I'm bleeding!! help!!

[adey]

I'm about to do a major tune up of my S13, including changing all fluids (brake, transmission, coolant, steering) and was wondering if you guys could let me know how to bleed them.
I know that I need, at least, to bleed the brakes, but what about transmission and steering? how do I go about changing those? where're the drain nuts?
Do I need to "bleed" coolant? If so, how?

Gratsi. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

[Jeff240sx]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (adey @ May 05 2002,04:37)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I'm about to do a major tune up of my S13, including changing all fluids (brake, transmission, coolant, steering) and was wondering if you guys could let me know how to bleed them.
I know that I need, at least, to bleed the brakes, but what about transmission and steering? how do I go about changing those? where're the drain nuts?
Do I need to "bleed" coolant? If so, how?

Gratsi. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Power steering needs to be removed with a turkey baster. &nbsp;I'm not joking. &nbsp;My ps fluid was leaking out, so I asked a mechanic how he would take it out, and he showed me a dirty turkey baster. &nbsp;So I bought one at Dollar General for.... a dollar.
The brakes are little screw/nut things, and you open one, and put a one way valve on it. &nbsp;Then pump your brakes. &nbsp;Repeat for each other corner.
Transmission has a little drain plug on it, on the bottom, towards the rear of the tranny. &nbsp;Undo that.
And same with a radiator. &nbsp;Ours has a White? butterfly plug at the bottom right or left of the radiator. &nbsp;Jack up the car and remove it.
-Jeff

[adey]

thanks!
Judging by one of bbps posts, I assume filling up the tranny with tranny fluid is a pain, and will require the use of a pump huh. &nbsp;

Where are the brake bleeding nuts/bolts? In the wheel well, I guess?

[Jeff240sx]

They are on the calipers. &nbsp;They will look like a chess pawn sticking out of the caliper all by itself. &nbsp;Twist it and it will come out.
Most trannys, (I have an auto, I dunno for sure about your manual) have a fill plug at the top of the tranny. &nbsp;Undo that, and fill it with the gear oil. &nbsp;As soon as it reaches the bottom of the fill plug, and a drop comes out, there is enough in there. &nbsp;I dunno anything about a pump.
-Jeff

[rotaryknight]

www.speedbleeders.com &nbsp;The best investment ever. &nbsp;Oneway valves for your calipers makes bleeding a snap. &nbsp;Use them on the FD and it make changing fluids so easy. &nbsp;No more two person job. &nbsp;You can flush your whole system in an hour.

[adey]

Eh?? is it just me or does speedbleeders give others a "waiting to be developed" page? http://www.speedbleeders.com/

Also, I assume it doesn't matter too much if we have a little bit of air in our coolant systems (radiator/whatever)?

[9591]

Speedbleeders seem cool, even though I've never tried the product (always wanted to), and even if their website doesn't work. Even if they're actually called something else and I don't remember what. But two-person bleeding isn't all that inconvenient as long as a second person is available. Sometimes they can be hard to find, though. My neighborhood has an abundance of H&H (hookers and homeless), so help isn't hard to find. BTW, I recommend the hookers before the homeless; they're more expensive, but seem to be better at taking directions.

[bbp]

adey,

Filling a manual tranny isn't that bad. &nbsp;Drain it first by removing plug on the bottom.
Get a piece of 5/8 clear vinyl tubing from HomeDepot or where ever and a funnel. &nbsp;Drop the tube down the firewall, roll under the car, remove the filler plug with a 1/2 drive rachet, stick the tube in the hole. &nbsp;Pour the gear lube into the funnel stuck in the end of the hose at the firewall (near brake resevoir). &nbsp;Pour away until it begins to come out of the hole (if the car is level on all 4 jackstands). &nbsp;S14 hold like 5 1/4 pints. &nbsp;Put plug back in.

[DSC]

PDM-racing.com sells them (under brake upgrades section) for $11.50 &nbsp;<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/thumbs-up.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':thumbsup:'>

How often are you supposed to bleed brakes? &nbsp;I've added fluid (NO idea where mine went but a lot was gone <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'> ) but never bled them.

How often are you supposed to change ps, radiator, brake, ect...

[tnord]

don't forget differential and clutch fluid

EDIT: if your car is so equipped

[HippoSleek]

Actually, you should bleed your brakes as often as is necessary to keep the pedal firm. &nbsp;As for flushing, that should be done every couple years if you are using normal fluid or more often if you are using high-quality fluid like Motul 600. &nbsp;I bleed enough that I don't worry so much about system replacement (since it will have been bled out in the course of one year or less). &nbsp;

Oh yeah - and you are NOT supposed to top off brake fluid!!! <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/huh.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':huh:'>
1) the warning light (that tells you when your pads are going/gone) is triggered by low fluid and
2) brakes are a relatively closed system - with the exception of fluid moving into the lines as the pads wear, there is no reason that you should lose any. &nbsp;Low fluid might mean you have a bad seal or didn't tighten down the nipple enough.

[bbp]

huh huh huh &nbsp; he said nipple....


I usually do a big spring cleaning and R&R all the different fluids. &nbsp;

Hippo is right, don't add any brake fluid to the system unless you have taken some out. &nbsp;The fluid that was once in the resevoir is now filling the piston in your caliper as the pads are being used up. &nbsp;When you go to change pads, you will have to compress that piston again. &nbsp;If you have added fluid, it will over flow and make a mess. &nbsp;Brake fluid is VERY harmful to finished painted surfaces.

bbp

[rotaryknight]

CRAP!!!!!!!! Sorry I always make that mistake

www.speedbleeder.com

The site is up I just checked and they are only like 6.50 each

Honestly one of the best investments I made for my FD.

[diabolic hippo]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (adey @ May 05 2002,02:37)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I'm about to do a major tune up of my S13, including changing all fluids (brake, transmission, coolant, steering) and was wondering if you guys could let me know how to bleed them.
I know that I need, at least, to bleed the brakes, but what about transmission and steering? how do I go about changing those? where're the drain nuts?
Do I need to "bleed" coolant? If so, how?

Gratsi. <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''></td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
i think the only time you need to bleed your coolant is if you empty the entire system or disconnect any heater or radiator hose, if you want to bleed your cooling system for a s13 you want to fill radiator back up here in hawaii it's 50/50 water/coolant and then take off the bolt on top of your thermostat housing, and that should do the trick. oh and don't forget to put the bolt back on. another tip when changing your thermostat do not put gasket sealer on top of the jiggle pin on the outer edge of the thermostat, it restricts air flow. caused my car to run hot.

[misnomer]

I just changed my brake fluid, two people, one to pump the brakes,t he other to open and close the bleeder. Use a turkey baster to pull as much fluid from the top as possible, refill with clean fluid. Pump the brakes firm, hold pressure while the other person opens the bleeder. Close bleeder, release brakes. Repeat untill you get clean fluid. Do the same with your clutch.

[sykikchimp]

You don't want to remove all the fluid from your braking system do you?