Heads up to Speedbleeder users.
I had one fail on me at the track today. I noticed a slight drop in pedal pressure, came in to the paddock, inspected each caliper and noticed the driver's rear speedbleeder's rubber cap was moist with ATE Blue fluid. Luckily, I still had the stock bleeders with me in my trunk-o-parts. I swapped out the faulty bleeder valve, bled fluid all around, and pedal pressure was back to par for the rest of the day.

Another sign that it had failed was when I turned the speedbleeder to remove it from the caliper, fluid immediately began dripping out (instead of being contained by the mechanism/bearing which allows for "speed" bleeding). It was functioning as a normal bleeder valve would.

I'm just going to replace it with another speedbleeder, as they are too damn convenient to use, but I definately will be checking them often from now on for failure.

 

ZoomZoomH reported problems with the Summit Racing speedbleeders made by Russell but there is a possibility he may have bought the wrong size.

Possible malfunctions with speedbleeders is exactly the reason I'm doing a one-man bleed done according to TeamRX8, with no special tools or kits.

One thing you wrote that I don't understand is if you twist the speedbleeder to remove it, isn't it supposed to let brake fluid out? I thought the purpose of the mechanism/ball was so that air and brake fluid could not go back in.

 

If you twist the speedbleeder about one turn, it lets fluid out only when the brake pedal is pushed in. It saves the choreography/labor of having to open/close it while pumping the pedal (which requires two people).
I've been using this set for about a year.

 

So it sounds like a one-time mishap then. Hopefully another one doesn't malfunction.

I also wonder if there is a limit to how long they will last and not leak.

 

did you forget to tighten it down all the way?

 

^
It was turned tight. Checked before I removed it.

 

fwiw, you can do it by yourself using a standard/OE bleeder


speedbleeders aren't needed, just the right length hose and collection container

 

^
brilliant! I've got to try that!

 

So opening/closing the bleeder is not important if there's plenty of fluid within the line to avoid resuction of air into the caliper? Is that the concept of how this works?

 

the trick being to make sure the end of the hose is submerged in fluid - yes ?

 

yes, I like the speedbleeder collection bag with silicone hose, but any tight fitting hose that is long enough to run vertical several inches before running down into the bottom of a catch container will work

back when I was a young kid I used vacuum tubing and a glass coke bottle

 

That's what I was trying to tell you. I might be the only person who has read TeamRX8's method and is actually considering it. He has a following of one and potentially two!

 

heh...surgical tubing and an empty salsa container...

 

Where is that threads.

Sounds like that's what I have been doing for 40 years.

 

Is good that someone is always home ....

I bleed mine with the help of my father, no speedbleeders. not that I really need him to be around, but Im all dirty n stuff when I work on my car and I dont want those things to go into my interior ....

 

hahahaha you actually digged up that little tidbit from my post from waaaaay back, for that i commend you sir!

i use the stock bleeders now, but to do it the one-man way, i use one of these bad boys:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92474

i'm too impatient to do teamRX8's slow bleed method, so sucky sucky it is!

and it works great too, perfect pedal feel and all

 

there's nothing slow about the way I do it

but if you insist on using a special tool you want a pressure bleeder, not a vacuum pump

 

If you go that way, just make sure you use a high-end pressure bleeder with a diaphragm to separate the air from the brake fluid. If the air is pressurized while in direct contact with the fluid, it goes into solution, and you're custom blending pre-aerated fluid just before you fill your system with it.

The only product on this page that anyone should use is the tiny little one at the very top. I've seen thousands of dollars in time, entry fees and parts wasted by the use of one of the others. In the end, 15 minutes flushing the system the old fashioned way fixed things right up.

 

agreed, that's why I do it my way

 

Ha! I have always used Aquarium tubing. Need the large diameter type.

 

Ok forgive me for asking such a track newb question, but why would someone do their bleeding at the track?

I understand the need for fresh fluid due to high temps seen during heavy track braking. What I don't get is why people do it at the track. Why not do it or get it done before you hit the track?

 

When you heat up the fluid a lot...you get bubbles that come out of solution....Bleeding them will get rid of them......sometimes if your brakes get soft you need to do this between runs.

It isn't really an RX-8 problem though....I drove an unmentioned poor braking car once...and had to bleed them after every run group

 

Home depot sells the proper size clear plastic tubing to fit over the caliper nipples, you can buy it by the foot for less than a dollar a foot.

 

Is the diameter of the tubing the same for front, rear, and master cylinder? What is the diameters?

 

Still wondering about the diameter.