Bleeding brakes pnmy '50 without a friend - - help!

[Gary_N]

A question. Has anyone figured out how to bleed brakes without an assistant? I can do this on my newer cars, but unless I make some friends soon, I may have a big problem.

I have a cap with a air fitting and gauge that I use on my Corvette. I can set the air pressure to 15 pounds and just open and the bleeder valve until the fluid runs bubble free. It's a great way to flush the system.

I have some ideas on fabbing something up, but wanted to check to see if someone has already come up with a solution. I wonder if my old system could handle 15 pounds of pressure??

Thanks!

Gary

[old-tank]

Gary

Your idea should work, since in 1971 I had some brake done at BrakeO in Houston and that is how they did it on my 55 Special. They just took the cap off the master cylinder under the drivers floor, replaced with a special fitting and opened all the bleeders for a few minutes.

At home I still do it the old fashioned way: attach a hose to the bleeder and with the other end in a jar with some fluid covering the end; pump the pedal 5 times slowly, refill and move the the next bleeder. For flushing rather than bleeding repeat procedure on the first bleeder 3 times before moving on. If using synthetic fluid in new dry system repeat the next day pumping very slowly to remove residual air that was dissolved in the fluid.

Willie

[ol' yeller]

You can buy a very inexpensive vacuum pump at most any parts house. They come with a reservoir and piping. Make sure the master cylinder is full, attach to the closest wheel cylinder and draw fluid until no bubbles appear, keeping a close eye on the master so you don't drain it. Then go on to the next wheel. I had to discover something else as my wife has informed me she will no longer help me bleed the brakes.

[old-tank]

Greg

I never could get the vacuum thing to work on my 55's or a 51 Ford...maybe it was my deficient talents or the equipment that I borrowed.

Willie

[Gary_N]

Well I forgot all about the fact that I have one of those Mitivac (sp??) units that's been sitting in the garage for a few years. It worked great. At least I have some pedal now and I did it without having to hunt down a neighbor.

I bought a couple of New wheel cylinders from eBay and I was worried that they might not work since the seller claimed they would fit all years from '50 - '70. Since they did work, I guess some things last a while.

Gary