Its pretty easy to bleed ... much faster if you have a helper around to press the brakes for ya.

 

is there a specific process for the RX8, I read around here the front and rear system are separate. Do any of our vendors carry speed bleeders?

 

Team's capillary method (look to the beginning of the thread) is the best way, though I suggest you bleed the MC first if you have the bleed screw.

 

I will have to look at my MC to see what you are talkin' about Oh, and does our ABS unit need to be bled? I read around that on other cars this needed to be bled separately as well. Thanks.

 

MM : what sup with your avatar dude, **** scared me. :P

9k : I think they took the bleed screw out, starting 06+ models. I know my 05+ has it, you have a 04 right? so you should have it.

anyway, bleed from MC, then bleed RR, RL, FR, FL. Repeat one more time. You're done.

I used to bleed from closest first, never had a problem, but guys here corrected me (got it from FSM) so ...

Dont have to Bleed ABS.

 

Close- but not exactly complete You could end up with the brake going to the floor if you don't do the last thing...the last MC bleed.

Stupid dealer did this to me when they put my SS brake hoses on and had to drain the system. The didn't do the MC one last time and let me drive off the lot with virtually NO brakes (pedal to the floor). Why they didn't do a road test is amazing in and of itself....but when I asked about how they did the procedure, and as they said no MC at the end, and I showed them the manual.... they said "...really?". I guess dealers don't read service manuals....

"Begin air bleeding with the master cyclinder and then continue with the brake caliper that is furthest away from the master cyclinder. Finish by beeding air from the master cyclinder again." ...excerpt from RX-8 Service Manual

PS I'd say the "speed bleeders" are your best bet if you intend to bleed frequently. Makes the assistant job much easier if you use one (wife)!

 

+1 I didn't do the MC last one time and had a spongy brake pedal.
I bled the MC and the pedal felt much better, so now I too recommend to others that they bleed the MC first AND last.

 

I never had a problem with that. maybe because I bleed a lot, not just 2-3 pumps each, I go thru like 1-2 quarts of brake fluid each time.

maybe thats why ?

Remember, Later models does not have the MC bleed screw. they dont have a problem.

 

Team,

I tried the one-man method last night on my clutch and my MC. The problem is, despite the fact that I ran my tubing several inches above the MC when I bled it, the fluid would go further back into the bleeder when I released the brake pedal than where it started. The result was that it sucked air in. My solution was to watch the fluid carefully and release the brake pedal very, very slowly, which remedied this for the most part. But on my last pedal stroke I still had to reach over with my foot on the pedal and close the bleeder to prevent sucking air in. I had the same result whether the reservoir cap was on or off. So I have two questions.

1) Was I doing something wrong, such as not opening the bleeder far enough?

2) It seemed that the fluid really didn't get very far up the tube (12"-18") when pushing the brake pedal and came back exactly to the same point (or further back) when I released it. I need to flush the entire system soon. I'm still unclear on whether the one-man method (no speed bleeders) is feasible for flushing the entire braking / clutch system (calipers, clutch slave, MC) in a timely manner. Is it?

Thx