Just wondering if this is possible to do by yourself I usually like to do my work early in the morning on saterday's so getting one of my friends up early is not easy.

I was thinking i could by using something heavy to hold down the brake pedal while i go and close the bleeder valve. I dont see where else i would need to people to do the job unless i am missing something.

Thanks

 

hmmmmm i was wondering if what my dad was a flush... he got a suction thingy that u use for basting turkeys or whatever you call it, and sucked all of the brake fluid out and then poured some new stuff in from honda.. then he pressed the brakes alota times..

 

That's probably not going to work for you. You need to empty the reservoir (using the turkey baster), fill it with clean fluid and then bleed each wheel one at a time. Start with the one farthest from the master cylinder. Have your partner apply the brake, then open the bleeder (with a hose attached to the bleeder the other end submerged in clean brake fluid). The pedal will go to the floor. When the pedal hits the floor, close the bleeder and have your friend gently let the brake pedal back up. You need to do this probably 10 to 15 times at each wheel. I can't imagine any device (other than a pressure bleeder) that would allow you to replicate this process without a helper. It's not hard, but you do need help. Maybe do it later in the day on Saturday when you can have a dependable helper. Good luck!

 

Actually on the TL its the Drivers front wheel first, then FR, then RR then LR.

And you will want another person to help you.

 

Here is the simpliest homemade way to do it, buy yourself a long clear hose, 8' will be plenty long enough to run from any bleeder valve to the driver seat, make sure the hose is tightly plug to the bleeder valve, now open the valve, take the hose with you and the container, go to the brake and pump it as suggested above. once the fluid appears clean and clear, plug the hose with any thing, go to the valve and close it. Since the hose is a few feet long filled with fluid, air will have no chance to get back in the valve, and of course you can see through the clear hose. Now, try to do it at midnight.

 

How are you going to do that?? The problem isnt the hose lengh, the problem is you have to open the valve pump-hold close valve release the brake repeat. and make sure you dont run out of fluid in the master cyl
The easiest way is to go to the parts store and buy the 1 man bleeders or the vac style.

 

NEVER push the pedal all the way to the floor
Doing so pushes the seals past their intended limit of travel and can cause serious damage to the Master Cylinder
!
If the person on the brake pedal is not skilled- place a small piece of 2x4 or similar block under the brake pedal -- so it can only go 2/3 of its normal travel- at least an inch from the floor-
This is a good job to do with neighbor- then do their car in return

Pressure held on pedal should be about that required to hold on a steep hill

 

Clear plastic tubing for bleeding 20 cents per foot- hardware store-
get 6 feet- 3 for now 3 for backup
size 3/16" ID
its a tight fit onto the bleeder nipple-stick a + screwdriver in the end to make it a little bigger-
brake fluid is messy, EATS car paint and will go everywhere if you leave the fresh bottle uncapped or the catch bottle unattended- I even drill a hole in a sports water bottle top- fit the hose thru and use that as my catch bottle- less chance of spillage if knocked over

Use only NEW fluid from a foil sealed container- dispose of unused portion
Buy 1 qt- its plenty for the job and 6 bucks for synthetic
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it loves to suck moisture from the atmosphere and invite it to stay insode your brakes- thats bad

 

An alternative if you don't have any tool: Open the bleeders - all of them or one at a time - and let the dirty fluid out by gravity. Watch the reservoir and fill it with clean fluid when it gets to the minimum. Keep doing this until the fluid dripping out of the bleeders looks clean. Close all the bleeders and fill the reservoir to the maximum. This process is time consuming but it can be done without any tool or helper.

 

At the open end of the hose is where you would you your finger to close up the hose when releasing the brake; this technique is the same as the function of the valve bleeder part. The valve has the ball in it to block up the air when brake pedal is released. of course you have to check to make sure fluid is not low on reservoir to keep pumping. Lets say it is your last pump before filling up the reservoir, pump it, plug up the hose, leave it in container, fill reservoir, then unplug hose, pump again. That is the idea, but if you have no creative mind, then surely you better off taking it to the shop, or you will cause more damage then good. Like asking how to plug the hose, or what to use to plug up the hose.

 

Problem is is if yuou dont have it under fluid doing so every time you let go it will let air in and you wont know if your getting it all out. I would just buy a hand pump vac system (about 20 bucks) and just use that.

 

..

 

I agreed. It is a bit tidious for one person to do without the right tools and parts.

 

So from doing a bit of research and reading, I believe the best way to do this with one person is with a pressurized brake bleeder. You can either buy it, or there are even some DIY on how to build one.

DIY $20 Bleeder
Original Bleeder

Now... I have never tried to make one or use one (but I do want to the next time that I work on my brakes), so I won't be able to write any testimonies for either one of these DIYs.

One thing that I do wonder about is the cap to go on the master cylinder... I am not sure what's the correct part to buy for this. I did a couple of part searches, but didn't seem to find where I could just by the cap by itself. If anyone has tried to build a working bleeder, please share.

 

Might want to try these:

http://www.speedbleeder.com/

 

If you found directions to build a pressure bleeder from a garden sprayer- and it says buy GM - HELP cap #- thats wrong- writer had a bmw- no fit TL- I know

For us- its to pick n pull for a honda 6 cylinder cap
they hear ~acura~ and double the price, so its- I am looking a 6 cyl accord- have any out back?
Then you drill a hole for the bleeder tube to go thru the top and have the ultimate tool