How to bleed brake lines
It is slowing down to stop before a traffic light only to find that your brakes are smooth and the pedal is low. These are signs that air has entered the brake lines. Fixing the problem is a two-person job that involves bleeding the brakes of your vehicle. The result is a stiffer brake pedal and a brake system more reactive. Here are some tips on how to bleed the brakes on his car.
Steps
Getting ready
1. Position your car on a flat surface. Cars with automatic transmissions must be in “Park” and those with manual changes must be in first. The parking brake must be worn at all times.
2. Remove the hub cap, loosen the nuts and lock the car with the jack stand.
3. Open the hood and position the small transparent container driver’s side. It will be connected to a small metal block located towards the rear of the engine. This block is called the master cylinder or brake fluid reserve.
4. Remove any old brake fluid still present in the cylinder. Pour enough new fluid to maintain the recommended level for your vehicle.
Purging the brakes
1. Clean any dirt present in the cylinder head cover and loosen the bleed screw. Use a range box to hide the screw while the screw head covered with a transparent tube end. Insert the other end into a disposable container before placing in the barrel of the gauge.
2. Hold the box firmly range while holding the container. Have your partner touch the brakes a few times before you hold the pedal to the floor until he tells you to release.
3. Open the bleed valve briefly to allow fluid to flow through the tube. Secure the screw in place while your partner releases the brakes.
4. Check the drain hose by bubbles that may appear in the brake fluid. Pour enough liquid to keep the level somewhere between the minimum and maximum.
5. Perform the steps to purge the brake lines of the other wheels in the following order: left rear, right front and left front.
6. Make sure your brakes are not spongy and leaks at the connections.
7. Get rid of any excess brake fluid properly and safely.
Testing the brakes
1. Lower your vehicle to the ground and position the wheels back into place. Secure the nuts and put the hubcaps in place.
2. Press the brake pedal several times without the engine running until all the slack in the line go.
3. Take a ride in the car to see if the brakes are working properly
Tips
Always keep the brake fluid reserve full.
Do not allow brake fluid to make contact with rubber or other plastic materials.
Follow safety procedures when boarding the vehicle with the jack.
Bleed the brake lines of your vehicle every two years.
Warnings
The brake fluid will melt the paint of your car.
Dirt particles contaminate the brake fluid and cause brake failure.
Do not release the brake pedal until you close the bleeder screw.
Use only recommended brake fluid for your make and model of vehicle.
Things You’ll Need
Cat
Suction tool
Wrench
Brake Fluid
Clear plastic tube
Disposable waste container
Cloth