Here's one of many threads where this little gem is mentioned.

The MightyVac.

http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=686F41FD-1372-66AE-3B6E9102F6B48D8C&page=1&searchTerm=Mightyvac#24

Detect a note of sarcasm? I've run my mouth off on stuff prematurely in the past so I'm withholding final judgement until I try this thing on the lines. All I can say, for refilling and bleeding a dry master cylinder......? The traditional pump up the lever and crack the bleed works SO much better. The MityVac wasn't gettin 'er done. Just a little hiss of air sucking past the threads and a weak, barely noticeable trickle (if you could even call it that) of fluid. NOt nearly enough to fill the plastic tube. I tried a turkey marinade syringe and it actually created and sustained a lot better suction. (NOt only that, it makes the breast meat as juicy and delicious as the thigh meat...and it's fat free! Creole Butter. Highly recommended).

Dogo raved about it and several others swore once you used it, you'd never bleed brakes the old way ever again. What's been your experience with the MityVac?

My experience with mityvac is I'll never bleed brakes without one again, bike, car, truck. I'd say overall it requires a little less technique to get bleeding done properly which is good. As long as there's the vacuum kept there's 0 chance of getting air into the system.

I've down all the hydraulics on my bike. Also this fall flushed and bled all the brake fluid in my truck. All with mityvac, all solo, all pretty darn easy.

As long as there's the vacuum kept there's 0 chance of getting air into the system.

The 5 HG might be plenty to suck fluid through any of the bleeds as long as there is no major air in the system. If you ever drain the master cylinder to remove a line, I think you will find it inadequate. If there is no fluid in the system at all, there is no resistance against the tool. No resistance = no suction. Air pumps a lot easier than liquid. The air just sails right through and the liquid is not effected.

I think if I take the time to seal all of the joints in the hoses with zip ties and cover the holes in the cap with silicone, it may work a lot better. I bet the tool would work fine without the reservoir bottle. Just hook up a long hose and you have no air leaks. You would surely suck some brake fluid up into the tool doing it that way and IDK what long term effect that would have.

I really like the rubber adapters that go onto the nipple. They won't pop off like a hose by itself... but $80 for that? i think I have some mod work to do on this thing when I get a chance.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/5/2014 @ 5:22 AM *

I did not attach the hose to the right side caliper...nor to the master valve either like the manual says.I attached the hose to the left side caliper.Used the mitey vac to pull the fluid down through the system.I do believe I taped the brake lever close to the bar...fully pulled in.This allowed the fluid to freely flow from res to lower valve and out.The only time I closed the lower valve was when I was emptying the pump container.I also found that the supplied hose was a bit too big in diameter to fit tightly on that nipple...I replaced that hose with something smaller...the supplied fittings(the rubber ones)leaked as well.So I didn't use those either...just the smaller diameter hose.It took some firm pushing and such to get the smaller hose over the fittings...but once it was on there...it worked really good.

HUb said...."I then open the farthest caliper from the master; pump away at the lever; fill rez as fluid lowers; watch the fluid change colors to the fresh; 'close nipple on the last squeeze of the lever and hold: do no release'(punctuation mine).
I do no worry about air up the line say; because when the pumping begins again, the air is out and all is flowing is fluid; not air; IF I opened the nipple too much; the threads now are too wobbly; let air come up the threads; the fluid causes a vacuum: which pulls air up between threads: makes you think there is air still in the line: think".

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/5/2014 @ 10:12 AM *

I taped the brake lever close to the bar...fully pulled in.

I also found that the supplied hose was a bit too big in diameter to fit tightly on that nipple...I replaced that hose with something smaller.

After the master was bled with the standard "pump the lever/open the bleed" technique, I went down to the slave cylinder. I tried to pull the fluid through the line to the slave with the MightyVac and still no luck. I just pumped the lever and opened the bleed again and that worked great.

Did either of you guys ever use the MightyVac on a system that was empty? Seems like building internal pressure with the master cylinder is the only way to get fluid moving when the system is dry.

