!Guide! Manual Pedal - 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

-Making a 1 man bleeder bottle:
-Cut a 60cm length of clear PVC hose that has an internal diameter of about 6mm
-Drill a hole in the lid of an old clear drink bottle. Make sure that the hose is a tight fit in the bottle lid.
-Fill the bleeder bottle with 100ml of brake fluid (If you are flushing the system then you can use the fluid that you removed from the reservoir)
-Feed the hose into the bottle so that the hose reaches the bottom

-You can also buy 1 man bleeder kits that have a 1 way valve. You don't need to fill these with 100ml brake fluid first. Although in case the valve fails, its good insurance to do so. (Use old fluid from the reservoir if you are flushing the system)

-With these 1 man setups you can skip the requirement of closing the valves whilst the brake is still depressed. You can pump away and then close the valve & top up each time you have reached 10 smooth pedal pumps.

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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 bleed valves that you are going to open
-Crack off any bleed valves that you are going to open with a SOCKET, and then gently fasten them back up (12mm for front callipers & 8mm for rear wheel cylinders)

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

(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)

1 man bleeder method:
-Attach the 1 man bleed bottle/kit hose to the bleeder valve. Make sure that the hose is positioned so that it arches up and over the height level of the bleed valve. Now secure the hose on the valve with a cable tie. You can elevate the bottle by placing it on a bucket or something similar. You can elevate the 1 man kit by using long cable ties or wire to suspend it in the air, by hanging it from the bottom coil spring.
-Open the chosen line with a spanner until fluid starts to escape (12mm for the front callipers & 8mm for the rear wheel cylinders)
-Smoothly depress the brake pedal 10 times. Close the valve & top up the fluid reservoir.
(DON'T LET THE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DRAIN TO BELOW THE MININUM LEVEL MARKER)
-Keep repeating this process until either the air bubbles or the old fluid has been fully expelled from the line
-Once the line is blead then make sure the bleed nipple is reasonably tight & put the rubber dust cap back on
-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 flush/bleed the clutch line

2 man bleeder method:
-Attach a hose (with an internal diameter of about 6mm) to the bleeder valve. Feed this hose into a catch pan or bottle.
(You can do this without any hose or catch pan/bottle but it will make a mess)
-Tell your assistant to smoothly depress the brake and hold it in
(If you do not have an assistant then you can put a piece of wood against the pedal to simulate an assistant)
-Open the line with a spanner (12mm for the front callipers & 8mm for the rear wheel cylinders)
-Once fluid/air stops flowing out then close the valve & tell your assistant to take their foot off the brake pedal
-Repeat this up to 9 more times (Less if the air or old fluid has been fully expelled)
-Check the fluid reservoir & top it up with fluid
(DON'T LET THE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DRAIN TO BELOW THE MININUM LEVEL MARKER)
-Keep repeating this until either the air bubbles or the old fluid has been fully expelled from the line
-Once the line is blead then make sure the bleed nipple is reasonably tight & put the rubber dust cap back on
-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 flush/bleed the clutch line

-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:

How to do a Complete Brake Flush and Bleed

Let's Try Halfords Vizibleed one man brake and clutch bleeding kit - it works!!!

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