As I stated in my original post, I need the ability to carry out this operation myself. For some reason, people chimed in with methods which require two people. Now, I could have gone into detail stating I have a vacuum unit which I use for bleeding at the wheel if I ever remove the caliper or wheel cylinder; however, I felt I was clear in stating I was looking for information regarding pressure bleeding vs vacuum bleeding. Apparently, I should have expanding on that to (hopefully) eliminate the responses regarding basic brake bleeding.

Either way, this thread should provide value to someone else in the future.

 

Did not know the motive bleeder was out there. Looks like a great product. problem will be getting adapters to fit all mc caps. adaptor kits alone are $400. Don't bleed enough to justify that cost. I've tried to make one using a old cap....fail

 

The method I detailed with the hose, and container, is a one person job, and will work for bleeding, or flushing. Only difference is, how much fluid you use, and how often you step on the pedal.

 

Just making sure you understand the OJ container and hose method. This flushes all the old fluid out of your system This is a one man job. You put fluid in the OJ container initially so you don't pick up air when you lift the pedal. If you don't prime the OJ container, then its the same as using two people and a catch can.

Here is a detailed play by play:
Prime the OJ container with a couple inches of fluid
Place clear hose through top of container, submerged in fluid
Open bleeder screw, and push hose over it.
Check master cyl, make sure its full, put cap back on.
Jump in the car and start slowly pumping the brakes
After a few pumps, refill the master, and check the tube for clear fluid
keep going until you see clear fluid in the tube, at that point - close bleeder and move to next wheel.
OPTIONS:
Get a turkey baster from WalMart and suck out the fluid in the master cyl and add fresh fluid before starting procedure.


I've been doing that for a long time, and since it didn't happen w/o pics, I just noticed the spider webs on the bottle... hahahha, its been a while since I've used it... but here you go. Mine is a little fancy, I have a 90 fitting on the bleeder end - but its optional.

 

The problem with the OJ container method is old fluid will be sucked back into the brake system when the pedal returns to the upright position. The #1 rule I was taught when I first learned how to work on brakes is to ensure the bleeder valve is closed before the pedal returns to the upright position. The OJ ( or bottle) method is good when there are two people are working on the brake system and the person with the bottle can observe for air bubbles.

 

Yes, the bottle method will suck some fluid back from the bottle, most of it though, will come from the master cylinder. It's not a perfect method, but, it does indeed work. I have used it more times than I can count.

 

Observe the air bubbles? Oookay... but if I am two man bleeding, I just cycle the value and let it squirt it out until I hear no more air spurts - then I know we are done. If there is a bottle in that scenario, its just a catch can. And I would be using a catch can if I were flushing they system. The trick here is when the bottle is in use as specified, it extends the system to include the hose and bottle. A few pulses of the pedal pushes all the air out of that hose and now you're just transferring fluid out of the cylinders and into the clear tube. You are done when the fluid goes clean in the tube. Always be careful you don't empty your master when performing this operation.

This is really a great life hack. Its right up there with the bucket of water and vinyl tubing I use as a level. People get freaked when I walk up with my 5 gallon Kitty litter bucket with the end of 30 feet of vinyl tube plugged into the side, and I proceed to level off an 30 foot radius at very high precision without moving the bucket or setting up anything. Vinyl tubing is great stuff.... Anyway, this flush really works!!!! You should try it before you dismiss the process - it'll cost you less than $1 for the tube. I think its going to blow your mind But really, its just physics.

 

Never heard that method of leveling how does that work?

 

OP I understand you are asking about the fancy machines an the differences, but we are backstage mechanics. None of use will spend that much it want to wait for it to arrive (we are more impatient then cheap). I only know two guys on here (one being be) who have some fancy tools. We look at it as why spend even $30 for a fancy machine an wait a week, when we can go to the local store and for under $5 do it that same day (assuming you don't get wasted on that there moonshine). Speaking of moonshine someone is stealing mine because the jar was full a minute ago....I swear I only took a sip or 12

 

Off topic, but I'll bite to demonstrate that sometimes old tech is worth leveraging.

I use a bucket with a nipple low in the side and some tubing. If you hold the tubing up, and put water in the bucket, the water level will rise in the tube to the same height as the water in the bucket. So you put the bucket in the middle and walk around and see where you are at depth wise. Leveraging this physical science fact has be been tracked back as far as the Egyptians. There are a ton of references to it on the internet, and lots of variations. I usually zip tie the tube to a stick of wood, and then mark my high or low spot. People go a little crazy, buying all kinds of stuff to make it marginally better... I'd rather use the $ to fund something I don't have...

I used to just rent a laser level (spinning one) when we dropped in a new building or driveway. The key to getting it right is to first level the silly laser level main unit, usually with a bubble float. Besides high sunlight days causing you grief seeing hte laser, even a small deviation to level will propagate the error and cause you a large deviation if you're doing a large area. If the water deviates from being level over distance, you - well everyone on the planet, has a much larger problem!