FAQ

Is it normal to see an air pocket in the clear tubing?

Yes, it is. In the tubing from the bleeder tank, the fluid tends to flow down the sides of the tube and typically the air that is seen is the air displaced out of the master cylinder or residing in the hose when the bleeder is pressurized. As the pressure increases you will see the air pocket shrink as it is compressed. If you look carefully you'll see brake fluid flowing past the air pocket to the brake reservoir. As long as there is fluid in the brake reservoir all is well. If there is a bend in the tubing from the tank to the hose the air pocket will be at the highest point in the tubing. However, if you see a stream of bubbles coming from where the bleeder tubing is connected to the tank that is a sign that the hose clamp should be crimped a bit tighter.

Why do I need to bleed my brakes?

Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs water from the atmosphere, lowering its boiling point and causing corrosion. Particulate contamination--microscopic particles of rust and rubber--hastens wear of moving components. This is why manufacturers and mechanics recommend fully flushing hydraulic fluid annually. In addition, whenever the hydraulic system has been opened (e.g. when a hydraulic system component is changed), the system must be bled of air.

Why should I pressure bleed?

Pressure bleeding provides a safe and effective way to flush brake fluid in its natural direction and remove trapped air and other contaminants from the hydraulic system. A Motive Products POWER BLEEDER is easy to pressurize and holds enough fluid for a complete system flush. This is contrary to reverse bleeding where you hook a pressurized line to the bleeder valves on the calipers can force contaminants into critical parts of the ABS system and master cylinder. Also, the typical method of pumping the brake pedal while a helper opens and closed the bleeder valve can actually damage your master cylinder. By pushing the pedal past the normal travel distance the master cylinder seals on the piston can be ripped or gouged by areas in the master cylinder bore that are rusted due to severely contaminated brake fluid or worn.

How do I use and maintain my POWER BLEEDER?

The POWER BLEEDER is very easy to use and maintain. To clean the POWER BLEEDER after use pours denatured alcohol into the tank and into the tube. Dispose of dirty alcohol. Allow the unit to air dry. Store in a cool, dry, dark area with the hose wrapped loosely around the unit without any kinks in the hose. DO NOT USE BRAKE CLEANER ON ANY PART OF THE UNIT. If denatured alcohol can not be found a mild dishwashing detergent may be used, however, ensure all soap is rinsed out prior to air drying unit and that unit is completely dry prior to next use. We highly recommend replacing the hose every 3-4 years or if an inspection shows any damage to the hose.

The brass fittings leak no matter how tight I make them.

The quick and simple solution is to use a piece of Teflon tape on the threads.

It's hard to get the Round Universal Adapter to seal. Is there some other way to get it to seal then using the chains?

1101 takes some patience to set up properly. It's really intended for use only with Toyotas and Hondas. The vast majority of Toyotas use a push on the reservoir cap. Hondas use a locking cap, however, the reservoirs are very thin and when pressurized expand enough to cause leaks with every locking cap we have tried. Therefore both Hondas and Toyotas need to use the 1101 adapter. The key to using 1101 is to have some patience. Always set it up without any fluid in the Motive Products Power Bleeder Tank. This allows you to pressure test the cap without making a mess.

First - take the cone-shaped gasket and place it hemispherical side down into the reservoir. Make sure it isn't tilted. Second - set up the cap with the hooks threaded thru the cap and with the wingnuts installed. Fish the chain ideally underneath metal master cylinder but on some cars, you have to just run it under the reservoir as the master cylinder may not be accessible.

Third - tighten down the wingnuts. Pressurize the Power Bleeder - if you are lucky the cap will hold pressure - but usually, there will be a leak - most time you can hear it and tell from which side the leak is coming from. Tighten down the wingnut nearest the leak until you stop the leak. Pressurize again and look/listen for leaks. This may take a few iterations until you have it to the point where it will hold 10-15psi. Once you are satisfied it holds pressure then depressurize the tank, fill with fluid and then re-pressurize.

Similar to the c-clamp trick used on some customers have been able to use clamps on 1101. Here are some pictures on a Honda CRV.

What's the difference between a Black label versus Red Label Power Bleeder Kit or adapter?

Red label kits and adapters use either injection molded or machined hard plastic reservoir cap. The total length of hose with a Red label kit including the hose on the tank is three feet. A Black label cap uses a CNC machined metal cap and the total hose length for the bleeder kit is six feet. Also, Black label kits that use a female threaded cap also have a swivel fitting on the cap that allows the cap to be threaded onto the reservoir without kinking the hose.

Converting a PowerBleeder to a PowerFill or PowerExtractor

Motive products really discourage this idea. Not because they want to sell you another tool but from a safety perspective you'd be taking a huge risk. While a bit of brake fluid in your tranny or diff probably won't cause a failure, brake seals in calipers, master cylinders and abs units are very sensitive to things other than brake fluid. Mixing a bit of ATF into your brake system is probably not a great idea. While you may do a great job in attempting to clean your power bleeder after using it for gear or motor oil why risk it?

Pump Troubleshooting

A rule of thumb is that in an empty half-gallon tank 20 pumps should give you 5psi increase in pressure so to 15 psi about 60 strokes. A tank with fluid in it will require less pumping as there is less air to compress. Four things to check

• Make sure there is a flapper valve in the bottom of the pump. It looks like a rubber plug, it covers 4 holes that allow air to go out of the pump but doesn't allow air to go back into the pump.
• Remove and make sure there isn't any dirt or debris in the flapper valve. Replace it and try the pump again. Occasionally the pumps are over greased internally and you will see some blue grease between the flapper valve and the bottom of the pump shaft. Clean out the excess grease.
• If that doesn't work remove the pump cylinder by giving it a quick sharp tug while holding the handle, the cylinder should come off and you should see a white piston on the end of a metal shaft. The circumference of the piston should be covered in blue grease. If it isn't pleasing evenly distribute the grease and re-assemble the pump. Also, make sure the piston is actually threaded onto the metal shaft. We've had a few pumps escape recently where the assemblyperson forgot to grease the piston. Any thick grease should work as the fluid doesn't get into the pump unless the flapper valve is missing or bad. We prefer caliper assembly grease.
• There is a rubber ring at the top of the pump cap. Sometimes they get a bit dry and don't seal well. Just put a bit of grease or brake fluid on it to make it seal better.

Do I have to bench bleed my master cylinder if I use the PowerBleeder?

If it's a new M/C and it's out of the car they always recommend doing a bench bleed - but normally you don't need to.

If you're having problems with a new m/c installed in a car try these in order.

• Make sure the m/c is level compared against the ground - if the m/c is not level air bubbles can be trapped at one end.
• Use a brick or rig the brake pedal so that is partially depressed about 1/3-1/2 stroke.
• Finally, if you need to crack open the fittings on the m/c and let it force fluid out of the m/c - put some rags underneath to catch the fluid and have some water handy to clean off any mess.