This is a two-fold question, and input is gladly appreciated.

1. What's the best way to do a one-man bleeding of the brakes? (Looks like there are no speed bleeders available for this car yet)

2. Is it okay to place the car on jack-stands, on all four corners? If so, and the jack-stands go on the indented notches on the rails, what are the alternative lift points?

Thanks, all.

 

1. The only way I have done it by myself is with a pump (hand vacuum pump). I don't think the speed bleeders, or pump, do as good of job a job as 2 people. I make my wife help; you can't find anyone?

2. Yes. The last time I did it, I placed my car on jack stands, and pulled all 4 wheels off. I usually do one at a time, but having all 4 wheels off at the start really makes it go faster. I have never done it on my 09, so I am not 100% on the points. Someone just posted a diagram of the jack points, and jack-stand points the other day. If I can find it, I will post it (it may have been on the G37 website).

 

1. I have used the below on every car I have owned (prelude, murano, STi) so far to help bleed brakes, real simple and effective (nozzles are placed into the bleed valve, open bleed valve, hit brakes, only allows fluid & air to bleed out but not return).


I havn't used it on the G yet, but only way it cant work is if the valves are in a wierd place and you could not insert the nozzle into the valve bleeder.

2. I have only used stands on K-frames, or other hard points of the suspension. I have been leary of going onto the jack points cause uniframe seems to flex, but I would use them if someone they confirmed they work well. I saw a DIY with 1st gen. where they used the jacking points and there wasnt flex. So i think you would be good to use the jack points.


Have fun! Kregg

 

Thanks guys, the responses and tips are much appreciated.

jran, my wife can probably help, but i just know i'll end up arguing over it (did you press it, now, yes, now, wait, all the way, yeah...)

kregg, thanks for the product link, i'll check it out. Pardon my ignorance, but what's a K-frame? In any case, i used to jack my old Max by the suspension points, then placing the jacks on the rails. Didn't have flex issues. With the G being much stiffer, it should be okay. I'm just not sure which point to jack from (what with all the underbody covers and the independent suspension, i'm just not very familiar with it).

I'll keep searching around the forum for the tip jran mentioned above.

 

This is the jack point I use to lift the front, it looks like a dimple going down.



For the back I just go off the rear diff case.

K member is the large bar in the shape of a "K" that is engine cradle and lower front suspension mounting points.

 

BTW I got that same brake kit in Autozone or something, no need to order online if you dont want. Or at least you can check it out and see if you think it will work for you or not. The instructions say you need to keep the hose to the bottle, and the bottle needs to be higher than the bleeder valve to keep air bubbles out. But you really dont need to do that. You can bleed right into any drain pan or old milk jug. You have plenty of time to push the brake pedal a few times and get to the bleeder valve to close it off before any air would get back. The little bottle with magnet is worthless, and hard to stick anywhere, but the platic nozzles work like a charm only letting the brake fluid go one way.

I totally flushed my STi lines from OEM fluid to blue DOT 4 and cleared each line in like a minute.

 

Man, I have bought two sets of that bleeder kit and could never get them to not leak. I would push the nozzles into the bleeder valve, try it, push harder, try it, push harder, try it, push...darn nozzle broke. I figured it must work for someone as they keep selling them for years and years. Glad to know that someone got it to work. I almost want you to post a video so I can try and figure out what I was doing wrong.

I ended up using fuel supply hose for methanol fueled model airplanes(or cars). This light translucent blue hose in Large or XLarge is highly flexible and I have found it to be completely resistant to brake fluid for the years I have been using the same 2.5ft section. I then route it over the rotor or anything nearby higher than the caliper then down to the ground where I have an old thick glass mason jar.

Bleeding with two people is best. Also, I turn the engine on for a final go around as it gets me a better pedal. The bleeder valve should be slightly open so there is pressure build up in the system. This is opposed to opening a little further as in the first go around to flush old fluid out. I haven't and still can't explain why it works better to have the brake booster assist(engine on). I was surprised to see the requirement to turn the engine on to bleed the brakes in my Mitsu EvoVIII Service Manual.

 

Hmmm.... maybe I am just lucky. I just put in the nozzle with a little force, like maybe a pound or two. At first I thought this thing will never work it will just pop out from the brake fluid pushing it out. But they stay in.

I havnt used them on the G yet, so maybe I might have a problem when I go to do these. Your method sounds good, I will keep it in mind worst comes to worst & these fail.

 

I apologize for bringing this thread back up, but i tried this for the front which worked well enough until i brought the car back down. It was resting on the jack And it's a relatively low-profile 2.5 ton jack.

Any other ideas on how to go about this?

Thank you.

p.s. I already had a stand on a side rail, so i could get to the dimple with the jack, and switch the stand over to the other side. I originally lifted using the rear side rail.

 

I pull onto 2X4's to lift the car just a tad off the ground to provide some clearance. This is enough to do the trick. I did it today actually for the first time on this car. It's been nice enough to ditch the winter tires for my summer set-up (yey!).

I think this will take car of the problem you are talking about. Just make sure when you lower the car that you land on the 2X4s as if you moved them during the job your jack will be trapped. Dont worry too much tho, just use your scissor jack on the side rail to lift enough to get your big jack out (I usually forget like 50% of the time, doh).