Bleeding Brakes By Yourself Without a Scanner!!

[@jocarr1791]

Another way to bleed them yourself is to put a hose on the bleeder screw and put the other end in a partially filled bottle of brake fluid, (ensure it stays submerged to preventair from entering the system), then pump the brakes a few times until the air stops coming out.

[@GdeMarco787]

BINGO!

[@lelandcarlson1668]

I came here to same exactly the same thing. I kept an old Coke bottle (glass) for that purpose.

[@mod_incllc3235]

This is the way I do it as well.

[@RalfyCustoms]

Old jam jar here 😂

[@kellismith4329]

Sometimes those little bubbles you see when you crack the bleeder like that are air that is getting drawn in through the back of the bleeder threads which are now loose - take a Qtip and apply a coat of silicone grease aroung the exposed thread of your bleeders before you crack them, it doubles as a coating to maybe keep the threads from getting siezed before the next time you need to open it.

[@danielscott9137]

Great idea, just used the bottle and hose method and seen a continuous stream of bubbles on the rear driverside. Had me concerned. Brakes are biting but the peddles a bit soft. Doh

[@lowbudgetbob1155]

I've gravity bled many a system over the years. One thing I've found is, if it won't gravity bleed on its' own I've pumped the pedal once or twice about half way down and it help to start fluid flow and that's with a bleeder open. It's worked every time I've tried it.

[@the-struggle-is-real2156]

The way I bleed brakes alone, always that is. Connect clear hose to bleeder screw then open bleeder put the other end into a container with new fluid enough to prevent air flowing back into caliper, now pump brakes and the air bubbles come out and when you relieve pedal it sucks fluid back up. When the hose has no bubbles you are done.

[@peterwill3699]

Hi,I have been doing breaks for 50 years and didn't know that trick of holding the pedel down to stop the draining of break fliud.Thanks. I never tasted break fluid ,but just about everything else, hahaha.

[@jimharper6073]

TMI

[@jeffcompton6937]

50 years and u can't even spell it properly lol. Too much

[@RichardHeadGaming]

Snug the bleeder up finger tight, then pump the peddle yourself. The pressurized system can push air and fluid past the bleeder without letting air back in. Works every time, and been using that method for 20+ years.

[@ianhankin8833]

Thank you so much, other guys are saying you have to spend a fortune on scanners with autobleed functions. Your method cost me £10 for the right sized bit of hose and two used water bottles to act a the reservoirs. It took me a bout 2 hours but this worked fantastically. For anyone who tries it your ABS warning light might still come on at first but after I drove mine for about 500 yards it all reset itself. Brilliant.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

I'm glad I was able to help & you got the job done. Thanks for your comment & watching the channel. Keep wrenching 🔧

[@mikeh6876]

A few years back I invested in a Motive Brake Bleeder system. Damn good investment. I paid about $65 on Amazon only because I got adapters for 2 cars. Works really, really well.

[@LesReeves]

I done a full fluid exchange yesterday & the thing that pissed me off was the rear bleeders were 8mm & the front were 10mm & I also had to take all the wheels off as I couldn't get the spanner on the bleeders .One thing I have noticed you are the only person on YT that uses pipie spanners. Cheers mate.(I bought a bleeder kit off Ebay $ 20 aud uses compressed air.)

[@dereksimenac8844]

Easiest way is to put a hose on the bleeder but instead of pointing it down you point it up so it holds fluid in the line and lets air out the top. All you do is pump the brakes a few times then close the bleeder. Works like a plumbing trap to prevent air from going back into the caliper

[@greggc8088]

A little bit of proactive effort before opening up the brake hydraulic system can save a huge amount of headaches afterwards. It always sickens me to see techs yank the lines, leave the top on the master, and just let the hoses drain all over until the entire system is empty of fluid and full of air. I haven't tried depressing the pedal though as I just cap off the line as soon as it comes off the component. It's crazy how most techs don't notice that I hardly ever have to bleed a system. Just reinstall the line, fill up the master, open the bleeder, and let gravity take care of the few inches of air that got in while I clean and store my tools and then I'm done after a few panic ABS activated stops for good measure to work any air out of the HCU.

