Bleed Brakes Properly
There are several options for bleeding brakes:
1. START ON THE BRAKE LIKE THAT IS FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER! Thus start with the rear passenger wheel. You can do this with a Brake Bleeder Wrench or any old wrench. It's just easier to use a brake bleeder wrench in conjunction with some tubing so you don't get the near paint remover qualities of brake fluid on your wheels, etc. So put some tubing on the little nubby and the tubing inside an old water bottle. Get your wrench on the nipple and have your buddy stop on the brake and HOLD it, you open the nipple, fluid will burst out, or air will, or bubbles, etc. Close the nipple and have your friend lay off the brake. Repeat, repeat, repeat until there is no more air, bubble, etc.
Then go to the next one (Drivers Rear) then passenger front, then drivers front, then do the master cylinder. That's right, have your buddy stomp on the brake and turn the forward most metal lines that's going into the master cylinder. There will for sure be air in there.
You may have to add fluid during this process. Don't get the reservoir run dry otherwise you'll have to start again.
2. Use a Mityvac with brake bleeder The Best Place to buy is here on ebay This is by far the best way, and you can do it solo. Follow the instructions. Principal is the same but you will be using the mityvac instead of your buddy.
3. I've heard you can just open all of the valves a tiny bit overnight or for a few hours. I wouldn't recommend it.
4. Here is another method:
1- Get two of those tire filler connectors that engages with the valve stem stays there until you take it off and about 4 feet of gas station type pressure hose. Install the valves on it.
2. Get a spare brake fluid reservoir cap and an old bycycle tire. Cut the valve off the old tire leaving a disk of rubber on it. Drill the appropriate hole at the center of the cap, mount the valve in it from the inside and allow the rubber disk to seat at the perimeter when you screw it tight on the reservoir. Put the cap on the maximally topped up brake fluid reservoir. Have the left front tire pressure at 40 to 45 lbs.
3. Connect the hose to the cap then the tire to pressurize the brake system. You may need to add a hose clamp to the rubber hose off the bottom of the reservoir that feeds brake fluid to the clutch master cycinder on the stickshift models. The tire pressure can blow it off.
4- Crack each bleeder screw lose then attach a clear tube to it draining into a clear container. Open that bleeder screw to allow the pressure on the reservoir to push the fluid through the system ... allow fluid to flow until it is free of air and looks like new fluid. Don't allow the reservoir to go dry, you will have to start over.
Check the air pressure in the left front when you are done. Mixing different types and grades of brake fluid can cause the fluid to turn really dirty looking right away. According to a Prestone engineer I talked to that does not affect the functional characteristics of the fluid.
