Bleeding Brakes

[Steve Pierce]

Some more information on the subject.
http://www.shortwingpipers.org/forum...Bleeder-Screws

[Jeff J]

I think I have tried every pump mentioned here plus the $80 ATS kit. By far, the best thing I have used to date is:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Fuel-Pum...glow+fuel+pump

I don't know how long it will hold up against the 5606 but the person I got the idea from has been using one for years.

[walt.buskey]

Well, it says the pump is suitable for gas (petroleum-based) and glow (alcohol-based) fuels, so it should be OK…. If it were rated for glow only, probably not; petroleum-based stuff would rot away the silicone innards. What's the basis for 5606?

[Steve Pierce]

It is petroleum based.

[Jeff J]

Steve, is there something in particular you look for in a garden sprayer? The different ones I tried for bleeding brakes and to hold solvent for cleaning engines only lasted a short time before the seals were ruined and I had to buy another one. This includes the metal one I bought that claimed it was for use with Roundup. It is unusual for me to leave pressure on something like that.

[Steve Pierce]

I bought mine at Ace Hardware. ATS Aircraft Tool Supplies sells one.

[Jeff J]

I have the ATS sprayer. It has held up exceptionally well. The problem I have with it is I can't seem to get the supplied adapters (one for Cleveland and one universal) to fit tight to any bleeder I have encountered. I end up with more 5606 on the ground than I get into the brake system. I should build new connections for it but I got caught without anything to service brakes one day last winter when a buddy hit me up for some help so I went to another buddy to ask him if he had something I could borrow. He handed me one of those little hand crank pumps. The ATS tank has been used for fluid storage ever since (the last 2 gallons of 5606 I bought came in cans that could not be sealed after opening). I figured by the time I fixed the connections on the the ATS system I would have less time and money invested if I just bought one of those little pumps. Time will tell.

[Steve Pierce]

I just use a clear vinyl hose that fits over the bleeder fitting and wrap safety wire around it for good measure. Never had any luck with those fancy Cleveland bleeder adapters.

[andya]

Same experience as Steve, if it's a quicky job, don't even use safety wire, just hold it tight.

[Jeff J]

Well, after one year of using my glow fuel pump, the gears stripped out of it today. For some reason the master cylinder wasn't allowing fluid in from the bottom and my favorite pump couldn't handle the extra pressure and stripped before I realized I wasn't actually moving any fluid into the master cylinder.

I pulled the ATS unit off the shelf and checked it out. The seals still appear to be good after sitting unused for over a year so I will buy fittings tomorrow to make it into something useful for bleeding brakes. I also looked at the adapters that came with it. The "universal" adapter is a grease gun tip and the "Cleveland" doesn't fit proper. I think I could fix it if I had access to a milling machine and/or lathe but I don't at the moment.