Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi there,
Can anybody recommend, or have experience with, a brake /clutch bleeding kit. I want something more than the "glass jar and piece of tube" type kits and have been looking at the Sealey vacuum kits which draw fluid through the system using a vacuum pump.
I could be tempted to go up-market and purchase a kit driven from an air compressor - if only because of the number of cars in my garage.

Any help/advice gratefully taken.

Martin

Hi Martin

I have used the Gunson kit for years, very good when your are alone in the workshop.

http://www.gunson.co.uk/item.aspx?cat=674&item=1818

Regards
John

I've used various vacuum kits, but always end up back with the simplest solution. Actually, a ?5 bleeder kit from Halfords (a non-return valve in a pot) is my favourite.

With the vacuum bleeders, I can never get a good seal - I'm drawing air passed either the connection to the nipple, or the threads on the bleed nipple. Anyway, I have never enjoyed success.

Hi Peter

That is the advantage of the Gunson kit, it lightly pressurises the system allowing you to deal with bleeding the system single handed.

Regards
John

After trying the vacuum stuff I have to second John, the Eezibleed is marvelously simple and effective.
I think it also was winner in one of the more practical classic magazines in the UK.

Many thanks for all your replies - looks like the Eezibleed then.

Martin B

Is that the one where you use your spare wheel to pressurise the brake reservoir?

Yes, first you screw on the (correct) tap on the reservoir, fill up the refill bottle, and then you connect one of the tubes of the refill bottle to the spare wheel. Then you go to the bleeding valve at the wheel, open it (with a small hose put on) and then the fluid is coming out perfectly. After every wheel you should check the level in the refill bottle. In 5 minutes you got perfectly bleeded brakes.

I have 2 Eezibleeds. The older one I have religated to putting oil into diff's, that is now a really easy job

Use as little pressure as possible.
Apply the pressure slowly - or you get bubbles in the reservoir
make sure that there are no air leeks at the cap or cap connector or it will overfill and flood
release the pressure slowly.
the resorvoir will be absolutely full so make sure you are ready to mop up break fluid

I now use mine empty just to pressurise the system. Sure I have to keep stopping to fill up the reservoir but it saves the mess.

You need a wife, a tube, a liter of brake fluid

Pistacchio sprint 72 wrote:You need a wife, a tube, a liter of brake fluid

And a beer glass which will always taste a bit peculiar afterwards.



I always use an old pickle jar myself.

Pistacchio sprint 72 wrote:You need a wife,

A brake bleeder kit is a lot cheaper and easier to come by. Also no risk of it wanting you to sell the Elan...

Hi Martin,

I've tried three different single handed methods. Firstly, the gunson eezibleed. None of the supplied caps fitted the reservoir so I had to get the universal cover. I could never get a good seal so I ended up liberally covering the garage floor with brake fluid. Next I tried a vacuum hand pump. That was cleaner but hard work with one hand. Lastly I tried a simple non-return valve bleeder (a motorcycle brake bleeder) today. It was tiny and the cheapest but very effective. I wish I had used it first.

I will use the eezibleed to fill the gearbox and diff as per someone's earlier good advice.

Sounds like you've already made your choice. Good luck with what ever you use!

Pete

I just installed SpeedBleeders with a valve inside the bleed screw on all four calipers + clutch slave, and they work well. No jar, no wife, no compressed air. Just open the bleedscrew, pump the pedal then close again.
The clutch slave cylider bleeder was really tricky to reach behind the exhaust though.

http://www.speedbleeder.com/

/Jens
Elan +2
Sweden