The best plans never work. I got my new power bleeder and set to changing my brake fluid to get ready for a DE event at Blackhawk Farms Raceway this week. This should be no problem I just did the same operation on my Audi A4 a few weeks ago without incident. Wrong! All the DIY’s say hook up the power bleeder and then bleed out the old fluid at each caliper. None on them mention the vent tube coming out of the break fluid reservoir. I hooked up the power bleeder and gave it a few pumps. While I was bleeding the rear caliper on the opposite side of the car all the brake fluid was being pushed out the vent tube. WHY IS THIS VENT HERE???

 

Interesting- I've used my Motive bleeder on several different cars, including 911s, Audis, VWs and BMWs and never had that happen. And I've never clamped the vent tube. Actually, don't know why it doesn't leak out now that you mention it...

 

I've always had to clamp the vent tube for bleeding (of the hydraulics). As a matter of fact, my 84 would leak out the tube during hard driving (club racing), so I would clamp it for that also.

 

i've always clamped down the vent

 

I have never clamped the vent line. However, I usually just use the pressure from the power bleeder as opposed to pouring fluid in it.

 

Kim, strange, my Turbo is a 96 (build date somewhere in 95) and it does not have it.

BTW Jim Morton and my car are only about 30 cars off based on the VIN. We found this out when we met at 35/92 for Jeff's going away party.

 

Your 96 ain't older enough to have one....

 

I've never noticed, or clamped, a vent tube, either.

 

Those of us with a '95 have the option to get the update kit and remove the vent tube (so we don't forget to clamp it). I'm pretty sure the DIY on p-car.com mentions the vent tube and I think it has the info on the updated cap, etc to get rid of it.

 

Upgrade Opportunity! New garage floor.

 

Hey, at least it didn't hose your paint! Now that would be a disaster.

 

I just plugged it on my '95 993 (removed the hose and inserted a vacuum tube plug; avail. at any auto parts store). Have also switched over to the later non-vented filler cap.

I'm surprised you didn't hear the air and fluid being forced out that vent as soon as you turned on the Motive Bleeder; I sure did the first time I used it!

(P.S. - it's spelled "brake". WHERE do people go to school???)

 

As for my Motive experience, the instructions on the bleeder, IIRC, instructs you to "dry" test the bleeder to see if it would hold pressure. Mine refused to hold pressure due to the vent hose. I thought I had a faulty unit until someone pointed out the vent hose. Now, I just use a vise grip which does the job for the 20 psi required.

(P.S. - Not everyone has English as their first language...Let's see you spell "brake" in Japanese or Swahili)

 

Snap-On sells a bitchen self locking, smooth jaw clamp that works perfectly for this. I will post a picture of it when I return home next week as I could not find it on Snap-On's website. For those of you who dont have access to your local Snap-On guy, I would be more than happy to pick up some of these for anyone who is interested?

 

How were you able to get pressure and hold it when the vent was open? With the vent not clamped, there's no way you can pump-up to 10psi and hold it. That's how I knew I had something strange when I first did the Power Bleeder and couldn't hold vacuum.

Simple solution - just clamp the hose when doing the bleed.