Home page
SPONSOR AD SPONSOR AD

Topic: Who wants to build a bleeder?

in Forum: C3 General Discussion


Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/21/08 6:52pm Message 1 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 1/4/2007
Posts: 475

Presently, I am in the process of building a pressure bleeder for my new brake lines and trying to see how low I can keep the cost.Thumbs%20Down 

I have acquired a one gallon pressure sprayer from Walmart $8.00 and a pressure gauge from the local farm & home $4.00. I'm planning to use the hose and fittings that came with the sprayer and keep the cost down even further but am having a problem with the master cylinder cover. If I drill a hole in the top of my present cover I have ruined an original cover that I had planned to keep in service. I can order a new cover for about $20.00 which blows my cheap bleeder concept. Summit racing has a cover that will maybe fit my master cylinder for $10.00 which still blows my el-cheapo concept. If I add shipping to any of these parts it will be more expensive yet.
So, I seem to have all the parts to assemble a bleeder for $12.00 minus the master cylinder cover. That cover seems to be in the way of achieving my goal of "el-cheapo".
I have been trying to think of a way to make a top that will work for a cover during the bleeding process. It would only need to hold back about 20 lbs. of pressure which isn't much.
So I was a-thinkin if yall wanted to get involved, we could make this a forum project and see how cheap we can make one of these things.
I've got 12 bucks in mine so far but need help figuring out what material I can fabricate for a cover...............any ideas people?Question



SPONSOR AD:: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)

Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/21/08 7:03pm Message 2 of 16
Profile Pic
Lifetime MemberLifetime Member
Send PM
Waterford, MI - USA
Joined: 9/13/2002
Posts: 1755
Vette(s): 1973 Red coupe
My friend just used a piece of flat stock aluminum about 1/4" thick and some ruber gasket material. To hold it to the master cylinder he uses  a C-clamp. Then he uses a air compressor with a pressure control valve set at 5psi to apply the pressure. You have to make sure the thing doesn't run out of brake fluid but that is all it takes. I have used it several times and it works great.


Brian - NCM Lifetime Member

73 coupe L48, Flat-top pistons, Performer RPM Heads, Crane Cam and roller rockers, Holley 650 vac sec. Performer intake,
3.55 gear BTO 200-4R trans,
Leather seats, Seatbelt Plus 3point seatbelts, Pioneer CD player
Magnaflow Exhuast System

Dewitt radiator and dual electric fans
Borgeson Steering box
 


Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/21/08 7:52pm Message 3 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 10/21/2003
Posts: 1220
Rich, I should have a spare MC cover from an old leaky master if you want it.


Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/21/08 8:00pm Message 4 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 1/4/2007
Posts: 475
That sounds great Mike. I'll PM ya shortly.


Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 4:00am Message 5 of 16
Profile Pic
Standard Member
Send PM
Victor, NY - USA
Joined: 7/12/2004
Posts: 6842
Vette(s): 2004 Commemorative Edition Coupe, Auto w/HUD. 13K miles in 2015. Sold 1982 Red Coupe
You could probably find a used cover at a local junk yard.
A new one should be $10 at Advance, Auto Depot, Pep or one of the other places.
 
It would be cool to add an oil sight or dip stick so you could monitor the level without removing the cover.



 
Save the Wave!
Support the National Corvette Museum   

Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 6:38am Message 6 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 1/4/2007
Posts: 475
I don't think the fluid in the master cylinder needs to be monitored during the bleeding process. The pressure tank will have 1/2 gallon fluid in it and it itself has a semi-transparent plastic so if I keep an air tight (siliconed connections) seal between the tank and the mc cover all I need to do is keep the fluid in the tank monitored.
Am I a-think-n straight here???Confused



Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 9:49am Message 7 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Horse Cave, KY - USA
Joined: 10/22/2007
Posts: 488
Vette(s): 1968 convertible; 1980 L-82
Get one of these and have at it.
Smile



Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 10:20am Message 8 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Joined: 10/21/2003
Posts: 1220
It helps to have a clear hose to the master. That way, when you're done bleeding the system, you can turn the tank on its side and reopen the front bleeder watching the air gap in the hose til it gets to the master. Saves having a mess of brake fluid spilling when you pull it all apart.
Also, something I've noticed. If you start out with the level in the master about 1/2" below the top, when you finish bleeding, it's still 1/2" below the top. Something about hydraulics???
Rich, found the cap, got it ready to go. Send it tomorrow. Gasket too.



Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 1:34pm Message 9 of 16
Former Member
Send PM
Yelm, WA - USA
Joined: 7/12/2007
Posts: 356
Vette(s): 1979 L82 4 speed Scat 383 crank 190 cc Procomp Aluminum Heads 202 160 stainless valves GM Powder metal rods Speedpro H860CP Hypereutectic pistons 280 cam hydralic HEI Pro comp 1.6 roller rockers Mighty Demon 750 Sanderson CC1AP Hedders.

Interesting I want to know how an old MC cover works out! I got a falt piece sheet metal from the hardware store, it was a little too thin for my liking but it worked. I thought about using the old MC cover but I was worried about getting a good seal with it since I noticed little holes in the top. You could totally get away with using the original line on the sprayer.

I did not put any fluid in the sprayer, I just had air in it. I thought about putting fluid in it but I didn't. I noticed that this seemed to be an air over fluid method rather than a fluid pressure system so I didnt want brake fluid squirting out of the sprayer into the MC reservoir. I couldn't find anything smaller than a 1 gallon sprayer either. I did later try to add fluid to the MC wihtout taking the cover off but I never came up with way that was easier/cleaner than just taking the cover off the MC. For mine I started with an empty dry brake system so I did end up having to add fluid to the MC alot, after I had system filled it was a lot easier to bleed without adding fluid everytime. 
For the MC cover I used my old MC gasket (I had bought a chrome cover n new gasket) And I had an un-used fuel fitting that I attached to the fab'd MC cover. A couple of old rusty hose clamps, I sprang for the tygon tube just cause it comes in handy to have in the shop. I will put some more pics of mine up later on today. It would be nice to come up with a CHEAP mc cover though! 
 
  



Who wants to build a bleeder?

Posted: 2/22/08 8:35pm Message 10 of 16
Profile Pic
Lifetime MemberLifetime Member
Moderator
Send PM
Burke, VT - USA
Joined: 1/23/2002
Posts: 7315
Vette(s):
SOLD - "The Toy" - '70 Convertible
SOLD - "The Beast" - '90 ZR-1 (#682)
SOLD - "Betty" - '28 Ford Model A Tudor
SOLD - "BLKBRRD" - '78 Pontiac Trans Am
"BLUBYU" - '04 Coupe
A couple of months ago I had rounded up most of the parts to put one of these together but then it got too darn cold to spend much time in the garage.  Bought an extra MC cover for "The SilverBuckboard" but still have to figure out what to do for "The Toy" and "BIGBRRD" (like the flat piece of metal idea).
 
My understanding of how to use them is to have fluid in the MC and the sprayer.  Putting pressure on the sprayer forces fluid through the brake system without worrying about the MC going dry.



Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!

in Forum: C3 General Discussion


SPONSOR AD: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)