!Guide! Vacuum Pump - Brake & Clutch Line Flush/Bleed - MK7

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-Ford Fiesta Zetec JA8  08-13

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Misc:
-Brake lines should ideally be flushed every 3 years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic so it will absorb moisture over time. This water will boil and evaporate when the brakes get hot, this creates a void of air in the lines. This void is compressible so it will prevent the brakes from... Braking.
-The clutch line should ideally be flushed alongside the brake lines as they share the same fluid reservoir and contamination of new from old fluid could occur.
-Individual brake or clutch lines should also be blead once they have been opened & exposed to the air

-Use DOT4 brake fluid
-1L should be enough to flush the entire brake system
-1.2L should be enough to flush the entire brake system + the clutch line
-200ml should be enough to simply bleed a single brake line

-Store brake fluid with the lid on TIGHT & use it within 12 months
-Put the lid back on the brake fluid bottle as soon as you have finished topping up the reservoir

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(YOU CAN BLEED ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WITHOUT REMOVING ANY WHEELS - DOING SO JUST GIVES YOU BETTER ACCSSES - YOU WILL STILL NEED TO SUPPORT THE CAR WITH AXLE STANDS THOUGH)
-Crack off the wheel nuts for every wheel if you are doing a brake fluid flush (19mm)
OR
-Crack off the wheel nuts for the relevant wheels if you are bleeding lines that you have exposed to air (19mm)
-Support the car with axle stands
-Remove the wheels (19mm) 

-If you are flushing the system then use a turkey baster to remove enough old fluid out of the master cylinder reservoir that the level drops to the minimum mark (FLUSHING ONLY)

-Pour fresh brake fluid into the reservoir until it is sitting at the filler neck & REST the cap back on the reservoir (Pour it slowly so that it does not mix with the old fluid)
-Remove the bleed valve dust covers for the lines that you are bleeding
-Spray penetrating oil & wire brush any brake bleed valves that you are going to open
-Crack off any brake bleed valves that you are going to open with a SOCKET (12mm for front callipers & 8mm for rear wheel cylinders)
-Unfasten each bleed screw about halfway and then apply silicone grease to the threads (This will prevent the vacuum pump pulling air through the threads of the bleed valve once it is opened)
-Fasten each bleed screw back up but do not fasten them down tight

(IF YOU ARE FLUSHING THE SYSTEM THEN YOU WANT TO START WITH THE LINE FURTHEST FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER SO: RL, RR, FL, FR)

-Make sure that the vacuum pump is set on the vacuum testing mode and not the pressure testing mode
-Attach the vacuum pump hose to the brake bleed valve (Position the hose so that it goes up and over the height level of the bleed screw, before the hose then slopes down and feeds into the container that is situated closer to the ground - Use a cable tie to keep it in position if it is possible)
-Build up the pressure in the vacuum pump until the gauge is reading 21 inHg (1.5bar) of pressure

-Open the chosen line 1/4 of a turn with a spanner to release the air/fluid (12mm for the front callipers & 8mm for the rear wheel cylinders)
(Keep adding pressure to the vacuum pump if it drops too much - Keep it above 10 inHg)
-Once all of the old fluid/air stops flowing out then close the valve 

(If the fluid isn't flowing well then try pressing the brake pedal twice whilst the valve is open and under negative pressure - This may unclog the valve)
(If the valve is still clogged then remove the bleed valve and clean it)

(DON'T LET THE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DRAIN TO BELOW THE MININUM LEVEL MARKER)
(DO NOT LET THE FLUID CONTAINER ON THE VACCUM PUMP OVERFLOW AS IT WILL ALLOW FLUID TO BE PULLED INTO THE VACUUM PUMP ITSELF WHICH WILL DAMAGE IT)
(DO NOT LET THE FLUID CONTAINER TURN UPSIDE DOWN AS IT WILL ALLOW FLUID TO BE PULLED INTO THE VACUUM PUMP ITSELF WHICH WILL DAMAGE IT)

-Once the line is blead then make sure the bleed nipple is reasonably tight & put the rubber dust cap back on
-Check the fluid reservoir & top it up with fluid
-Repeat this for any brake line that needs flushing/bleeding
-If you have flushed all of the brake lines then also repeat these steps to bleed the clutch slave cylinder

-Make sure that the fluid reservoir cap is back on tight
-Check that the brake pedal is firm
-Check that the clutch pedal isn't spongey 

-Clean up any brake fluid residue with brake cleaner & a rag

-If you haven't removed any wheels then lower the car back down

-If you have removed the front wheel(s) then apply a conservative amount of aluminium anti seize to the hat of the brake rotor(s) (Don't get any on the studs)
-Put the front wheel(s) back on (19mm)
-Put the front end back on the ground
-Tighten the front wheel(s) to 110Nm (19mm)

-If you have removed the rear wheel(s) then apply a conservative amount of copper anti seize to the mating face of the brake drum(s) (Don't get any on the studs)
-Put the rear wheel(s) back on (19mm)
-Put the rear end back on the ground
-Tighten the rear wheel(s) to 110Nm (19mm)

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Useful sources:

Tips for using the Pittsburgh automotive brake bleeder and vacuum pump kit

How to Bleed the Brakes Using a Vacuum Pump

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