How to Get Air Out of Brake Lines Without Bleeding
You need a few household items and to follow a step-by-step process to get air out of your brake lines without bleeding.
Written by Katherine Duffy
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Getting air out of brake lines without bleeding is a job you can do from home. You just need a few household items and to follow our step-by-step process to complete this task.
Your car’s brakes are arguably its most important safety feature, so it’s crucial that you take good care of them. Sometimes, air bubbles can get into your car’s hydraulic brake system, which can hinder your car’s ability to stop when necessary.
You might be wondering how you can fix this problem, and whether it can be done from home.
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What causes air bubbles in your brake lines?
Air bubbles can form in your brake lines for a variety of reasons. Here are the most popular reasons air has gotten into your brake lines:
- Pumping your brakes can cause air bubbles to form because it shakes your brake lines around, making air travel through the transport tubes inside each brake line. In certain circumstances, this can create air bubbles in your brake lines.
- If you haven’t replaced your brake fluid over your last two brake jobs, your brake fluid becomes prone to collecting air bubbles. Brake fluid absorbs water over time, which allows air pockets to form when your car sits for extended periods.
- If your old brake fluid wasn’t completely bled when new fluid was put in your brake lines, air pockets may form in your brake line as the old and new fluid mix.
How to get the air out of brake lines
Thankfully, you can get the air out of your brake lines without bleeding them—and do this from the comfort of your home! Before jumping in, you’ll need to gather a few tools before you start:
- A plastic hose
- A glass or plastic canister
- Shop rags
- A car jack
- A funnel
- A friend to help you
Once you’ve gathered everything you need, follow these step-by-step instructions to remove the air bubbles from your brake lines:
- Jack up the car and locate the bleeder: Jack up your car on a safe and level surface. Now, find the bleeder bolt and hose underneath your car. The bolt is long, cylindrical, and used to relieve pressure in your brake lines.
- Loosen the bleeder bolt and attach the plastic hose: Now, loosen the bleeder bolt a bit. If you’re using your hands, make sure you have gloves on as brake fluid can be caustic. Once the bolt is loosened, place one end of the hose over the bolt and the other end into your canister to catch the fluid.
- Recruit a friend to apply the brakes: Now, have your friend push down on the brakes with their hand a few times. Brake fluid will come out of the plastic hose and into the canister below. Continue this process until all of the fluid is forced out into the container.
- Remove hose and clean the bolt: Once the fluid has been totally flushed, your friend can stop applying pressure to the brakes and you can clean the bleeder bolt with a shop rag.
- Refill your brake lines with old fluid or add new fluid: Now it’s time to refill your brake lines. If you’re using your old fluid, make sure it settles so no air bubbles remain in the fluid.
Unscrew the master cylinder reservoir cap. Using a funnel, slowly pour the brake fluid in while keeping the brakes pressed down to create pressure and push out any air bubbles forming. Be careful not to exceed the maximum fluid level.
- Tighten the bleeder bolt to ensure no air bubbles or leaking occurs after you’ve finished refilling the reservoir.
- Repeat this process for each wheel. Once each wheel’s brake line is finished, take your car out for a spin to ensure the spongy, unresponsive feeling from your brakes is gone.
Why do you need to remove air from your brake lines?
When there’s air in your brake lines, your brakes become less responsive, which can be dangerous, especially on busy highways, congested stop-and-go traffic, or if an animal or object suddenly obstructs the road while you’re driving.
If this problem isn’t addressed quickly, your brakes will become progressively worse, making it more and more dangerous to drive. Removing the air from your brake lines will restore proper pressure and responsiveness so you’ll be able to brake quickly when you need to.
MORE:
How to save money on car insurance
Ensuring that your brakes are in top condition is an important part of protecting you and your car on the roads, but what’s the best way to make sure you’re covered?
An insurance policy that covers all of your needs is key to staying safe, but we all know insurance costs can make finding the right coverage feel like an impossible task.
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How long does it take to get air out of your brake lines?
It takes around an hour to get the air out of your brake lines, especially if it’s your first time doing this job at home.
Can you prevent air bubbles from forming in your brake lines?
Yes! You can prevent air bubbles in your brake lines with regular brake maintenance and keeping your fluid levels topped up. Make sure your fluid is replaced every other brake job, as brake fluid becomes less effective over time.
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