When bleeding the brakes or flushing old fluid out, should I do the closest to the mc or the furthest one first and why?
General convention is to do the furthest first, no idea why, from memory you use the pump to bleed the rears?
If you can use the ābicycle tube methodāā¦it worksā¦genious
Mitch
ps. sometimes fewest words convey the most knowledge.
pssā¦yesterday vicki and I bled the brakes on our 70 E 2+2 NO NEED FOR BRAKE BLEEDERSā¦as it has the cross over pipes changedā¦oh and did not sit and pump the brakes as we used the bicycle tube method
Iāve always followed the procedure for bleeding the brakes described in the Haynes manual without any problems. Empty the vacuum by pumping the pedal about 30 times then start with the Rear right side first then rear left side, front right side and finally front left side. Iām not certain why it is that particular order but my guess would be it makes sense to remove the old fluid / air from the longest pipe runs first in order to prevent cross contamination. Iāve read conflicting views about whether to have the engine running to actually maintain the vacuum but Iāve never done that on my car ( MY93 ) and have never encountered any problems when changing the fluid.
Casso ā¦
Emptying the vacuum ?
All you get with the engine running is a vacuum assist to push down the brake pedal. A manual brake pedal with no vacuum assist works just as well. Personally Iāve never run the engine during the āupā¦up ā¦ downā¦downā brake bleeding process. And itās always been my wife doing the brake pedal pushing.
And the ā40, unless its been converted, isnāt vacuum assist.
Robin ā¦
Excellent point. I converted my XJ40 to vacuum assisted brakes so long ago I completely forgot thatās not the way it came.
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what is that method?
I converted to vacuum assist a yaer ogo.
I did say I followed the procedure described in the Haynes manual. Step 5 says " remove any residual vacuum from the servo and pressure in the anti lock braking system ( if equipped) by applying the brake about 30 times with the engine off " so that is why I repeated it in my post. The point I was making was that by following this procedure during the many ( 10 or more ) brake fluid changes I have completed during XJ40 ownership I have never encountered a problem. I also made it clear that I too have never run the engine while doing the 'down up down ā part, but I have read on other forums that other people do.
Get some speed bleeders. Thatās probably a good idea.
Robinā¦a picture is worth all my wordsā¦thanks
YESā¦the bicycle tube methodā¦as I said above
you can even us a bicycle pumpā¦or like on an E-type use both ends of the ācut in halfā bicycle tube on any of the 3 reservoirā¦pull the end of the cut tube (remove the cap and pull the tube over the filler area) then tighten with a clampā¦can clamp off other cut end or put over other reservoir. Inflate the inner tubeā¦pressure is exerted on the fluid sitting in the fluid reservoirā¦go crack open the bleed nipplesā¦the pressure in the bicycle tube is pushed against the fluid in reservoir then hoses/tubes thru calipers to nipple
Mitchā¦ another genius on an E-type with rear inborn Dunlap S2,S3 calipersā¦change the cross over pipe so the bleeder nipple gets moved to the inside(closest to the yoke/drive shaft) where the brake fluid feed wasā¦and the this brake feed pipe gets moved to the outsideā¦thus allowing enough room to access the brake bleed nipple (7/16 wrench). NO NEED FOR BRAKE BLEEDERS
Of noteā¦I was NOT the genius who thought of the "bicycle tube methodā¦I do not know who was
And I was not the genius who thought of changing the pipes on top of the dunlop caliperā¦but I do know who wasā¦PETE PEDERSON. may he rest in peaceā¦RIP