Another brake bleeding question...

[justrfb]

Hello All,
Thank you for checking this thread out... I am about to bleed/change out my '06 brake fluid. I have for many years, always used the 2 person, push the pedal to the floor valve open, hold pedal, close valve, let the pedal up method without ever having trouble with the master cylinder afterwards. Has anyone ever had their master cylinder get messed up using this method? I always hear not to do it this way but when I ask the adviser if they ever had any trouble, they say, "no, it didn't happen to me but..." What do you say? Thank you.

[dustino8]

I've heard this also on different internet forums, but anyone I know who does it this way has never experienced a master cylinder failure. I'd like to hear more opinions/experiences also.

[N_Jay]

Originally Posted by justrfb

Hello All,
Thank you for checking this thread out... I am about to bleed/change out my '06 brake fluid. I have for many years, always used the 2 person, push the pedal to the floor valve open, hold pedal, close valve, let the pedal up method without ever having trouble with the master cylinder afterwards. Has anyone ever had their master cylinder get messed up using this method? I always hear not to do it this way but when I ask the adviser if they ever had any trouble, they say, "no, it didn't happen to me but..." What do you say? Thank you.

I have had it happen, but only on older and mostly poorly maintained cars. (back in my, "I'll buy it as long as it is under $200", days)

I have always (since the cause of the failure was first explained to me) occasionally push the break peddle all the way to the floor every few times I drive my car. My theory is that this helps keep the master cylinder bore clean and "polished".

I have never had a master cylinder failure on any car since.

[carguy07]

I always chocked that up as a wives tale, but I found this a while back and now that is how I will do it to be safe. I think the issue is that the brake pedal can go down further when bleeding than you can press it when the system is closed.

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SN/b020600.PDF

[moda_way]

Been using the two person method on my 102k mile TSX w/out any issue. The only thing I found odd was the the start wheel and direction. I had on previous cars used the furthest from the master cylinder to the closet wheel to it bleeding method. Honda seems to use a FL, FR, RR, RL bleed direction. Other than that, never had a master cylinder issue at all.

[hdzoro]

I recently changed the brake fluid on my wife's 07 pilot. I found that it's easier to do while the engine is running. It seemed impossible to do without the engine running. Is this the right way, or is it better not to have the engine running?

--
hdzoro