Best Brake Bleeder Kits? Motive Products vs MityVac

[tporter67]

I've got a vaccum bleeder that hooks ups to the air compressor. I think it's made by "Four Uncles". I only use it to flush a system quick. When it's time to bleed air out, I use the two person method.

The vaccum function seems to pull air in through the bleeder valve threads, so the bubbles never really stop. Some people say to put grease around the valve to block the air but the chance of grease getting in the system makes me uncomfortable.

 

[Vinnie_B]

I've got a vaccum bleeder that hooks ups to the air compressor. I think it's made by "Four Uncles". I only use it to flush a system quick. When it's time to bleed air out, I use the two person method.

The vaccum function seems to pull air in through the bleeder valve threads, so the bubbles never really stop. Some people say to put grease around the valve to block the air but the chance of grease getting in the system makes me uncomfortable.

Thanks for sharing @tporter67 . Thats what makes me uncomfortable about useing air compressor one's. But I would suppose if you limit (Regulate) your pressue to 10 PSI on the compressor you should be good.

Is this the model?

 

[Vinnie_B]

My Order is in for a Motive Brake bleeder Kit! Thanks too all you SVTP peeps for sharing info and dropping in on the thread! Appreciate you all......

 

[tporter67]

I have a big tall one, i think it’s discontinued. That seems to be the one they sell now. Idk about lowering the pressure too much, may not work. I always ran high pressure like other vacuum tools require.

 

[tomshep]

Another Motive user here. I sprung for the aluminum caps. I like the idea of using it dry. Going to try that the next time.

Tom

 

[ShelbyGT5HUN]

Found a great video showcasing the Motive and Brembos! Check out his dabber/q tip trick. He also recommends the metal caps. Definitely learned something here:

 

[Vinnie_B]

Found a great video showcasing the Motive and Brembos! Check out his dabber/q tip trick. He also recommends the metal caps. Definitely learned something here:

Good video @ShelbyGT5HUN........Thanks for sharing!

 

[Vinnie_B]

It's official.....I'm a Motive Products fan boy.........thanks to all the SVTP peeps!

 

[JAJ]

It's official.....I'm a Motive Products fan boy.........thanks to all the SVTP peeps!


View attachment 1806003

A few notes on doing bleeds with these tools - I've been using them on and off for 20 years:

1. Use a turkey baster or some other kind of picker-upper to lower the level in the master cylinder reservoir before you start. I drop mine down as far as I dare, fill it up with fresh fluid and drop it again. That means you're starting with a low level of fresh fluid in the reservoir.

Where the low fluid level benefits is at the end. In the video, his reservoir was filled to the very brim. If you start with the reservoir at a lower level, the air above the fluid compresses as the pump builds pressure, but it maintains a gap of maybe 3/4 inch at the top of the reservoir. When you release pressure at the end, fluid in the hose goes back into the Motive tank, followed by the decompressing air above the fluid. You're left with a nice tidy fill in the M/C reservoir with reasonable space above the fluid.

2. The best cleaning fluid for brake fluid spills is plain ordinary water. Nothing else. Flush with water, wipe with a rag or a paper shop towel, you're done.

3. Whacking the caliper with a mallet does exactly nothing. If there's air in the brake system when you start, a Motive bleed might not get it. The slow, gentle flow from a Motive might not dislodge bubbles, hammer or not. Nothing is as effective as a foot-pump bleed if there's air in the system. A foot pump bleed compresses the air into smaller bubbles and they get dislodged by the sudden surge of fluid when you open the bleeder. Thing is, of course, if there's no air in the calipers when you start, and if you do the job right, there won't be any air when you finish.

4. I use small bits of paper towel rolled into a point to get the fluid excess out the bleed screws. Same process as the q-tips, just more likely to have on hand.

5. Bosch ESI 6 is a great DOT 3-4-4LV-5.1 fluid. Well priced, long lasting. Boiling points are 518 degree dry and 365 degrees wet, higher than DOT 5.1. The viscosity meets DOT4LV. For performance cars, the dry boiling point is only 18 degrees short of ATE Typ 200 racing fluid.

6. Last but not least, think about getting one of these:

I picked one up in 2019 and it's surprising how accurate it is. As I'm finishing bleeding each caliper bleeder, I close the bleed screw, detach the catch bottle hose and let the last bit of fluid in the hose drain into a little jar and check the water level with the meter. If the fluid that just came out of the bleed screw matches the new fluid from the can (which may register higher than zero, so check first) then you're done with that bleed screw.

 

[Vinnie_B]

A few notes on doing bleeds with these tools - I've been using them on and off for 20 years:

1. Use a turkey baster or some other kind of picker-upper to lower the level in the master cylinder reservoir before you start. I drop mine down as far as I dare, fill it up with fresh fluid and drop it again. That means you're starting with a low level of fresh fluid in the reservoir.

Where the low fluid level benefits is at the end. In the video, his reservoir was filled to the very brim. If you start with the reservoir at a lower level, the air above the fluid compresses as the pump builds pressure, but it maintains a gap of maybe 3/4 inch at the top of the reservoir. When you release pressure at the end, fluid in the hose goes back into the Motive tank, followed by the decompressing air above the fluid. You're left with a nice tidy fill in the M/C reservoir with reasonable space above the fluid.

2. The best cleaning fluid for brake fluid spills is plain ordinary water. Nothing else. Flush with water, wipe with a rag or a paper shop towel, you're done.

3. Whacking the caliper with a mallet does exactly nothing. If there's air in the brake system when you start, a Motive bleed might not get it. The slow, gentle flow from a Motive might not dislodge bubbles, hammer or not. Nothing is as effective as a foot-pump bleed if there's air in the system. A foot pump bleed compresses the air into smaller bubbles and they get dislodged by the sudden surge of fluid when you open the bleeder. Thing is, of course, if there's no air in the calipers when you start, and if you do the job right, there won't be any air when you finish.

4. I use small bits of paper towel rolled into a point to get the fluid excess out the bleed screws. Same process as the q-tips, just more likely to have on hand.

5. Bosch ESI 6 is a great DOT 3-4-4LV-5.1 fluid. Well priced, long lasting. Boiling points are 518 degree dry and 365 degrees wet, higher than DOT 5.1. The viscosity meets DOT4LV. For performance cars, the dry boiling point is only 18 degrees short of ATE Typ 200 racing fluid.

6. Last but not least, think about getting one of these:

View attachment 1806037

I picked one up in 2019 and it's surprising how accurate it is. As I'm finishing bleeding each caliper bleeder, I close the bleed screw, detach the catch bottle hose and let the last bit of fluid in the hose drain into a little jar and check the water level with the meter. If the fluid that just came out of the bleed screw matches the new fluid from the can (which may register higher than zero, so check first) then you're done with that bleed screw.

This is awesome @JAJ! Thank you for sharing a wealth of info and experience to a rookie........