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[grifter]

If your system is otherwise fine and you want to change the fluid, a one man bleeder seems to do a fine job, however if you replace a part like a caliper or rear piston, you then need to actually bleed the brakes i.e. until the piston comes back into contact with the disc or drum. Obviously the new part will be set back into it's recess, or placed at a standard position, and it needs to be forced out till it meets the contact surface of the disc/drum etc.

Is there a tool that lets you actually do this job one-man as at the moment you can only bleed the fluid through the new part, using air-pressure on a one-man bleed kit, but not actually push the piston/cylinder back to the contact surface of the pad/disc.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

If the essential result is that you don't want the piston to move toward the disc, would not a handy block of wood wedge this fine? Leaving you to bleed the brakes as per? 

[deviator]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

[Doctor Gollum]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

This. 

Clamp the flexi hose as near the joint disturbed as possible and remove/replace the component. Then bleed as normal... 

Just remember that the caliper will take some bleeding due to the volume of air being expelled.

Also, if you didn't clamp the flexi, front or rear dependent on which caliper, then you'll be bleeding the entire system then finding a garage/someone with Tech 2 to bleed the ABS block as well... In this case the car WILL NOT be driveable until this is done.

[grifter]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

If you've pushed the pistons back in,they don't move back in with those one man bleeders, you have to have an assistant pressure the system from the pedal to force them out. If you're on your own you can't do that. I have however just read in car mechanics mag you can get a one way valve bleeder that lets you bleed from the pedal.

https://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/7700

[grifter]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

This. 

Clamp the flexi hose as near the joint disturbed as possible and remove/replace the component. Then bleed as normal... 

Just remember that the caliper will take some bleeding due to the volume of air being expelled.

Also, if you didn't clamp the flexi, front or rear dependent on which caliper, then you'll be bleeding the entire system then finding a garage/someone with Tech 2 to bleed the ABS block as well... In this case the car WILL NOT be driveable until this is done.

Why would you need tech2 to bleed the system?

[Andy B]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

This. 

Clamp the flexi hose as near the joint disturbed as possible and remove/replace the component. Then bleed as normal... 

Just remember that the caliper will take some bleeding due to the volume of air being expelled.

Also, if you didn't clamp the flexi, front or rear dependent on which caliper, then you'll be bleeding the entire system then finding a garage/someone with Tech 2 to bleed the ABS block as well... In this case the car WILL NOT be driveable until this is done.

Why would you need tech2 to bleed the system?

To cycle the ABS pump to clear air that will be in there

[Andy B]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

If you've pushed the pistons back in,they don't move back in with those one man bleeders, you have to have an assistant pressure the system from the pedal to force them out. If you're on your own you can't do that. I have however just read in car mechanics mag you can get a one way valve bleeder that lets you bleed from the pedal.

https://www.lasertools.co.uk/product/7700

You'd bleed the system where ever the pistons are ....

[Marks DTM Calib]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

This. 

Clamp the flexi hose as near the joint disturbed as possible and remove/replace the component. Then bleed as normal... 

Just remember that the caliper will take some bleeding due to the volume of air being expelled.

Also, if you didn't clamp the flexi, front or rear dependent on which caliper, then you'll be bleeding the entire system then finding a garage/someone with Tech 2 to bleed the ABS block as well... In this case the car WILL NOT be driveable until this is done.

Why would you need tech2 to bleed the system?

To cycle the ABS pump to clear air that will be in there

Possibly, every time I have been I this scenario its not been required 

[Andy B]

....
Possibly, every time I have been I this scenario its not been required 

I've never emptied a system to even think about cycling the pump 

[Doctor Gollum]

....
Possibly, every time I have been I this scenario its not been required 

I've never emptied a system to even think about cycling the pump 

I only mention it in case the system has been left open

[Andy B]

....
Possibly, every time I have been I this scenario its not been required 

I've never emptied a system to even think about cycling the pump 

I only mention it in case the system has been left open

[YZ250]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

I feel that I'm missing something as I agree entirely with the above and can't see what the issue is. 

As said above, if you've replaced a Caliper or piston, bleed the system as normal (2 man or 1 man Eezibleed Kit) and when you have done that you are in exactly the same position as if you had retracted the pistons to change the disc pads, ie. the Pistons are out, as in not touching the brake pad against the disc, You then check the fluid, press the brake pedal, check the fluid again, and press the brake pedal until normal service is resumed.
Certainly no special tools needed. 
So, new Caliper on with disc pads fitted (with the pistons retracted as they would be if you'd fitted new pads), bleed brakes to fill Caliper with fluid (using Eezibleed if working solo), check fluid, pump pedal to push the piston out until solid, check fluid again. 
Apologies if I'm missing something. 