[@robhunter2435]

Hi Kenney, I purchased the Motive brake bleeder kit. It pressurizes the master cylinder and forces fluid through the system. They have caps that will fit master cylinders of many different vehicles.

[@lowbudgetbob1155]

I have one myself, makes bleeding brakes a one man job.

[@kellismith4329]

Yep, I have one too, a speedibleed - makes bleeding a breeze and has long since made the $150 purchase worthwhile😊

[@scottshimabukuro8457]

The Motive bleeder is great. It allows you to flush out the old brake fluid and replace it with fresh fluid as well as bleeding.

[@mod_incllc3235]

Nice to see some content working from home sometimes. For when you don't have all the shop tools available! Thanks Kenny!

[@eddiereichel9354]

I had a Ford Fusion in my shop a year or 2 ago. It came in with busted brake line. I bled brakes and I never could get pressure on the Lf which brake line was bad or RR. Spent over an hour doing it. I ordered new master and installed it. I then had brakes on LF and RR but not on RF or LR. So at that point I ordered the pressure bleeding kit which forces fluid through master. I bled it and got brakes on all 4 wheels. I now use it every time I bleed brakes.

[@AT-wl9yq]

No offence to the other posters, but you guys just don't know what you're talking about. I don't say that to be mean, its just true. The first question you need to ask is, why would you need to use a scanner to bleed brakes in the first place? There's a reason for it. To start with, the scanner doesn't bleed the brakes. Only you can do that. On ABS systems, air can get trapped in the hydraulic pump itself. Inside that pump are a bunch of valves. Those valves can only be opened and closed electronically. You can't gravity bleed the air out. It can be power pled, vacuum bled, or anything else. The valves inside the ABS unit have to be opened. This is where the scan tool come in. Sometimes there is an automated feature that runs the pump and opens and closes the valves. This process doesn't bleed the brake system. It just pushed the air through the ABS pump so you can then bleed it out at the wheels. If you don't get the trapped air out of the pump, you can bleed the system all day long and get no results. If you don't have a service bleed function on your scan tool, you have 2 options. The first is to work the valves manually using your scan tool. This is done by going into the data logger/parameter identifier (PID) section of your scanner. If you know what you're doing, you can use the bidirectional control to open and close each valve manually. That's how its supposed to be done if your scanner doesn't have an automated function. Your 3rd option is to not use a scan tool at all. If you manually bleed the air out at each wheel, the 2 lines on the master cylinder, and the 6 lines on the abs pump, you should get enough air out of the system to achieve partial brake pedal. Once you have enough pedal so that the car can be driven safely at slow speeds, drive the vehicle on a slippery surface, like gravel or grass, and slam on the brakes. Your goal is to force the abs pump to activate like it normally would if you lost traction while driving. This is exactly what your scan tool is doing if it has an automated function. Force it to work 2 or 3 times and then bleed the system again at the wheels and you should now have full pedal. If you think you were able to bleed all the air out of your brake system by doing whatever method you thinks works anyway, you didn't. There just wasn't any air trapped in your abs pump to begin with. If you have no air trapped in the pump, you don't need to run through this procedure.

[@joegillespie-n9z]

I once had an issue with a GM 3.1 liter 6 cyl. engine that would intermittently not start. In the end it turned out that the crankshaft position sensor had a high resistance reading in the thousands of ohms. I decided to change out the sensor and never had any starting issues after that. The only conclusion I could think of was that the pickup coil wire windings was possibly broken and with the engine compartment getting hot would change the coils resistance to a point that the sensor would not work. Again, the sensor coil did not have an open resistance reading but read in the thousands of ohms when compared to the reading of the new sensor that read in the hundredths range.

[@AT-wl9yq]

For the hard start issue, I think you can probably rule out a bad cam/crank sensor. On interference motors, the PCM usually doesn't let the vehicle crank if it can't verify timing data.

