Is it possible that you are trying to get the universal cap too tight? The tighter you pull the rubber straps the more arc you are introducing into the cap.
hmmm, what I do is put a half full bottle of brake fluid + hose going into bottle below the fluid level, then hook up the hose to the bleeder valve, then go pump the brakes. That way air cannot flow backwards from the hose into the bleeder. This Gunson method just seem more complicated and expensive no?
Sounds pretty good in theory, but how do you know when you're done? And how do you make any progress when every time you lift the pedal, the same fluid is sucked back in?
They work really well. Ive had one for about 20years and it still works great. You must set the tyre to 20psi max, no higher. Or you will blow your header tank off.
I bought one of these Gunson kits in the late 90s. I used it once, also on an Opel Manta--albeit a 1988 Exclusive--and failed miserably. It went in the bin after spraying brake fluid all over the place and these days I use an electric oil/fluid extractor to suck the fluid out through the bleed nipple.
Interesting! I've long thought that vacuum bleeding was a flawed method, since you can end up sucking air from around the threads of the bleed screw, so you don't really know when you have all the air out. Glad to hear you found a good method though. Got a link the the device you use?
@@boilerhousegarage I'm mostly seeing manual extractor "syringe" type things. But in any case, it's amazing how many different devices and tools exist for this seemingly simple process.
The aluminum Motive adapters are great if you can find one to fit your car. The Motive kit with the hand pump, not so much. I ended up building my own rig using some parts from the Motive kit and some air compressor bits from the hardware store. One thing that really helps is to use less pressure! You really only need 1-2 PSI to move the fluid. Anything more than that is just a risk of creating a fine paint-eating mist in your engine bay. I run a pressure regulator inline to keep pressure dialed down. Added bonus - I can shut the air off right there in the engine bay. I use my air compressor but you could use a tire just the same, since it's essentially an air tank. Another thought: If you put a thick steel bar across the top of that universal adapter, it might keep it from bending and breaking the seal. Anyway, great video! Really clean cars too.
That's interesting, thanks for sharing your experience! I did wonder if I could make the "multi-purpose" cap work by using less pressure, but it was still leaking as the tire got down to almost empty, so I didn't have much hope. I think next time I want to try either the bottle method that others have mentioned, and/or speed bleeders. Might be worth doing a follow-up vid.
The bottle at the top acts as a pressure reservoir. So, you don't really need the tyre - you can hook up the tyre inflator to the bottle imho. When i have bled brakes on older cars without abs, I didn't need to pump the brakes by foot all that much. I just pumped it down really hard. On models with ABS its more complicated.
Nice to see the Opel again! I really like your videos…they are very true to life and I like how you include the failures, as well. Much more easy to relate to as we’ve all “been there” with “simple and easy” projects on our own cars.
its a cheap knockoff of an older product, my father had one that was all metal and its still working after decades of him having it, i think its blue point brand but the universal adapter it has is metal and works perfectly
Motive has an adapter that looks roughly similar to that universal one, but with two ports, for doing cast iron integral reservoir master cylinders like my C10 has. It came with chains similar to your second attempt. It still didn't seal worth a damn, and the only way I got it to work was using C-clamps to hold it on. And even when it works right it still makes a giant mess. The only self-bleeding method I've actually had work as advertised are speed bleeders. The pressure bleeder and the vacuum bleeder just stay on the back of the shelf.
I think I saw that one on their website, and thought it might work on old American cars like my '68 Cougar. Bummed to hear it didn't work for you, maybe pressure bleeding just isn't the answer in general. I have seen the speed bleeders and am intrigued. The only thing that put me off was that the ones I saw were $30 for two bleed screws. But I think there are some less expensive ones out there - let me know! Might have to try them next.
@@AndrewDoesCarStuff I had a motive bleeder too, but the adapter cap literally cracked and broke after a couple of years. I just switched to the bottle and hose method and pump the brakes now... it's so much faster to setup and so easy, kind of amazed at how there's a market at all for all these brake bleeding gadgets after using this basically free method!
