This is for those of you like I, who sometimes read Larry Bible's or WHunters (among others) technical posts and aren't sure what you just read, although it sounded impressive. In other words, this is for my fellow light-weights who think they can't do something, but in the end it wasn't a big deal. My Saturday bleeder project:
I used this link as my instructions:
http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm

Sprayer: $8.97 (Walmart)
Master cyl. cap $6.97 (can you believe that? Pep Boys was $5.99)
1/4" brass fitting $1.24 (Lowes)
1/4" brass fitting $1.27 (Lowes)
Vinyl Tubing 1/4 ID $1.82 (Lowes)
O'ring pack $1.27 (Lowes) probably not necessary
Nylon flat washer pack $0.92 (Lowes)
Air pressure guage $0 (had one) figure $3.00 buck or so?
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My Total $16.28
tax @ 8.25%
TOTAL--$17.62 (figure $20.00 with air gauge and cheaper M.C. cover)
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I'll hit the high spots in the road:
Be sure and find a sprayer with the correct fitting to accept 1/4" I.D. tubing.
I drilled into the sprayer starting small of course, than working my way up to the size of the air guage (just a tad smaller actually). I then let the air guage 'tap' the hole. These sprayers are thicker than you think, and with loctite on the threads I have a tight guage with a good seal.
I then drilled the cap (late model G.M. cap that has to have a small canal RTV'd to seal it) I also started the hole small, and worked my way up, but when I got the the last bit, it took a small hunk out of the cap, which I RTV'd good as new.
I then used a male and femal threaded 1/4" fitting on either side of the cap. I did this so that using a very small snip of tubing on the bottom, it could rest just below the "fill" line of the Master Cyl. to get close to proper amount of fluid, and not over-fill. I o'ringed around the top of cap, and had to use a nylon washer on the bottom side to 'fill space' so the two fittings would tighten.
I attached tubing to sprayer and to top of cap.
Yall, that's it!
It is just that easy!
I'm still waiting on parts to finish up axle, hub and brake issues, but will have the bleeder ready.
I am also going to buy a cap for my F-150, and find covers at the wrecking yards for my old Camaro and Chevy pickup. Then you can just replace whatever fitting you need at the end of the tubing.
Thank you to the original "inventer" of this cheap bleeder. I just wanted to show that if I can do it, anyone can.
Jimmy

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__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Finished product...

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__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Very nice job.
I added this thread to http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/102268-name-these-parts-help-new-members-post700405.html

Well I can add that to my home-made pop tester I will be building shortly.

Would make annual brake flushes easier....and far less painful, thats for sure.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I've never done brakes before, but I'm thinking of trying it. Probably a dumb question--do you put the new fluid in the car's reservoir or in the pressure bleeder can?

Both:
#1. Top off the reservoir.
#2. Attach the bleeder cap.
#3. Fill bleeder tank.
#4. Bleed air from bleeder line.
#5. Attach bleeder line to reservoir.
#6. Pump up bleeder tank pressure.
#7. Lock trigger open.
#8. Bleed one wheel.
#9. Repeat steps #3. - #8. as needed.

Remember:
If the reservoir becomes empty, you must bleed the whole system again.
I would rather waste a gallon of fluid than risk air in the system or having to bleed more than once.

Question. I've heard/seen where people talk about the fluid in the rear of the master cylinder for the rear wheels. For the life of me I can't see anything like that on mine. Is that just 126's maybe, or is it just hard to see? My M.C. is rather stained, and very hard to see through, if not impossible. Is that how one would tell. Also, my rubber 'seals?' in between the plastic of the reservior and the metal are VERY cracked. Is this going to (or could it) compromise my seal when I use the bleeder?

I'd like to see pictured of the homemade injector testor BHD.
JL

#7 Lock trigger open

By the way, I never thought about bleeding the air out of the bleeder line before attaching to cap. Duh I guess I will take off the hose clamp, bleed fluid up to end, attach to cap fitting and tiewrap in place, although it would probably hold itself.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I would replace the reservoir and seals before bleeding, call Phil.
The reservoir has a wall dividing it in half, if it is not clear and clean there is little chance of you ever seeing when the rear half is empty.
Spray wand is used on my rig, I can start and stop flow with the locking trigger = #7 Lock trigger open.

Thanks Whunter. I could certainly use a new reservior and seals.
I like the idea of having the trigger on the bleeder. Interesting....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Hear Here!

__________________
83 300SD, Euro Delivery, Mesa Red, 275k, running strong & quick.

Stop Struggling and get free.

more violent than bump.
For new members who need help bleeding brakes.

No, Roy, BAM is what happens when new members don't properly read the posts on brake bleeding.

So after much procrastination, finally decided to gather the parts and build this. The problem I ran into is this:

Local Autozone needs to special order the correct GM cap (according to the BMW site, 42035 1987-1990 GM). I'm assuming this is the correct cap unless otherwise noted.

I also have the Watts 1/4 ID Clear Vinyl tubing from Lowes for less than $2. On the label it clearly states "Use for: Low Pressure", Since JimmyL uses it, I'm assuming its fine.

I don't have any automotive grade silicone, but I do have some for aquarium use... will it work?

Hoping to bleed this weekend.

__________________
Jason

00 Subaru Legacy (fun wagon)
96 Nissan Sentra (disavowed)
82 300SD (garage queen, will run again hopefully)
87 300DT (Gone: 10/15/2010)

I have a question.
I have changed the fluid in two of my MB's and I used no bleeder at all.
I siphoned out the resivoir fluid, filled with clean fluid, had daughter keep resivoir full, and just opened the bleeders up. fluid flows quite nicely with no pressure at all.
is there something wrong with my MC that lets gravity flow out the fluid?
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

If they have ABS, then your system has issues.

The older systems gravity bleed fairly well.

I still favor pressure bleeding on all systems, because it is an active flush.

LOL, you need more cars.