2010 Tahoe brake bleed - one man bottle method gone wrong

[paintpollz]

I saw a video online for the one man bottle method. I bled the brakes twice last night, each time with various pumping methods and I could not get a steady stream without air bubbles. Now I have a spongy pedal.

In the process, I stripped each of the bleeders (car used to see salt when I live in the northeast). I'm not confident in the internet searches I've done for the replacement bleeders. Can someone confirm what the part numbers are for the front and rear bleeders, or if one bleeder will work for the front and back?

I will be waiting for my wife to return to help me pump the brakes while I open and close the bleeder.

 

[kbuskill]

I saw a video online for the one man bottle method. I bled the brakes twice last night, each time with various pumping methods and I could not get a steady stream without air bubbles. Now I have a spongy pedal.

In the process, I stripped each of the bleeders (car used to see salt when I live in the northeast). I'm not confident in the internet searches I've done for the replacement bleeders. Can someone confirm what the part numbers are for the front and rear bleeders, or if one bleeder will work for the front and back?

I will be waiting for my wife to return to help me pump the brakes while I open and close the bleeder.

Why are you bleeding the brakes???

Did you install a new master cylinder or calipers or???
Just trying to get a feel for where the air is in the system and how it got there.

Install new bleeder screws first... sorry I can't help with the part numbers, and then bleed them and get as much air out as possible.

Afterwards take the truck out some where, preferably secluded, and find a dirt or gravel road and get the truck above 30mph and slam on the brakes. This will cause the ABS computer to engage and pulse the brakes which will allow any air that is trapped inside to be pushed further down the line. Now after doing this a couple times, return home and bleed the brakes again.

Remember passenger rear, drivers rear, passenger front, drivers front... in that order.

 

[paintpollz]

Why are you bleeding the brakes???

Did you install a new master cylinder or calipers or???
Just trying to get a feel for where the air is in the system and how it got there.

Install new bleeder screws first... sorry I can't help with the part numbers, and then bleed them and get as much air out as possible.

Afterwards take the truck out some where, preferably secluded, and find a dirt or gravel road and get the truck above 30mph and slam on the brakes. This will cause the ABS computer to engage and pulse the brakes which will allow any air that is trapped inside to be pushed further down the line. Now after doing this a couple times, return home and bleed the brakes again.

Remember passenger rear, drivers rear, passenger front, drivers front... in that order.

I changed it because the fluid hadn't been changed since new and the truck has 150k miles on it, the fluid was coffee black.

I'm surprised because I found a lot of supporting articles on the one man method so I thought I'd give it a shot while my wife was out of town. What a dumb idea that was. The next time I have the wheels off I will have my wife help me while I open and close the bleeders.

If anyone has the part numbers for the bleeders (2010 Tahoe LT 4WD) please let me know.

Thanks

 

[RST Dana]

Stating the obvious, but you do know you only open the bleeder while pedal pressure is applied, then close the bleeder before allowing the pedal to return for the next pump?

 

[paintpollz]

Stating the obvious, but you do know you only open the bleeder while pedal pressure is applied, then close the bleeder before allowing the pedal to return for the next pump?

"one man bottle method"

youtube it. that's what I did

 

[LanceD]

Get you some Russell Speed Bleeders. Makes it super easy for one person.

 

[iamdub]

I quit the two-person method years ago and have been doing it solo ever since. The communication between two people is too convoluted. I see lots of yelling and frustrated spouses in the near future...


As for your problem, my guesses so far are:

A) You let the fluid in the reservoir get too low

B) You've been pushing the pedal to the floor (damaged master cylinder)

C) You had the bleeders too loose and air is being sucked in around the threads

D) The hose in the bottle wasn't submerged at all times

 

[paintpollz]

I quit the two-person method years ago and have been doing it solo ever since. The communication between two people is too convoluted. I see lots of yelling and frustrated spouses in the near future...


As for your problem, my guesses so far are:

A) You let the fluid in the reservoir get too low

B) You've been pushing the pedal to the floor (damaged master cylinder)

C) You had the bleeders too loose and air is being sucked in around the threads

D) The hose in the bottle wasn't submerged at all times

It's gotta be one of those things I'm positive it wasn't A, B, D. And I'm almost certain that that the bleeders weren't too far out.

The only thing I can think of is the master cylinder is shot.

 

[iamdub]

It's gotta be one of those things I'm positive it wasn't A, B, D. And I'm almost certain that that the bleeders weren't too far out.

The only thing I can think of is the master cylinder is shot.

I killed the MC during my bleeding and that's when I learned that you're not supposed to bottom out the pedal. Experienced mechanics slip a 2x4 or similar behind the pedal so it doesn't go beyond it's normal range of travel.

 

[sumo]

One man bottle. Take a hose from bleeder, fill a coke bottle halfway full of brake fluid and submerge the hose. Open the bleeder and pump the pedal. Since the hose is submerged in fluid, instead of sucking in air, it sucks in fluid.

As far as the spongy feeling, you may have stripped the caliper bleeder threads or one of them may not be fully closed.

Best way of bleeding is if you know someone with a snapon scab tool or tech2, there’s a automated brake bleed feature that gets all Air out.