I don't use most of what comes with it. I use different sizes of tubing. The catch can uses a larger hose that comes with the kit. It has the same fitting size on both sides of the lid. Somewhere around 1/4 to 3/8 ID. Then there's a step adapter that I go to the the other hose sizes, I have 4 different sizes overall to fit different fittings. This is just my preference, kind of like you I got tired of leaks, I got tired of the 90 degree fittings popping off the zerk fittings that weren't the exact size. No biggy, tubing is cheap and great to have around anyway.

Here's how I've found it best used. If I create too much vacuum it'll pull air bubbles through the fitting. About 5-10 HG is all I do when I'm completing bleeding. So to suck old fluid through and pull new fluid in, I pump it right up there.

When new fluid is coming into the hose and I'm ready for final bleeding, I only use around 5 HG to ensure no air bubbles are introduced into the system. Has worked the same on my bike and truck.

Nothing wrong with doing it the other way. Just my preference and I find it easier to use the vac.

"Did either of you guys ever use the MightyVac on a system that was empty?"

I didn't..that would be probably a bit more problematic...trying to pull the fluid down with a lot of air in there.IDK...maybe not?Once BOTH the lever and the nipple are 'open'...the fluid will gravitate toward the bottom...but that might take a bit of time to get it to do that?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/5/2014 @ 6:32 PM *

I tried mine at the clutch slave cylinder after the system was full. It still was not doing much. Sure seems like a well made, high quality tool but I think the hoses and fittings are going to need some work to seal them off...or something.

Seems to work just dandy for this guy. i see he is using a lot shorter length of hose between the catch bottle and the bleed valve. MAybe that's the problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAQ2qDQjPg

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/6/2014 @ 1:34 AM *

yup...that's how it done alright.That's pretty much how I did mine....when I used it that is.But...as I said...the lever pumping and nipple opening/closing seems to be quite adequate.Maybe a bit more time consuming...but same result.I still think at one point I did the lever taping and left the lower nipple open...while using the pump.Maybe not...hell...I can't remember just now.Next time I'll pay more attention.

On the clutch and front brake if you empty the lines, you have to bleed from the reservoir to the master cylinder fist, then to the calipers. The service manual gives an overview for the process. You cannot empty the system, then fill the reservoir and bleed from the calipers.

Since the brake system on the bike is small and I have the vac, I'm doing a 3 step process. Suck the old fluid out completely. Then run all new fluid through once to flush it, like a cooling system. Then do the final bleed.

One recommendation I have over what the guy does in this video, is use the vac and suck all the fluid out of the reservoir. This will NOT introduce air into the system as long as you fill the reservoir with new fluid before opening any zerk fittings further down the line. This way you're not mixing new fluid with 2 yo fluid as your flushing the old fluid (the point is remove and replace all old fluid.

I don't go to this extent on my truck, just bleed through until clear fluid is coming out (it's still slightly yellow), but you know 14 is a performance vehicle and my truck is a POS.

The 3 step method sounds like a good one, Vic. Maybe I'll do that next summer. It'll give me one last shot at the mity-vac. I can't understand what else could be wrong except that the tube I'm using is too long...but I sorta doubt that would matter much. Maybe it's the cold? IDK

You cannot empty the system, then fill the reservoir and bleed from the calipers.

* Last updated by: Rook on 12/6/2014 @ 7:48 AM *

I can't understand what else could be wrong except that the tube I'm using is too long...but I sorta doubt that would matter much. Maybe it's the cold? IDK

No, it wasn't the cold. The shitty-Vac failed its ass off again and it's a pleasant 70° outside...maybe a few degrees warmer in the garage.

I will try a shorter tube and if that doesn't work, I'll RTV the stupidass holes in the cap but then it's off to the trash bin. The best I can say is this thing is too much of a pain in the ass to fuck around with trying to get it to work when a godam meat syringe that I get free with my Cajun Butter marinade works perfectly fine. Open the bleed one time and you can suck the whole system dry in one pull.

Hub, you were right. Why did I not listen to Turtle?