I picked up a vacuum pump from Auto Zone tonight, the one that runs around $25. It says on the package that it can be used as a one-man brake bleeder as well. Is it a good idea to bleed brakes this way? Does it do just as good a job as having an assistant pump the pedal?

 

It does just as good of a job but with the vacuum you can do it by yourself much easier. This tool is a must for bleeding the brakes on the motorcycle.

I also use this tool to suck out all my ATF before changing the filter. It doesn't get so messy that way. Speaking of that, I usually suck out the ATF every 10K miles and then change the filter/ATF at 30k. 110,000 miles on abused tranny and still running strong

 

Joe, do you just hook up the vacuum pump to the dipstick tube where you add the trans fluid? I haven't even taken this thing out of the package yet. How much of the trans fluid are you able to get out that way?

 

I connected a piece of hose (spare stuff from the fish tank) to the input of the collection cup. You will need about 7-8 feet of hose to make it easier. Anyway, I run the hose down the dipstick pipe until it can't go any farther, then I start pumping the handle. The vacuum pump will suck up the fluid into the cup.

Drawbacks: Takes about 15 min to suck out all the fluid because you have to stop and dump that cup after 4 ounces or so have been sucked out. You will end up filling the cup 30+ times since you can suck around a gallon of ATF out. Your hand/forearm will get a little sore from squeezing that handle.

A larger diameter hose would probably make things go faster. Next time I do mine, I will be using larger hose since the dogs chewed up my fish tank air hose