Anything that requires pumping the pedal has the risk of damaging the master cylinder piston seals. That's half the reason to use a pressure bleeder instead, not just to make it a 1-person operation.

I think that I will just buy the motive system until I can find something better. I need to bleed two cars this weekend.

What brake fluid do you guys recommend using for mostly intown driving maybe a few hard stops? I need something to fill up the brake bleeder with. I was thinking of the ATE blue racing fluid, at least I think thats what its called. Right now I have about 4L of Ate SL fluid left.

Thanks again,

Let us know how the Motive bleeder works out.

About brake fluid. I did a LOT of research on this subject a while back. The best bang for the buck is Valvoline SynPower (?) "synthetic" brake fluid, available at any parts store for about $5/quart. It's a DOT4+ rating with very high boil points. Great stuff. The ATE Super Blue (and Type 200) is better... but costs about double ($10/qt or more), and is harder to find - I have to mail order it. Both of these are perfect for street use where you only flush the brake system every 1-3 years. There are other more exotic fluids on the market (costing $25-$75/quart!!), which have higher boil points, but almost all of them have serious drawbacks that make them suitable for race use only (where you change the fluid every few weeks and rebuild the calipers regularly too).

My opinion? Use the ATE if you can, otherwise the Valvoline is an excellent substitute. I personally use the ATE in my 124's, and use the Valvoline in all my other vehicles. Forget Castrol, Motul, etc unless you have lots of time & money to burn (or if you regularly boil the ATE, which should be impossible on the street!) :D :D

My friend owns a shop down the street, he has a few cans of ate blue in stock. So that isnt a problem getting it. I know the vavoline stuff, my dad puts it in his trucks.

If I put in ATE blue to flush out the ATE SL fluid everything should be ok right?

I just ordered one from performance products. It should be here by the end of the week. Ill see how that one works. I'll use it until I find an industrial one.

I just used got and used the Motive bleeder this weekend. It was very easy to use. I also used the blue fluid, which made it even easier.

BTW, the instructions recommend putting two quarts of fluid into the jug to avoid running out. I ended up using only a little less than one quart (car was an e36 BMW) and so the other quart ends up being wasted. So I'd say just put in one quart and keep an eye on it as you go.

ilvanakis, sounds like good advise. I will buy two litres of ate blue fluid, and I will just put in one, and keep an eye on it.

Thanks.

GSXR, the link isn't working anymore, and they are out of their biggest kit. I wonder when they will get it in stock again. I emailed them several times and never have they emailed me back...that doesnt make me too happy.

I got the Motive Brake bleeder today. I will try it and keep you posted until I can find a top of the line item.

Thanks,

Austin,
Is that the original engine? I've got 330,000 on my 83 wagon, and the head has never been off. Fires right up, uses no oil, no smoke, plenty of power. Other than changing the oil religiously every 5k, I'm not anal about which brand is best. I throw in whatever brand is on special sale at the moment.

Peter

Peter, that's fine, as long as the oil you use is rated for diesel engines (CF, CG, CH, or CI ratings on the bottle). Otherwise you are risking engine damage because Sx-rated oils are NOT designed to suspend soot, which is essential for MB diesel engines. :)

Dave,

I guess I have been risking engine damage for several hundred thousand miles then, because I use regular engine oil. Funny thing is I haven't experienced any engine damage. In my opinion, when they are talking diesels, they are talking 18 wheelers hauling tons of freight not pissy assed pssenger cars. There is almost no load on an MB sedan going down the highway with one person in it. I use DELO ( diesel engine lubricating oil) in my F-250 truck, because when it is on the road, it's pullin a load. Just my opinion.

Peter

The engine won't blow up from using it, of course. You're simply causing excess wear. Sx-rated oil can't suspend the soot. So it falls out of suspension and wears rings, cylinders, chains, etc. It's your car of course, but what are you saving - maybe a couple bucks per oil change? Delo or Delvac is a whopping $6/gallon at most part stores, and you can find cheaper no-name brand oils that are Cx-rated for diesels. It's not expensive. Check the label on the stuff you use, maybe it IS rated for diesels and you never knew it. Oh well, there are also folks who use the problematic "green" coolant to save $4 every 3 years, instead of using the proper stuff.... penny wise and pound foolish, I believe is how that saying goes? **sigh**

I change my oil every 3000 miles as well as my filter. I pretty much change every fluid once a year or every other year. Same engine, never rebuilt. Tranny rebuilt 100,000 miles ago.

I use Shell Rotella T. I bought it, but in the w124 diesels the lifters make noise, so I am using it up in my w123 diesel. In the w124 diesels I put in Delo. 15w 40 .

I tried the motive brake bleeder just now.

I checked for leaks by pumping up the air to 10 psi like it says. It was fine. I loaded up 2 litres of brake fluid (which is too much for a benz, you barely need 1 litre. I screwed the adapter onto the master cylinder reservoir. It was a little hard getting it screwed on. I think that there should be a gasket between the adapter and reservoir, but there isnt, just a hard seal made by the plastic pieces mating.

A started to bleed the brakes, and it took a while for the fluid to purge the right rear caliper, but after that, then the rest weren't too bad.

Detaching the the brake bleeder from the reservoir was the tricky part because there was so much fluid left it was difficult to let the fluid flow out the left front caliper. I pinched off the line, with line pilers courtesy of snap on, then, I bled the fluid down to an acceptable level in the brake reservoir by pumping the pedal like I usually do.

Overall perfomance, good for someone that uses it once a year. I think that Id want something where I can bleed off the excess fluid easier. I wish there was a gasket between the adapter and the reservoir.

It seemed good for $50.

Thanks,