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      03-20-2015, 05:29 PM   #1
Roundown
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Schwaben Brake Bleeder

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I want to flush my fluid and figured a bleeder would be a useful investment. I was looking at the popular Motive bleeder, but ECS also offers what appears to be a great kit w/ a Schwaben bleeder:

Performance Brake Fluid Flush Kit - Level 3



Any feedback would be appreciated!

Last edited by Roundown; 03-20-2015 at 05:36 PM..
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      03-21-2015, 04:29 PM   #2
ajshanny
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I just bought the Schwannen kit myself. Haven't used it yet, but it looks like it has some features the Motive does not. Will update when I've tried it but it might be a while. I have a free brake fluid change and pile change coming up at the dealer. The next one after that I will do myself.
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      03-21-2015, 07:35 PM   #3
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I've used the Motive on my 128i. The quick disconnect at the resovor cap of the Schwannen seems interesting but not really necessary. Otherwise they look very similar. I don't fill the tank with fluid so I don't care what size it is. One reason I don't fill it is brake fluid is hydroscopic and it would be difficult to clean the large tank completely. So the second and all future times you use it, you will have some fluid from the last time, possibly with significant water in it, when you dump your clean fluid in. All I do is hook the tank to the master cylinder resouvor and pump up the pressure. I have to refill the master cylinder for each wheel but that is no big deal.

They are easy to use. Just pump up the pressure, open a bleed valve, and let brake fluid run until you're confident you've flushed the line.
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      03-21-2015, 08:05 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ajshanny View Post
I just bought the Schwannen kit myself. Haven't used it yet, but it looks like it has some features the Motive does not. Will update when I've tried it but it might be a while. I have a free brake fluid change and pile change coming up at the dealer. The next one after that I will do myself.
I also went Schwaben and 2L of Motul 600. I'll do a detailed write up when I get around changing the fluid.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JimD View Post
I've used the Motive on my 128i. The quick disconnect at the resovor cap of the Schwannen seems interesting but not really necessary. Otherwise they look very similar. I don't fill the tank with fluid so I don't care what size it is. One reason I don't fill it is brake fluid is hydroscopic and it would be difficult to clean the large tank completely. So the second and all future times you use it, you will have some fluid from the last time, possibly with significant water in it, when you dump your clean fluid in. All I do is hook the tank to the master cylinder resouvor and pump up the pressure. I have to refill the master cylinder for each wheel but that is no big deal.

They are easy to use. Just pump up the pressure, open a bleed valve, and let brake fluid run until you're confident you've flushed the line.
Thanks- this is helpful info. So do you periodically fill the reservoir while bleeding? Trying to visualize (having never done this) what you're describing above.
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      03-21-2015, 09:07 PM   #5
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The container on the bleeder jug is airtight, so I would not worry about the water absorption that may occur with a trace of fluid left over between uses. If you leave 1 liter in there, maybe it would be an issue. If you don't overfill it at the start of the job, there shouldn't be much left over. There will be a small amount that can't get out of the jug during bleeding just because the tube needs some depth to work with, but that can be discarded at the end of the job.
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      03-21-2015, 10:59 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cSurf View Post
I also went Schwaben and 2L of Motul 600. I'll do a detailed write up when I get around changing the fluid.



Thanks- this is helpful info. So do you periodically fill the reservoir while bleeding? Trying to visualize (having never done this) what you're describing above.
The bleeder is designed to be filled with brake fluid. After you screw the bleeder cap onto the brake fluid reservoir, you pressurize it (about 10 psi) and the reservoir is filled with fresh fluid from the bleeder as the old fluid is pushed out a caliper bleed valve.

At the end of it you are left with a messy bleeder bottle with nasty brake fluid etc ... and this requires some degree of cleanup with isopropyl alcohol and what not.

I also use JimD's technique, where I just pressurize the brake bleeder but don't fill it with fluid. As the reservoir empties, you have to make sure that you don't push air through an empty reservoir. So as the reservoir gets low, you have to depressurize, unscrew the bleeder, refill the reservoir with fresh fluid, and then repressurize the bleeder. It's a bit more cumbersome but there's zero cleanup at the end and seems a bit more environmentally friendly, which I prefer.

A couple of caveats: 1. Make sure you thread the bleeder cap securely to the brake fluid reservoir. Otherwise there will be a leak. Worst case scenario is you pressurize and the cap pops off, spewing caustic brake fluid everywhere. Caveat #2 -- If you are going to use JimD's method to flush your clutch fluid, keep an eagle eye on the reservoir level. The clutch siphons off fluid pretty high up on the reservoir, so you'll entrain air even if the reservoir looks full.
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      04-17-2015, 08:04 PM   #7
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I find the cleanup to be very easy. I hang the tube from a high shelf so it is straight and vertical for about a half hour while I replace the wheels and do the rest of the clean up. Then I pour any remaining fluid in the tank into my waste bottle. There is a trace of fluid which gets left in the bottle and tubing, which I would estimate is no more then 0.5mL. I do not see a need to rinse it out. Since I start with 1000 mL on the next job, the trace residual is about 5/100ths of 1% of what is in the bottle and tubing at the start of the next job. Even if that 0.5mL of old fluid has absorbed as much water as it can, it is negligible. More old fluid is left in the braking system than that since there is no way to ever completely empty the reservoir, cylinder and lines.

Last edited by CarJunkie; 04-17-2015 at 10:23 PM..
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      04-17-2015, 09:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JimD View Post
I've used the Motive on my 128i. The quick disconnect at the resovor cap of the Schwannen seems interesting but not really necessary. Otherwise they look very similar. I don't fill the tank with fluid so I don't care what size it is. One reason I don't fill it is brake fluid is hydroscopic and it would be difficult to clean the large tank completely. So the second and all future times you use it, you will have some fluid from the last time, possibly with significant water in it, when you dump your clean fluid in. All I do is hook the tank to the master cylinder resouvor and pump up the pressure. I have to refill the master cylinder for each wheel but that is no big deal.

They are easy to use. Just pump up the pressure, open a bleed valve, and let brake fluid run until you're confident you've flushed the line.
This or the old-fashioned two man manual method for me.

Neil
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      04-17-2015, 10:10 PM   #9
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I have the motive, it does the job just fine on my WRX. Can't offer an opinion on the schwaben but based on how often I use mine (1 to 2x a year) I wouldn't bother with the extra $$.
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