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[Guest]

I've checked Haynes, Chiltons and alldata and none of these resources
state what the brake fluid capacity is on my car.

It can't be that much, maybe a quart? Any ideas? It's a 1990 Escort
GT...

Thanks,
Matt

[Jim Warman]

I don't ever recall seeing a spec on this..... especially considering the
increased capacity as the pads wear down...With new pads and shoes, fill it
to the "max" line using fresh brake fluid from a sealed container.


<sleepdog@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:1108354287.211576.196060@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

[Guest]

I wanted to find out because I'm fashioning a crude power bleeder and
want to use a suitable sized container. Rather than use something like
a mason jar (1 pint) and have to refill it between wheels I'd rather
use a larger container that would hold enough fluid for all four, plus
about 25% to prevent any air getting into the feeder hose.

So far the most challenging part is finding an air tight container that
can hold 20 lbs of air pressure that has a top wide enough to fix a
schraeder valve and hose barbs to. The small mouthed HDPE (window
washer fluid) containers split at the seems and you can't get your
hands in their anyway.

The mason jar works well enough (green mountain gringo salsa, good
stuff) if you get good seal on the hose barbs and screw the lid on
really tight. It should hold 20 lbs of pressure long enough to bleed a
wheel, and will move 8 oz of fluid (water so far) until the pressure
runs out.

Not a big deal, just having some fun experimenting.

[Jim Warman]

I would guess that 2 liters ( one quart is about 946 milliliters) should be
plenty.

<sleepdog@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:1108397348.412569.104740@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...

[Guest]

sleepdog@optonline.net wrote:

[Guest]

That's kind of where I was leaning, what's two quarts about one half
gallon? I can't remember. Anyway the mason jar won't cut it.
Filling, pressurizing, bleeding, depressurizing, filling, pressurizing,
bleeding, etc..... without spilling any brake fluid, yeah right. That
would be 16 steps for the whole car, not good.

Trick is to find a sizable airtight container that can be modified in
the manner I described. Not as easy as it sounds. There are some PETE
containers (1 inside the triangle) but not sure how this form of
plastic will react to brake fluid or hold pressure. I'm sticking to
HDPE containers (2 inside the triangle) for now.

I'll post an update if I am successful.

[Tom Line]

I found it in the factory service manual. It's 4 1/5 gallons. Not sure
what this in metrics...

[Guest]

4 and 1/5 gallons of brake fluid? Can you confirm that?

Sure that is not pints or quarts?

Honestly, I have no way of knowing and don't mean to second guess you,
just seems like a lot.

If that's the case I might just pony up the $80 for the motive product
since I'll probably never find a suitable container that size.

Thanks,
Matt

[Backyard Mechanic]

Tom Line opined in news:4211127d_1@news.iglou.com:

[berkshire bill]

<sleepdog@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:1108417662.358812.22400@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[Guest]

I considered that idea, with a smaller one I saw on a shelf at home
depot, but again the top/neck was too narrow to fasten anything from
the inside.

[Guest]

Trouble with the small keg idea is that I could not get inside of it to
screw the 1/8" hose barb to the 1/4" hose barb, not to mention the
rubber and 1/2" steel washers, 1/4" feeder hose...

Like building a ship in a bottle, which is why I wanted a large
diameter screw top container. The mason jar actually works pretty well
for a hack, if I can just find a larger size.

[Jim Warman]

The cooling system is barely that big....


"Tom Line" <tline@shell1.iglou.com> wrote in message
news:4211127d_1@news.iglou.com...

[Jim Warman]

Came across this... http://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm ... and
http://www.cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=1184 and
http://www.etoolcart.com/browseproducts/Brake-Bleeder-STBB2.5.html (just
threw that last one in wishing I could see your eyes when you saw the price.

There's lots on the market. I will caution about storing fluid in any
situation where the original container has been breached. I always recommend
buying a couple or more (if required) small containers. The big benefit of
most store bought bleeders is that the fluid and the air are separated....
If the garden sprayer bleeder runs out of fluid, we can expect a surge of
air to plaster our paint with brake fluid.... this usually happens about 15
minutes before you realize that brake fluid makes great paint remover...

HTH.


<sleepdog@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:1108436970.934971.276820@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[Guest]

Hey that ace pressure sprayer is definately the way to go! I already
figured out the siphon tube on the underside of the resevior cap, well
at least in theory anyway.

One improvement I would make is a 1/4" ball valve at the end of the
1/4" tube to bleed out the air prior to attaching to the fluid
resevior.

That 800 dollar jobber is a waste! ha ha

Thanks!
Matt