you have to get the entire car off the ground so that you can remove each wheel, more for making things easier than anything. Then you would attach some sort of vacuum style line to the nipple on the caliper to control your release of the fluid. Now heres where I need some help, I have read a couple different write ups, some say to pump the brakes a couple times then loosen the nipple and keep the brake depressed until there are no bubbles or until the fluid runs clear. Others say to loosen the nipple and apply pressure to the brakes until the pedal hits the floor and basically start over until you reach your desired results. So now which way is the best way? I have also read it is better to start with the furthest caliper from the driver and work your way forward. Is there any particular order I should follow? Wicked noob type questions, but I've never done this for any car I've owned. Any help is appreciated, just keep it civil I'm aware that I'm a little slow :wink:
Bleeding Brakes
- Thread starter RIalltrac
- Start date
alltracman78
Active member
Chris, 2 things.
1-Never loosen the bleeder and then pump the brakes. It will suck air into the system instead of bleeding it. You pump the brakes, hold them, and have someone loosen the bleeder.
2-If you are trying to replace brake fluid, you can do what is called a "gravity bleed". You take off the master cylinder cap, loosen all 4 bleeders (DON'T press the brake pedal), and let the fluid drain out. Make sure you fill the master cylinder as it drains.
The fronts will drain alot faster than the rears.
This way you can work on something else while it bleeds itself. It is good to do a couple of bleeds with the brake pedal at the end.
1-Never loosen the bleeder and then pump the brakes. It will suck air into the system instead of bleeding it. You pump the brakes, hold them, and have someone loosen the bleeder.
2-If you are trying to replace brake fluid, you can do what is called a "gravity bleed". You take off the master cylinder cap, loosen all 4 bleeders (DON'T press the brake pedal), and let the fluid drain out. Make sure you fill the master cylinder as it drains.
The fronts will drain alot faster than the rears.
This way you can work on something else while it bleeds itself. It is good to do a couple of bleeds with the brake pedal at the end.
alltracman78
Active member
Gravity bleed doesn't suck in air.... It doesn't suck anything in. As long as you keep the master cyl full, you are straight.
Gary":2xybmc7u said:OK this is easier
Start from:
Rear passenger side
Rear driver side
Front passenger side
Front driver side
A question I've often wondered about on the 165. The ABS controller sits behind the rear seats. So fluid going to the front brakes goes back to the ABS controller first, then back up to the fronts. So these should actually be farther from the MC than the rears are, that only have a few feet to go from the ABS block, rather than the several feet for the fronts.
So if you wanted to bleed the farthest, you'd do the fronts first, since that's the longest piping. Does this make sense to folks? Anyone professional brake techs here to chime in on this one?
That's how I did mine when I replaced everything and it's working great.
-Mike