I've never used one of these but I'm overdue for one.

I understand that they work by applying positive pressure, rather than vacuum like my mityvac.

I'm not a fan of vacuum because it can introduce air in the line, and you can't really pull much vacuum.

Looks like "motive" has some, and I've also heard of a phoenix tool which I guess bleeds from the bottom up... I assume by removing the bleeder valve?

This would be nice if it worked on a bunch of different cars and bikes. The vette has 2 reservoirs.

A phoenix tool might make more sense as it might be easier to do clutches with. Motorcycles have flimsy little reservoirs that are hard to attach a Motive bleeder to I'd think.

My truck has a cast master cylinder... is that going to be a problem?

How about ABS? reverse bleeding with a phoenix tool ok?

Wow these phoenix bleeders are pricey.

They've got various ones from $80-$400

Yea, the mityvac's a pain. Mine (the plastic one) has locked up a couple times and I had to tear it apart to free it up. And, like you said, it doesn't pull much vacuum, tires my hand out. Plus the bleeder adapters leak air so you don't know if it's coming from the caliper of the adapter.

The "works on everything" is tough cause there's so damn many m/c adapters needed.

The Motive is over priced IMO, and I wouldn't leave fluid in it when it's on the shelf.

I really don't see a big advantage with the phonix over vac but have never played with one.

What I do have is a pressure bleeder (like the motive) that I built for $15. It's a garden sprayer pump with some adapters. I used extra m/c caps with a fitting installed to fit the racecars (Tilton type m/c). It works really well.
I was going to build a flat steel plate/gasket to fit the C4 but haven't gotten around to it. (some of the power bleeders like the motive use a universal flat plate/gasket that is held tight on the m/c with a chain, stud & wing nut.

Hell, even if it doesn't work the way I want, I can still pump a/c systems with it.

My latest, I was in HF and saw a a/c air powered vacuum pump, thought WTF, it's $12.99. I built a fluid jar for it. I hooked my vacuum gage to the jar, put 80psi air on the pump and it held 16 inches of vacuum.
I think it will work pretty good with that using the bleeder screws to start/stop the fluid flow.

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This is the one I have. I have used it only a couple times but it works pretty good. I also had an issue with the adapter for the reservoir and they shipped me a replacement part free of charge pronto!

http://store.motiveproducts.com/multi ... ter-bleeder-kits-c17.aspx

I've found many criticizing the phoenix about forcing nasty fluid up through the master cylinder and ABS. I guess you'd at least bleed the caliper fluid before bleeding it backwards. Also criticizing forcing it backwards past the ABS, which is bullshit IMO as the fluid goes both ways.

With that said, the fluid in the M/C can be just as nasty, as that's where most of the moisture and corrosion seems to happen.

The Mityvac doesn't generate enough vacuum pressure to overcome a restrictive system. Might be better off with speedbleeders.

I use a bike innertube + hand pump.

Works on any car with a relatively small relatively round cap. Which includes the vette.

I picked up a trick from a 43 year mechanic on a stupid effective DIY bleeder that works on any car with bleeder valves. You don't really need all that fancy shit if you simply want to be able to bleed brakes quickly by yourself and without speed bleeders.

Here's a video on how to make one like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvyztDFHhaY

The fluid in the jar effectively acts as the check valve. It allows air to be purged out of the system when you press the pedal down, yet prevents air from being sucked back into the line. So you basically crack the bleeder open and pump the pedal solo. The jar must be vented so punch a small hole in the lid somewhere. Thread sealant or teflon tape should be used on the bleeder threads instead of grease.

As far as bleeder valves...

The Earl's "Solo-Bleed" seems to be a superior desing over the traditional "Speed Bleeder" desing that must rely on thread sealant to keep air from being sucked in past the threads during the bleeding process. And they cost about the same.

With the "Speed Bleeder" design, any air that gets past your thread sealant is able to go around and behind the check valve, bypassing it all together and enter the system when you let off the pedal. This is further evident by the fact that they carry and sell their own sealer to reapply on the threads of their bleeders periodically.

In contrast the Earl's desing has a spring loaded plunger sitting directly on the caliper surface and does not rely on thread sealant, effectively doing away with that shortcoming. No air can go around and behind it in any way because everything is to the front of it, unlike the "Speed Bleeder" design that leaves a potential back door path past the threads and around the valve.

Cool, I'll have to pick those up.

Haven't watched the vid yet, but without check valves the fluid is just going to go in and out and not flush. I always run the bleeder tubes up and then back down so the air bubbles stay trapped in the inverted loop, far away from the bleeder.

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You can order them through Vatozone at $18.99 a pair and free ship.

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That's the first thing I thought also. But if you look closely in the video you can see the air bubbles and clean fluid exit but none of the dark dirty fluid in the jar goes back up into the line as he pumps it out. I wonder if the jar sitting on the ground as the low point instead of the high has anything to do with it.

Grr, I had already ordered some generic bleeders for my Tacoma. Oh well, maybe next time.

I have tried the solo-bleed on 3 different cars now, and I can't get them to work. The amount of fluid that flows out is so minuscule, that a bleeding job would take hours. In order to get any significant flow, the bleeder must be unscrewed so far, that it's wobbling in the threads. Am I missing something?