You should: start with the outtakes, end with the outtakes, and in the middle... yup, more outtakes. And then start a custom duo-lingo channel, please. Thank you. You're my favorite car channel.
Thank you for your trials. I’m currently trying to bleed a 1974 twin servo Alfa Spider, several low pedal ‘pedal pumping ‘ results I’m going to try the Gunson. I use DOT 5. It’s non corrosive on paint and a fit and forget fluid. After a couple of potentially damaging interludes with brake fluid , it’s a safer option. The twin servo setup was abandoned by Alfa pretty quickly. It’s a nightmare to bleed.
Ah nice, always wondered if they were any good. Bonus Volvo footage too😊 Maybe you could get spare caps for the other cars and see it works for those regular screw on ones as opposed to the three spline grabber type on the Opel's new one?
I've only tried that with a cheap hand pump and it didn't work well for me. I've also heard that there's a problem with potentially sucking air from around the threads of the bleeder, which could work its way into the caliper, and/or make it look like you still have bubbles indefinitely. But some people do seem to have success with vacuum bleeding, so I can't say for sure.
Maybe pressure bleeding isn't the answer, but speed bleeders could be quite a cool thing to try for the Cougar or any other cars. Have you seen those? Basically just bleed screws with a one-way check ball inside.
Another great video, Andrew!
Wee Wee Monsieur!
Wee Wee Mein Herr!
Soitenly!
Haha love the bloopers!
Is it possible that you are trying to get the universal cap too tight? The tighter you pull the rubber straps the more arc you are introducing into the cap.
just set pump to 15-20lb and attach direct. bypass tire
hmmm, what I do is put a half full bottle of brake fluid + hose going into bottle below the fluid level, then hook up the hose to the bleeder valve, then go pump the brakes. That way air cannot flow backwards from the hose into the bleeder. This Gunson method just seem more complicated and expensive no?
Sounds pretty good in theory, but how do you know when you're done? And how do you make any progress when every time you lift the pedal, the same fluid is sucked back in?
They work really well. Ive had one for about 20years and it still works great. You must set the tyre to 20psi max, no higher. Or you will blow your header tank off.
If you have the right adapter for you car, it works great. If you don't, it doesn't. There, I just summarized the whole video. Hah!
I bought one of these Gunson kits in the late 90s. I used it once, also on an Opel Manta--albeit a 1988 Exclusive--and failed miserably. It went in the bin after spraying brake fluid all over the place and these days I use an electric oil/fluid extractor to suck the fluid out through the bleed nipple.
Interesting! I've long thought that vacuum bleeding was a flawed method, since you can end up sucking air from around the threads of the bleed screw, so you don't really know when you have all the air out. Glad to hear you found a good method though. Got a link the the device you use?
Oh, I think YT is blocking the link? It's a "12v fluid extractor" if you wanted to search for one.
@@boilerhousegarage I'm mostly seeing manual extractor "syringe" type things. But in any case, it's amazing how many different devices and tools exist for this seemingly simple process.
The aluminum Motive adapters are great if you can find one to fit your car. The Motive kit with the hand pump, not so much. I ended up building my own rig using some parts from the Motive kit and some air compressor bits from the hardware store. One thing that really helps is to use less pressure! You really only need 1-2 PSI to move the fluid. Anything more than that is just a risk of creating a fine paint-eating mist in your engine bay. I run a pressure regulator inline to keep pressure dialed down. Added bonus - I can shut the air off right there in the engine bay. I use my air compressor but you could use a tire just the same, since it's essentially an air tank. Another thought: If you put a thick steel bar across the top of that universal adapter, it might keep it from bending and breaking the seal.
Anyway, great video! Really clean cars too.