[@frankstavalo5788]

Anytime, I’m gonna have a brake system apart for a while. I will put a vacuum cap on the brake line this way no fluid will leak out of the system. I also have tools that go on the brake hoses on the banjo side. They work very well. Typically what I’ll do I will gravity bleeder system to get fluid at the wheel and if there is air in the system, and I’m by myself take a piece of vacuum hose, put it on the bleeder and loosen up the bleeder and get a bottle, fill it up halfway with brake fluid make sure the hose stays below the the fluid pump the pedal till you have fluid coming out. I have worked in the field and this works amazing especially when you’re by yourself. Pressure bleeder that attaches to the reservoir work very well also .

[@peterwill3699]

Hi, if you can find a cap for the master cylinder, their are a hundred styles now.

[@willarddenton4360]

I had trouble bleeding my RV and found Speed Bleeders they worked Great 2001 Ford E450

[@TadpoleTrainer]

I believe if you record while wearing headphones or earpiece that would act similarly to a microphone. Newer AirPods or other decent headphones have pretty good noise cancellation and voice recording. Plus then you get nice headphones and a mic

[@i8alota281]

What do you think about Pressure Brake Fluid Bleeder Kits? I bought one from Amazon and it worked great.

[@ranger178]

they make clear hoses with a check valve on bottom that you stick into a clear bottle with some fluid in bottle then you can pump them yourself. just don't open valve too much so you don't suck air in at bleeder.

[@mrbigvanlife7130]

That brake fluid was very dark - good to change it. I suction the old crap from the reservoir to start with fresh and then less bleeding. 😊

[@michaelknorr6825]

Standard brakes are easier. Abs makes it complicated. One easier way is with a small glass jar and a length of clear tubing, long enough to go from the bleeder to inside the jar. With the hose connected to one wheel, and the other end in the jar, pump the brakes about 5 times, until you see fluid in the jar. Position the jar at a point where the hose will be under the fluid level. Pump the pedal again. Close the bleeder and check the level. It may be a good idea to have a bottle of brake fluid on hand. I have used this method to flush the brakes. Start at drivers front, passenger front, and drivers front, passenger rear. Ideally, blead them in order from closest to furthest from the master cylinder.

[@SeanBZA]

With that I got some silicone thick wall sleeving, and capped the one end, and made a small slit in the silicone to make a non return valve. That way I could bleed each one in turn, with the slit under the fluid in the bottle, and pump till the fluid ran clear at that wheel. Basically did a brake flush every time i changed the pads then, getting all the old fluid out.

[@williamorton7600]

Maybe when you get an electric brake car in the shop...pls show that bleed procedure. On my C8 corvette, the pressure bleeder is perfect for the one man bleeding, but on the C8 you have to command the ABS valves open to get the air left in the ABS pump. The dealer knocked it out for me, but had to wait 2 weeks for the appointment. Other videos say you you have to have a top of line scan tool and special software to do it. I'd like ground truth, since future cars will likely have similar brakes. Thanks for akk you do!

[@Grrrnthumb]

The common advice to "crack the bleeder valve open" means 1/8-1/4 turn (or even less). What you did is blast it wide open, not crack it like you said. That's where are those air bubbles came from, you introduced them. They sneak back in along the threads of the bleeder valve. You need a pressurized system or someone constantly pumping the brakes non-stop to avoid introducing air if you want to open the valves that wide. That's why almost all 1-man methods use a tiny crack open and either a brake bleeder gun or require pumping the brakes to get past that tiny crack. Wide open bleeder valve so it can gravity drain is not a good idea for a 1-man bleed.

[@joehyundaitech7961]

Kenny hi the fan does not cover your voice the audio is perfect you are loud and clear

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

Its possible to save huge amounts of time bleeding by thinking about what you are doing.The last caliper I did I gravity bled it before bolting i down that way I could encourage the air to the bleeder. Small amouts of air in the lines will self correct given time..

[@kevinmatson1197]

Some vehicles have to have the brakes bled in a specific order to get rid of all the air in the system. You can't just pick any random way to bleed them

[@giff427dg]

Line wrenches are a.must

[@mckinleygoetz9855]

I'm so thankful for the wealth of knowledge that you share with us.

