Building an Automotive Power Brake Bleeder

I love working on old cars but some of the tools are too expensive for what they are made of….

I saw a few articles on how to make  pressure bleeders from garden sprayers. The commercial bleeders sell for $50 to $200+ but the sprayer is only $12. Everybody keeps the pump but I’d rather use shop air..

First thing is to remove the pump

Break it down

And clean up all the grease left behind.

Then measure all the pieces….

then model and print the  new top

//****************************************************************
//*  Name    : Brake Bleeder Top                                 *
//*  Author  : Robert Joseph Korn                                *
//*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2016 Open Valley Consulting Corp    *
//*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
//*  Date    : 2/10/16                                           *
//*  Version : 1.0                                               *
//*  Notes   :                                                   *
//****************************************************************

$fn=50;

difference(){

     union(){

          cylinder(d=44, h=4, center=true);
          cube([50,13,4], center=true);
          translate([0,0,14]) cylinder(d=42, h=30, $fn=6, center=true);

     }

     difference(){
          cylinder(d=60, h=100, center=true);
          cylinder(d=50, h=100, center=true);
     }

     cylinder(d=11.5, h=100, center=true);
}

Fits good…

and the caps clears!

Now model a new piston sized plug.

//****************************************************************
//*  Name    : Brake Bleeder Bottom                             *
//*  Author  : Robert Joseph Korn                                *
//*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2016 Open Valley Consulting Corp    *
//*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
//*  Date    : 2/10/16                                           *
//*  Version : 1.0                                               *
//*  Notes   :                                                   *
//****************************************************************

$fn=50;

difference(){

     union(){

          cylinder(d=44, h=6, center=true);
          translate([0,0,14]) cylinder(d=33, h=25, center=true);

     }

     union(){
          translate([0,0,20])difference(){
          cylinder(d=33, h=5, center=true);
          cylinder(d=26, h=5, center=true);
     }

     translate([0,0,20])rotate_extrude(convexity = 10, $fn = 100)
     translate([13, 0, 0])circle(r = 2.5, $fn = 100);
     translate([0,0,12])cylinder(d1=12, d2=10, h=30, center=true);

     }
}

I used the old O-ring and a piece of 1/8 steel tubing to pressure test it.

I also cut the tube short. No need to blow bubbles in the fluid and if the regulator leaks you wont get fluid in it…

I used a fixed regulator to keep the pressure at 5psi. Any more and the safety valve does its job.

Next part it getting some master cylinder caps from the junk yard to make the unit complete……