Another Motive Power Bleeder Review - Mixed Feelings

[jthelman]

I have an '04 Pilot, and just finished using the Motive Power Bleeder 20 minutes ago to change the brake fluid.

Mine was $68 including shipping from Summit, but just about all the big names carry them like Jegs.

The good:

• It was a 1 person job
• The end product seems good -- It doesn't seem like I have air in the lines
• Relatively cheap
• Pretty fast. Not counting the mishaps, I could probably have gotten the job done in an hour.

The bad:

• I found the setup a pain in the ass. You have to loop a chain under the master cylinder hold down the top, and tighten wing nuts all in a tight space. The rubber gasket got coated with brake fluid and was like trying to handle a greased pig.
• The unit has a very sketchy seal on the top of the master cylinder. Mine was OK at 10 psi, but "cut loose" when I overzealously pumped to 12 psi. I think the goofy cap system slid a bit an let some air in.
  
• The mixed news is that the system peed brake fluid all over the driveway, but everything went straight down it didn't throw the fluid. It also maintained the pressure the whole time so that I didn't get any air in the lines.

For comparison, I did my subaru with speed bleeders and while it was more "running around the car to check fluid, pump brakes, check bleeder", the overall effect was the same and it was a lot less messy.

I'll probably try the Motive once more before I go back to speed bleeders.

Right now I'd give it a 5 out of 10, it would be a 9 if it sealed easier/better.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.


John

[carguy07]

What made you buy one if you were already using speedbleeders?

[jthelman]

Originally Posted by carguy07

What made you buy one if you were already using speedbleeders?

Speed bleeders stay with the car -- I'd have to order a new set for the Pilot.

I could have bought speed bleeders for the Pilot, but thought the power bleeder would be less of a fire drill running around the car between the master, pumping the brakes, and watching the fluid.

[KKL]

Same experience here. Anything more than 10psi tends to leak big-time. Also the hole in the cap which feeds brake fluid into reservoir was "closed" when I first got the unit. There was enough pin-holes in it to pass the air pressure test per the instruction sheet, but could not pass much brake fluid at all. I had to punch out the hole with a screw driver.

I ended up reluctantly asking my wife to man the brake pedal.

[archie]

Originally Posted by KKL

Same experience here. Anything more than 10psi tends to leak big-time. Also the hole in the cap which feeds brake fluid into reservoir was "closed" when I first got the unit. There was enough pin-holes in it to pass the air pressure test per the instruction sheet, but could not pass much brake fluid at all.

Exactly the same here. Not useful tool with the universal master cylinder adapter on my Honda. Too leaky.

[gblakeb]

Its the design of the cap that goes over the master cylinder. There are only two tabs on the Honda cap. That makes it close to impossible to get a great seal quickly.

By contrast the cap for GM is a three tab cap and it threads on instead of using the chain.

The hardest part about using the Motive Power Bleeder with a Honda is getting the seal.

[khjr]

Agreed. I returned mine after I found how sloppy the seal to the master cylinder was. Perhaps they work well for master cylinders that have screw on caps, but not for the Pilots. The one positive remark I can make was that the Motive customer service was very friendly.

I posted on this topic a while ago, and noted that I was very successful in gravity flushing the brake system (i.e. flushing out the entire system). It really doesn't take that long, especially if you work on one wheel while allowing the wheel you just finished to bleed (then bleed the last wheel while putting away your tools). The only trick is keeping the master cylinder full, but the flow was slow enough to preclude that from being a real problem. Not sure why the moderator deleted my posts on that topic, unless it was because I dared to challenge the supremacy of the mighty Motive bleeder.

[macphanatic]

Any reason not to use the Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit?

Amazon.com: Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit: Home Improvement

[carguy07]

Originally Posted by macphanatic

Any reason not to use the Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit?

Amazon.com: Mityvac Brake Bleeding Kit: Home Improvement

Personally I have never had any luck with those. I did just use speed bleeders and they worked great.

[armandjones82]

This has been a very interesting thing to be read upon. I think you may need some good speed bleeders that russell and other brands would offer up to you. I'm sure with a little research, you can get that needed part that you need.