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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:21:29 -0400
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From: Gary Casey <glcasey@adelphia.net>
Subject: Re: Clean and Quick Brake Bleeding

I built a bleeding system that functions similar to Dennis', but I'm  
not attaching a photo - too embarrassing :-).  I found a small  
plastic bottle from the kitchen and, with the help of a little RTV,  
installed a tube fitting in the bottom.  A long piece of clear soft  
plastic tubing (Tygon) was used to connect to the bleeder fitting on  
the brake cylinder and the bottle with hydraulic fluid was held  
higher than the reservoir.  I opened the bleeder fitting and waited  
until the fluid rose in the master cylinder.  That works well for the  
first time it is filled, but after that you may have to do like  
Dennis, connecting an overflow tube to the reservoir as it may  
overflow before any bubble gets pushed out.  I don't know how you  
then lower the reservoir level back to the correct level, probably by  
simply draining some back out of the wheel cylinder.  I took some  
care to make sure all the lines were either very small or were sloped  
up toward the reservoir - otherwise an air bubble could remain  
trapped in a high spot in the system.  The designers of automotive  
systems used to rely on the tubing being small enough that a air  
bubble could be pushed out the bottom of the system.  These days,  
with complex passages inside the antiskid systems the only reliable  
way is with vacuum.  The good thing about that is that it only  
requires a connection at the reservoir.  Vacuum applied to the  
reservoir could also work on our systems, but I don't know if the  
master cylinder seals would hold against a vacuum.

Gary Casey
On Mar 13, 2008, at 3:00 AM, Lancair Mailing List wrote:

>
> I've experimented with a variety of ways to bleed the brakes on my  
> Legacy.  Some worked, some didn't.  Here's one that worked:
>
>
> The galvanized steel bucket is a pressure pot I bought at a garage  
> sale.  House painters use them.  If you're not lucky enough to find  
> one at a garage sale, Harbor Freight often has a two quart model on  
> sale for $30, which includes a paint spray gun, too!  The two quart  
> pot would actually be a little more convenient than this big and  
> heavy five quart pot.
>
> Here's how it works.  Put a quart or so of brake fluid into the  
> pressure pot and tighten the lid.  Connect one end of a plastic  
> tube from the outflow of the pressure pot and connect the other end  
> to the brake bleeder fitting #87-5.  Tighten the #87-5 fitting to  
> the brake bleeder on the Cleveland brake assembly.  Remove the plug  
> on the top of the brake fluid reservoir on the firewall and replace  
> it with a threaded fitting and a piece of plastic tube that empties  
> into an empty oil can.  Apply 15 psi air pressure to the pressure  
> pot and open the brake bleeder a quarter turn.  The air pressure  
> slowly forces the brake fluid out of the pressure pot and through  
> the brake lines and out the reservoir.  Let it flow out the  
> reservoir until all the air is gone, then close the brake bleeder  
> and remove air pressure from the pressure pot.  Remove the plastic  
> tube connected to the reservoir and use a syringe to suck about  
> half the brake fluid out of the reservoir.
>
> I did it by myself without any trouble, but you might want an  
> assistant the first time you try it.  Do not allow the pressure pot  
> to run empty, which will force air into the brake lines.  Then  
> you'll have to do it again to get rid of the air.  Don't put too  
> much pressure on the lines.  Keep one eye on the pressure pot and  
> the other eye on the overflowing fluid coming out of the  
> reservoir.  Have plenty of rags on hand, just in case.
>
> Good luck,
> Dennis Johnson
> Legacy, first annual inspection complete and back in the air!
>