Ezy Bleed brake bleeding.

[Caracad]

I've got an Ezy bleed, that I use when bleeding brakes.
Came to use it on the Fulvia today and realised that the reservoir doesn't have a screw cap.

I've read elsewhere about using ezybleed to bleed brakes, so wondered what I am missing, or doing wrong.

Is it possible to pressurise the MC, or do I need to buy a vacuum bleed kit?

[lancialulu]

I made a home made connector that couples to my air compressor set at c 1.5 psi. A bit of leakage through the connector and the electrical contacts but it works. I hold the connector to the mc with crossover giant cable ties. Guess you may be able to lash something like that on an Ezibleed.

[SanRemo78]

Never liked the Ezibleed system. Pressurising a fluid reservoir will lead to problems somewhere... It did with me when there was too much pressure in the wheel reservoir and it led to brake fluid on paintwork. Fortunately I got away without it damaging the paint, either I got it off quickly enough or the fluid wasn't corrosive.

After that one event I chucked the thing away and went back to two man bleeding until I heard about the MityVac system which uses a vacuum to draw the fluid through the pipes and callipers. One man operation, clean and neat. The only possible negative I could come up with is the possibility of draining the master cylinder dry if you don't keep an eye on it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mityvac-MV8000-Vacuum-Pump-Test-One-Man-Brake-Bleeding-Kit-Silverline-NEW-/191839771657?hash=item2caa8a9c09:g:JhgAAOSwv9hW6nNR

Guy

[simonandjuliet]

I use a similar vacuum system, it is sometimes a bit confusing because it can draw air in from around the bleed nipple and so you see bubbles in the tube.

Not that you need anything on Appias and Aprilias !

[Caracad]

Thanks all for the advice.

I think I'll get a Vacuum kit.

[davidwheeler]

If you have a compressor then get one of these
http://www.pvrdirect.co.uk/sealey-vs020-brake-clutch-bleeder-vacuum-type-1ltr/?CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=25337172250&CATCI=pla-54458723577&catargetid=120134430000000121&cadevice=c&gclid=CLPw8oHSts0CFYIK0wodeA8OMA
Cheaper, easier and very effective.    I've used both vacuum types and this one is much better.

[frankxhv773t]

I thought ezibleed did a clamp on adapter for non screw top reservoirs. The crucial thing I have found is to use very low pressure. All you are trying to do is move the fluid through the system not blast it out the other end. I use ezibleed all the time and find it perfectly satisfactory and very convenient.

[chriswgawne]

We have a 1998 300,000 miles from new (with us as the only owner) petrol 24 valve straight 6 4.2l Toyota Landcruiser FZJ80 which we refer to as the 'car which wont die'!
Its worth nothing, is in super condition outside and inside apart from the front leather seats which have cracked in the Italian sun so I had new heavy duty canvas seat covers made in S Africa but naturally from time to time things wear out.
Since new apart from brakes it has only had a new starter motor and 2 new centre exhausts with 1 front and rear exhaust.
Last year the first replacement centre exhaust with catalytic converter blew its contents into the rear exhaust and blocked it, the car couldn't evacuate its hot gases, overheated a few times (it took me a while to work out what was wrong with loss of power etc) and subsequently blew a head gasket. Having had all this sorted by a superb local Toyota dealer, we had very slight overheating up long hills in the summer ( and yet in the desert in N Africa crawling along for hours some years ago the gauge didn't move) so I replaced the viscous coupling fan and also the radiator for peace of mind. All that work in total cost > €2,000 but we felt it was with it and the Landcruiser is part of the family.
Just recently we have had a 'sinking brake pedal' problem. To cut a long story short and to try to stay on topic, I fitted a new non Toyota pattern master cylinder and after much conventional 2 person bleeding (the master cylinder reservoir wouldn't accept my Ezybleed as it distorted under clamping and I didn't have a vacuum bleeding device last week) we had some pressure but there was undoubtedly air still in the system. As an aside, I spoke to my UK Toyota dealer workshop manager on the telephone who though we had a diesel Landcruiser to begin with and he was emphatic that the vehicle from new would have had a sinking brake pedal due to absence of induction suck in the inlet manifold. Apparently its a common complaint with UK customers! When I reminded him that ours was a petrol version he just said that we should persist with bleeding the system thoroughly.
I looked on various US and Australian Landcruiser forums regarding bleeding problems as the vehicle has ABS and load valves and also the brake pipes from the m/cylinder rise above it and run across the engine bay bulkhead. To my dismay I found people who have spent days and weeks bleeding this model unsuccessfully!!
So on Sunday, back to basics. I obtained a Toyota kit for our original m/cylinder and fitted that. then I Jury rigged up my Ezybleeder to the m/clyinder with some extra clamping with plas-ties and only around 10psi and very quickly got proper pressure. The beauty of using pressure was that I could see the air being pushed out whereas with my newly bought Sealey vacuum bleeder there always seemed to be air being sucked in around the open bleed valve. In my particular case therefore, I feel the Ezybleeder showed a distinct advantage over a vacuum device.
Aurelia brakes are a doddle to bleed due to the pressurised system on the car and my Ezybleeder fits easily on our Fulvia m/cylinder.
Chris

[Caracad]

Managed to bleed the brakes. Combination of vacuum hand pump and conventional pumping.
Ezybleed would have been easier or ezyer.
Making sure the rear pressure limiter is open is a good tip and something I hadn't thought of.

[davidwheeler]

It is truly amazing the amount of air bubbles that a vacuum device manages to suck out - but it just means there is a lot of air in the system!   I find doing it once, leaving it for a few days' driving and then doing it again works.