That's interesting, thanks for sharing your experience! I did wonder if I could make the "multi-purpose" cap work by using less pressure, but it was still leaking as the tire got down to almost empty, so I didn't have much hope. I think next time I want to try either the bottle method that others have mentioned, and/or speed bleeders. Might be worth doing a follow-up vid.
The bottle at the top acts as a pressure reservoir. So, you don't really need the tyre - you can hook up the tyre inflator to the bottle imho. When i have bled brakes on older cars without abs, I didn't need to pump the brakes by foot all that much. I just pumped it down really hard. On models with ABS its more complicated.
Nice to see the Opel again! I really like your videos…they are very true to life and I like how you include the failures, as well. Much more easy to relate to as we’ve all “been there” with “simple and easy” projects on our own cars.
Thanks for that, I appreciate the kind comment!
its a cheap knockoff of an older product, my father had one that was all metal and its still working after decades of him having it, i think its blue point brand but the universal adapter it has is metal and works perfectly
What an interesting read!Thanks for breaking down its genius and quirks! We sent you an email, take a look.
Gravity bleeding is the answer
I haven't had success with that, but I'm probably just too impatient
Motive has an adapter that looks roughly similar to that universal one, but with two ports, for doing cast iron integral reservoir master cylinders like my C10 has. It came with chains similar to your second attempt. It still didn't seal worth a damn, and the only way I got it to work was using C-clamps to hold it on. And even when it works right it still makes a giant mess.
The only self-bleeding method I've actually had work as advertised are speed bleeders. The pressure bleeder and the vacuum bleeder just stay on the back of the shelf.
I think I saw that one on their website, and thought it might work on old American cars like my '68 Cougar. Bummed to hear it didn't work for you, maybe pressure bleeding just isn't the answer in general. I have seen the speed bleeders and am intrigued. The only thing that put me off was that the ones I saw were $30 for two bleed screws. But I think there are some less expensive ones out there - let me know! Might have to try them next.
@@AndrewDoesCarStuff I had a motive bleeder too, but the adapter cap literally cracked and broke after a couple of years. I just switched to the bottle and hose method and pump the brakes now... it's so much faster to setup and so easy, kind of amazed at how there's a market at all for all these brake bleeding gadgets after using this basically free method!
@@CanadaLuke Dang, that's disappointing. I need to try that bottle method.
You should: start with the outtakes, end with the outtakes, and in the middle... yup, more outtakes.
And then start a custom duo-lingo channel, please. Thank you.
You're my favorite car channel.
Haha! Thanks man. You are my favorite scuba channel!
Thank you for your trials. I’m currently trying to bleed a 1974 twin servo Alfa Spider, several low pedal ‘pedal pumping ‘ results I’m going to try the Gunson. I use DOT 5. It’s non corrosive on paint and a fit and forget fluid. After a couple of potentially damaging interludes with brake fluid , it’s a safer option. The twin servo setup was abandoned by Alfa pretty quickly. It’s a nightmare to bleed.
As long as your reservoir cap is the right size, the Gunson should work fine!
First love the car ..
Ah nice, always wondered if they were any good. Bonus Volvo footage too😊
Maybe you could get spare caps for the other cars and see it works for those regular screw on ones as opposed to the three spline grabber type on the Opel's new one?
Maybe! The Miata cap is a screw-on. I also wondered if the rubber I used on my attempted cap was too firm.
just use a vacuum system and pull the fluid thru instead of pushing it?
I've only tried that with a cheap hand pump and it didn't work well for me. I've also heard that there's a problem with potentially sucking air from around the threads of the bleeder, which could work its way into the caliper, and/or make it look like you still have bubbles indefinitely. But some people do seem to have success with vacuum bleeding, so I can't say for sure.
@@AndrewDoesCarStuff ok, and you could also try speed bleeder valves.
You should do one on the cougar so we can use it!
Maybe pressure bleeding isn't the answer, but speed bleeders could be quite a cool thing to try for the Cougar or any other cars. Have you seen those? Basically just bleed screws with a one-way check ball inside.