[@GdeMarco787]

LOLOLOL😅😅😅

[@b4322558]

just get a clear tub and clean soda bottle and drill a hole in the top of it and put the hose in the bottle and open the bleeder up and u got a one man bleeder i have use this for years and works the best asply when u sre by your self

[@johnnydunning3331]

Do you know Kenny love your videos and I look forward to more videos from you I actually learn from you, but you just did a little funny song thing, and the silly funny part to me was I did the exact same thing just a second before you just let it out thanks for the laugh

[@brucemadden1626]

wow--never seen brake bleeding so complicated. A clear hose stuck into a bottle of used fluid; pump until no bubbles; move onto next farthest away; repeat again.

[@rhare7353]

WWK, home depot sells clear plastic tubeing in many sizes, you can watch whats going on

[@partsdave8943]

Could you modify the phone case to allow use of the microphone without removing the case?

[@TOP2095]

Great tip !

[@farmninja6653]

I just take the fluid out of the reservoir. I’m gonna change it again after a few hundred miles so the oil fluid mixes in with the new fluid. After a couple of times, it should do the trick. Lol.

[@davidcraven277]

When I bleed brakes I tap it to release the bubbles works for me

[@dalekundtz760]

Your fan is NOT causing any interference with hearing your audio.

[@rfcasey]

Bleeding brakes by yourself is alot easier than this. Put some fresh break fuild in a container with a hose fished through the cap. Make sure the hose is higher than the bleeder. Press on your brake pedal 5 times in sequence checking your brakes fluid. This will also flush your brake system.

[@unwired1281]

I don’t think the fan is an issue.

[@kanleystubrick4878]

Happens all the time outside the International Fake Station. 🙄

[@SeanBZA]

Isuzu, back in business as a brand now by me, seeing as GM decided to shrink back to being a US only company, and sold off everything they had just about worldwide. Who knows, you might see Holden come back as being a US brand again, Though GM seems to be in the game of shooting themselves in the foot time and again. And yes I currently drive a GM product, even if all of my spares come marked Daewoo corp Korea. Did get a scan tool though, you need it with modern cars, so got a used Ancel one, a step up from the generic OBD reader, and the bluetooth OBD dongle as well. OK not covering all models in market, have met a few already that it does not cover, and with no real ability to borrow a Maybach or a Bentley either, unable to test that it works on those, but it does speak GM, Kia, Hyundai, Honda and VW, along with Mercedes, so has come in useful there. too bad it does not speak Proton other than via OBD, but that at least allowed us to repair the AMT pump, as it identifies as a Renault Clio II, though it does not speak French well, being from Malaysia.

[@Mustangg16]

This guy ever respond to any comments???

[@Jimmy-hi7zc]

Not that I've ever seen! Kind of disappointing.

[@LonnieBrewer-dd4wi]

Yes he does..

[@Mustangg16]

@@LonnieBrewer-dd4wi hardly ever... not one reply or comment on any message on here

[@LonnieBrewer-dd4wi]

@@Mustangg16 He'll get around to you.

[@AT-wl9yq]

Can you blame him? Look at the comments. All you have are a bunch of clueless people trying to tell you what to do. There isn't enough time in the day to respond to all the self proclaimed experts.

[@ewconway]

I remember sucking on hoses to siphon fuel or other automotive fluids my entire life. Hey, it works! 👍

[@daverider5482]

Lol...people typing "peddle" for pedal.

[@drcoffee5588]

Why would anyone leave the bleeder screw cracked open for a week? Gravity bleeding, dumbest method ever. The flow is too slow to remove debris and air bubbles. One person bleeding method. Put a catch cup on the bleeder with the clear hose going up 3” before turning down to the cup. This prevents air bubbles from reentering the bleeder. Then crack the bleeder loose and pump the brake peddle 3-4 strokes slowly. Lock down the bleeder, drain cup, and repeat. Been doing it this way for years, no problems

[@jimharper6073]

CLEAR hose and I use 6-10" of up hose..... I still have a problem but its not air in the lines..You do NOT have to have fluid in the cup the air will not get back to the caliper. Just have the cup above the caliper..

[@AT-wl9yq]

That's all great, but the real problem is getting the trapped air out of the hydraulic pump. Maybe you could explain the procedure to do that?

[@CajunShrek]

That fluid is nasty