[Viral_Jim]

Colour me also confused. I thought that Laser tool was just a budget alternative to an ezibleed...

[dave the builder]

Colour me also confused. I thought that Laser tool was just a budget alternative to an ezibleed...

or better still go to a pet shop and buy 2 x one way fish tank airline/airstone valves for 99p and a metre of airline plus a jam jar.
or, even cheaper    just use a tube long enough to reach a jar with a little old brake fluid in (with the end of the tube submerged in fluid)

as for running the ABS pump, surely it runs when the engine runs, so all you need is the key for the car 
omega A you can bypass the heavy duty relay even without the engine running to run ABS pump 

[Doctor Gollum]

ABS pump only runs when wheel lock or Traction Control demands it to fire

[deviator]

As above really, if you have an eazibleed (have you met my EMO friend? We call her Eazibleed  ).

Bleed the air out of the caliper you've replaced. if it's a new caliper, the piston is already retracted. If fitting a second hand one, make your life easier by retracting the piston off of the car, this also gives you chance to 'feel' the seal/piston for any sticking. Once bleed, check fluid level, pump up the pedal and re-check fluid.

I have used an eazibleed before, but I have a pressure bleed that runs on a compressor which I prefer. If you have a compressor, they are really worth having. If you buy a few more lengths of pipe, you can use it for all sorts of jobs. For example I've used a pipe to hoover up the crap in the bottom of the brake reservoir. Or empty the power steering reservoir, then disconnect the return pipe, wedge my suction pipe in the return pipe (may require a few layers of tape to get it snug) and lock it on suck whilst topping up the reservoir. As I use clear pipe, I can tell when the new fluid makes it through the full system.

No I haven't done an engine oil change this way and I doubt I ever will.

[Andy B]

....
No I haven't done an engine oil change this way and I doubt I ever will.

Turning this about, you can use a Pela oil extractor as a vacuum source to do your brakes (I've never done it but know that others have done  )

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, doesn't really matter how you bleed the brakes. The objective is to ensure no air remains in the hydraulic circuit.

I bled the Westfield's system from new with an easibleed. Never had to resort to manual bleeding.

[Doctor Gollum]

Yep, doesn't really matter how you bleed the brakes. The objective is to ensure no air remains in the hydraulic circuit.

I bled the Westfield's system from new with an easibleed. Never had to resort to manual bleeding.

You could almost bleed that from the driver's seat... 

[New POD]

I'm not sure if I've understood this correctly.

If you replace a part like a caliper. Bleed as you normally would, either 2 person manual job or a 1 person pressure bleed. Once you are happy the air has gone. Make sure your brake fluid level is on max and pump the pedal to force the pads out to the discs. Re-check level and you're done.

I somehow suspect I'm missing something here?

This. 

Clamp the flexi hose as near the joint disturbed as possible and remove/replace the component. Then bleed as normal... 

Just remember that the caliper will take some bleeding due to the volume of air being expelled.

Also, if you didn't clamp the flexi, front or rear dependent on which caliper, then you'll be bleeding the entire system then finding a garage/someone with Tech 2 to bleed the ABS block as well... In this case the car WILL NOT be driveable until this is done.

I'm wondering now.  Some 50k miles ago, due to stupidity of the part of 3 people, at different times, one of my rear brake pistons, came out too far due to using solid rear discs on a 3.2 MV6
Having been delivered home via RAC and obtained the right discs, I just bleed the thing.  I bleed all the calipers, until fresh fluid came out.  Engine off.
It's been fine. ABS definately works and so does traction control.  Was I lucky?

[Doctor Gollum]

Extremely. It has been known for the piston to come out far enough to allow undetected fluid loss resulting in the loss of brakes.

[Andy B]

....
 due to stupidity of the part of 3 people, at different times, one of my rear brake pistons, came out too far due to using solid rear discs on a 3.2 MV6 ...

Why wouldn't they query the different discs when they took them out of the box? And why would they fit them?

You were very lucky!


We saw that years ago with Mike Dundee's car at Newark .... some one had done the very same thing & fitted sold discs instead of vented ...... there was brake fluid every where

[New POD]

....
 due to stupidity of the part of 3 people, at different times, one of my rear brake pistons, came out too far due to using solid rear discs on a 3.2 MV6 ...

Why wouldn't they query the different discs when they took them out of the box? And why would they fit them?

You were very lucky!


