OT: A Simple Balloon Valve To Bleed And Flush Your Brakes

[Mike]

Here's something that may be of use.

http://pstca.com/articles/bleed/balloon.htm

 

[Martin Riddle]

I'm thinking more about guaranteeing air-free.

...Jim Thompson
--

The two person method is preferred to eliminate air. I tried, check
valves and pressure bleeders, but the best results are with the old lady
on the pedal and a 1/4" wrench and me under the vehicle.

Cheers

 

[Rich Grise]

On Aug 9, 7:44 am, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-I...@On-My-

Brake fluid is cheap. I just pump and dump lots of it to flush out
the air and dirt. It's still less waste than a single engine or
transmission oil change.

Just capture the bleed fluid in a cup or something and take it to the
local oil recycler place.

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Mike]

Teflon tape in a brake system? Not me, brother. Little hunks come off
and get lodged in vital places.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

The teflon tape is needed to seal the threads and prevent air from
leaking back into the brake cylinder. This would defeat the purpose of
bleeding the brakes.

Here is a picture showing the conical end of the bleed screw and the
bleed hole:

"http://www.lrseries.com/resources/user/da98f4f44ff240675c875046db7a3ce80
d6996c0/RTC1115-BLEED-SCREW.jpg"

When you apply the teflon tape and insert the bleed screw into the brake
cylinder, the action of the screw is towards the cylinder. Any possible
debris from the teflon is trapped as the bleed screw moves further into
the hole.

It is not necessary to tighten the bleed screw to make a good seal. Just
finger-tight is good enough. This prevents damaging the teflon tape, so
there is no debris created.

When you bleed the brakes, the flow of brake fluid is out of the brake
cylinder, past the conical end of the bleed screw, into the bleed hole,
and out into the storage jar. This will force any possible debris into
the collection jar.

When you remove pressure from the brake pedal, the balloon valve closes.
This prevents air and any debris from getting sucked back into the brake
cylinder. It also prevents dirty fluid from the collection jar from
flowing back into the cylinder.

If any debris did happen to get into the cylinder, it would merely join
all the other debris from the brake lines and master cylinder that
collects in the bottom of the cylinder. This is not removed when bleeding
the brakes. If the other debris has not caused any harm, there is little
reason to believe any teflon debris would.

The bleed screw is closed after the brakes are bled. The end of the screw
is conical and seals against the outlet side of the brake cylinder. There
is no chance for any debris to get back into the cylinder when the bleed
screw is closed.

Since the balloon valve prevents any backflow into the brake cylinder
while you are bleeding the brakes, and the bleed screw seals the brake
cylinder outlet when you are finished, there is little reason for any
concern of teflon debris entering the brake system.

 

[Mike]

Is that really any different from just putting the end of the bleed
tubing into an elevated jar, filled slightly with say 1 cm deep of
fresh brake fluid, as a check valve?

A lot of sites recommend doing that. I tried it - it seemed to just slosh
the fluid back and forth, with little actual movement of fluid from the
brake system into the jar. This wastes time, and risks bringing debris
from the brake lines back into the anti-skid valves. This could cause
serious problems that could be expensive to repair.

I like the Teflon tape idea. But... how would you remove the Teflon
tape from the screw when done changing fluid? That would introduce a
whole lot of air into the system. Or do you mean, just leave it there
forever??? Won't heat be a problem?

Teflon is used to coat frying pans, so I think it can stand up to the
heat. But it really doesn't matter. When you are done, just close the
bleed screw. The tape remains on the threads, but it cannot do any harm
since it is on the outlet side of the bleed screw.

Here is a picture showing the conical end of the bleed screw and the
bleed hole:

"http://www.lrseries.com/resources/user/da98f4f44ff240675c875046db7a3ce80
d6996c0/RTC1115-BLEED-SCREW.jpg"

The conical end of the bleed screw seals against the brake cylinder when
it is tightened. This prevents any air or debris from entering the
cylinder after the bleed screw is closed.

 

[Martin Riddle]

A lot of sites recommend doing that. I tried it - it seemed to just
slosh
the fluid back and forth, with little actual movement of fluid from
the
brake system into the jar. This wastes time, and risks bringing debris
from the brake lines back into the anti-skid valves. This could cause
serious problems that could be expensive to repair.


Teflon is used to coat frying pans, so I think it can stand up to the
heat. But it really doesn't matter. When you are done, just close the
bleed screw. The tape remains on the threads, but it cannot do any
harm
since it is on the outlet side of the bleed screw.

Here is a picture showing the conical end of the bleed screw and the
bleed hole:

"http://www.lrseries.com/resources/user/da98f4f44ff240675c875046db7a3ce80
d6996c0/RTC1115-BLEED-SCREW.jpg"

The conical end of the bleed screw seals against the brake cylinder
when
it is tightened. This prevents any air or debris from entering the
cylinder after the bleed screw is closed.

http://www.speedbleeder.com/ are better, have to get myself a set.

The Motiv pressure bleeders just make a mess.

Cheers

 

[Ray O]

The teflon tape is needed to seal the threads and prevent air from
leaking back into the brake cylinder. This would defeat the purpose of
bleeding the brakes.

Here is a picture showing the conical end of the bleed screw and the
bleed hole:

"http://www.lrseries.com/resources/user/da98f4f44ff240675c875046db7a3ce80
d6996c0/RTC1115-BLEED-SCREW.jpg"

When you apply the teflon tape and insert the bleed screw into the brake
cylinder, the action of the screw is towards the cylinder. Any possible
debris from the teflon is trapped as the bleed screw moves further into
the hole.

It is not necessary to tighten the bleed screw to make a good seal. Just
finger-tight is good enough. This prevents damaging the teflon tape, so
there is no debris created.

When you bleed the brakes, the flow of brake fluid is out of the brake
cylinder, past the conical end of the bleed screw, into the bleed hole,
and out into the storage jar. This will force any possible debris into
the collection jar.

When you remove pressure from the brake pedal, the balloon valve closes.
This prevents air and any debris from getting sucked back into the brake
cylinder. It also prevents dirty fluid from the collection jar from
flowing back into the cylinder.

If any debris did happen to get into the cylinder, it would merely join
all the other debris from the brake lines and master cylinder that
collects in the bottom of the cylinder. This is not removed when bleeding
the brakes. If the other debris has not caused any harm, there is little
reason to believe any teflon debris would.

The bleed screw is closed after the brakes are bled. The end of the screw
is conical and seals against the outlet side of the brake cylinder. There
is no chance for any debris to get back into the cylinder when the bleed
screw is closed.

Since the balloon valve prevents any backflow into the brake cylinder
while you are bleeding the brakes, and the bleed screw seals the brake
cylinder outlet when you are finished, there is little reason for any
concern of teflon debris entering the brake system.

Teflon tape should not be used on bleeder screws, and you will not find any
competent automotive technician using it because it can prevent a proper
seal.

By the way, ABS does not stand for "anti-skid" brakes; ABS stands for
anti-lock brakes.

 

[Clive]

By the way, ABS does not stand for "anti-skid" brakes; ABS stands for
anti-lock brakes.

When it first came out, Ford called it "Advanced Braking System".

 

[Gary L. Burnore]

When it first came out, Ford called it "Advanced Braking System".

When Volvo invented it, they called it "Antilock Breaking System".
--
gburnore at DataBasix dot Com
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[Conscience]

What were they breaking?

<g>

 

[Warren]

Gary L. Burnore expounded in

When Volvo invented it, they called it "Antilock Breaking
System".

For a long time it was an "Ain't Braking System".

Warren