TIL I've been bleeding brakes the wrong way for 8 years

Watched a 2 minute video from a Snap-on rep and realized I was letting air back in every time I pumped the pedal. Has anyone else had that forehead slap moment with a basic job?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_lucas6d ago

Did you have one of those autozone bleed kits with the check valve? Those things are garbage, they always let air slip past the seal.

matthewsullivan5d ago

Wait, what exactly were you doing that let air back in? Like were you cracking the bleeder open, pumping the pedal, and then closing it after the pedal was already down? Because that's what I used to do for years too lol. I thought I was being careful but apparently closing the bleeder while the pedal was still pressed down creates a vacuum that sucks air right past the threads. Realized the trick is to close the bleeder BEFORE you let the pedal come back up, or better yet get a one-way valve setup that seals properly. The cheap autozone kits are definitely trash though, I had one that leaked at the hose connection immediately.