We saw that years ago with Mike Dundee's car at Newark .... some one had done the very same thing & fitted sold discs instead of vented ...... there was brake fluid every where

Okay I bought the car with solid discs.  I got a good deal on a set of 4 discs, and when the website I ordered them off had 2 options, I went outside and looked through the wheel and saw solid discs, so that's what I ordered.  However, I ran out of time, and paid someone to fit them.
He was supposed to be a mechanic but hey.
I was lucky because they were getting spongy, and I stopped at the petrol station just at the bottom of the cat and fiddle road in Buxton. And there was smoking fluid all over the back wheel.
When I fixed it the following week, I couldn't believe that I would have missed it, if I'd have been fitting new pads and or discs. Not if I were an experienced mechanic  The fact that the caliper is not central over the disc seems to be a big obvious red flag. 

[biggriffin]

....
 due to stupidity of the part of 3 people, at different times, one of my rear brake pistons, came out too far due to using solid rear discs on a 3.2 MV6 ...

Why wouldn't they query the different discs when they took them out of the box? And why would they fit them?

You were very lucky!


We saw that years ago with Mike Dundee's car at Newark .... some one had done the very same thing & fitted sold discs instead of vented ...... there was brake fluid every where

Okay I bought the car with solid discs.  I got a good deal on a set of 4 discs, and when the website I ordered them off had 2 options, I went outside and looked through the wheel and saw solid discs, so that's what I ordered.  However, I ran out of time, and paid someone to fit them.
He was supposed to be a mechanic but hey.
I was lucky because they were getting spongy, and I stopped at the petrol station just at the bottom of the cat and fiddle road in Buxton. And there was smoking fluid all over the back wheel.
When I fixed it the following week, I couldn't believe that I would have missed it, if I'd have been fitting new pads and or discs. Not if I were an experienced mechanic  The fact that the caliper is not central over the disc seems to be a big obvious red flag.

 Photos of calipers,  and Measurements of them might help people's say weather they are Vented or non Calipers.

[Andy B]

....
Okay I bought the car with solid discs.  I got a good deal on a set of 4 discs, and when the website I ordered them off had 2 options, I went outside and looked through the wheel and saw solid discs, so that's what I ordered.  However, I ran out of time, and paid someone to fit them.
He was supposed to be a mechanic but hey.
I was lucky because they were getting spongy, and I stopped at the petrol station just at the bottom of the cat and fiddle road in Buxton. And there was smoking fluid all over the back wheel.
When I fixed it the following week, I couldn't believe that I would have missed it, if I'd have been fitting new pads and or discs. Not if I were an experienced mechanic  The fact that the caliper is not central over the disc seems to be a big obvious red flag.

I honestly wasn't trying to lay the blame on you 

As you suggest, an experienced mech should've questioned it, especially as you say, it's obvious when the disc isn't central in the caliper.

[New POD]

....
 due to stupidity of the part of 3 people, at different times, one of my rear brake pistons, came out too far due to using solid rear discs on a 3.2 MV6 ...

Why wouldn't they query the different discs when they took them out of the box? And why would they fit them?

You were very lucky!


We saw that years ago with Mike Dundee's car at Newark .... some one had done the very same thing & fitted sold discs instead of vented ...... there was brake fluid every where

Okay I bought the car with solid discs.  I got a good deal on a set of 4 discs, and when the website I ordered them off had 2 options, I went outside and looked through the wheel and saw solid discs, so that's what I ordered.  However, I ran out of time, and paid someone to fit them.
He was supposed to be a mechanic but hey.
I was lucky because they were getting spongy, and I stopped at the petrol station just at the bottom of the cat and fiddle road in Buxton. And there was smoking fluid all over the back wheel.
When I fixed it the following week, I couldn't believe that I would have missed it, if I'd have been fitting new pads and or discs. Not if I were an experienced mechanic  The fact that the caliper is not central over the disc seems to be a big obvious red flag.

 Photos of calipers,  and Measurements of them might help people's say weather they are Vented or non Calipers.

To be honest it was obvious. On the one side a new pad just fitted nicely with the piston fully pushed back and on the other side the piston was half out. Unfortunately when buying them, I assumed the previous servicing was competent. And we know what comes of assuming too much.

[Doctor Gollum]

And why most Omega require a grand spent on them on purchase

[New POD]

And why most Omega require a grand spent on them on purchase

to be fair, if I sold it now, you'd probably want to spend a bit on it. In the next 3 months it needs a new full exhaust, the gearbox oil changing and a service. Then in about a year it will want wishbones and a cam belt.
This is why I need to get back to work.