I think I have bled my brakes (manually) for the last time.

Does anyone have a good lead on a power bleeder or something that works better than beating the snot out of the brake pedal and my body?

Thanks

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I made one from a cheapo garden sprayer, a brake reservoir cap, some rubber hose and a 1/8" barb X 1/8" MIP brass fitting.

Like this: Bleeder

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I use a Motive power bleeder and love it. However, the homemade unit in the link above looks just as good and is only half the price.

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1987 300D Turbo
2000 VW Golf TDI
2008 E320 Bluetec

I use the motive bleeder at work.
The home made one should be destroyed by the fluid in under a year.

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R Leo & Roy:

Thanks for the replies and for the link (as I have most of that material already)

Do you flush the homemade system with fuel or something so that the brake fluid doesn't eat it away?

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I have a cap that fits my brake reservoir I put a air fitting on and I connect it to my compressor. I've used it several times by myself and it works great, even it I run it too long and blow air through the line.

I haven't had it very long (4-5 months) so I can't tell what the long term effects will be. But, so far, it seems to be holding up OK.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Jim: Assuming I go with the air pressure method, I assume its a low pressure right? Is there something like a 10 psi limit?

R Leo: Thanks for the update. Much appreciated

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

Thanks for the idea and the link, I looked around at the site a little and will be back.

I tried the Mityvac for bleeding and was never satisfied with it.

Ditto on the Mityvac not working well. I seemed to get air coming into the system past the threads at the bleed nipple. It's hard to tell when you have all the air out of the brake system because of this.

whunter - I don't think Randy's home-made rig will corrode. He's just using it to pressurize the reservoir and it shouldn't come into contact with fluid (if I'm reading it right).

I kind of like the compressor with a line to a fluid reservoir cap although I would cut the pressure regulator back to about 5 lbs or so. I vaguely remember seeing somewhere a brake bleeder that runs a line to one of the tires to obtain air pressure.

Wes

There's definitely fluid in it!

I dump a quart of fluid into the bleeder, screw the replacement reservoir cap onto the master cylinder and pump it all up. Basically, it recharges the reservoir as you go 'round and bleed the cylinders. Damn! It works great too!
The only thing I can imagine being ever becoming a problem is the funky plastic tubing that runs from the tank to the cap. Everything else is poly. Of course, my contraption has been out at Greg's for a month or so, there's no telling what's happened to it or, if he can even find it!!

I've gotta retrive it next week coz Scout's 240D needs a master cylinder. I'll report back on whether or not it has held up.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Shoot Randy...I'm betting Gregg has mixed up some high concentration Round Up and has been using it along the road.

Wonder how good Round Up works in place of brake fluid?

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Mike Tangas
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Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

"Wonder how good Round Up works in place of brake fluid?"

I don't know about that direction.. but the brake fluid works great in place of Round Up !

Greg:

No kidding on the brake fluid instead of roundup. Last year we yanked an engine out back on the grass. Since we were 'out back' we didn't drain fluids. We just let it happen. That was 18 months ago or so and the spot (3' in diameter) is still dead. Not a weed in sight!

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I plead completely ignorant on fluid replacement proceedure! Back in the old days, (before anti-lock) you would bleed from farthest to closest wheel cylinder by having a friend pump the pedal while you got brake fluid squirted in your face, down under the wheel!

Can someone explain briefly what the proceedure is for changing break fluid? Say in my 87 300D???