Date:         Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:02:06 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Speed bleeders?  Not me
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

  Personally, I wouldn't use speed bleeders.  Just one more possible failure
point in a pretty darn important system...brakes and clutches.  If you get
done bleeding the system and you still have a spongy pedal..  Which one
might be leaking air..?  And now, is that pesky piece of grit that held open
the ball valve of the speed bleeder gone?  Inside? Outside?  Don't need
that...

  They are not used on racecars (much)  for obvious reasons.  If it were me
looking to make bleeding clutch and brakes simpler,  I'd get  a power
bleeder, which is nothing more than a glorified weed sprayer bottle with
some tubing and the right cap to fit your brake fluid reservoir.....Motive
is the brand name of the one I use.  Put in (to the Motive pressure bottle)
fresh hydraulic fluid and screw the cap onto your brake fluid reservoir.
Pressurize the bottle by pumping it up and it will send fresh fluid running
into the system as you  open your bleeder screws, starting with the furthest
one from the reservoir..When you see no more bubbles and you're getting
clean fluid, close the valve/screw and go on to the next.  no extra moving
parts, no ball valve to not seat exactly right or anything.  You can do the
whole system in about 1/2 an hour with the van up on jackstands.  Wheels can
even stay on but it's easier to take off the left rear to get the clutch
slave..

  Don Hanson