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Crimping/clamping brake line instead of bleeding

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by MaskedCrocheter, Aug 11, 2024.

  1. MaskedCrocheter

    MaskedCrocheter New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2024
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    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Gonna be replacing my actuator and brake booster next weekend and trying to fully prepare before I start. I have new OEM parts ready to go. My issue is I might not be able to bleed the system after (not enough jacks + physical limitations on my part).

    Has anyone tried clamping the brake line to prevent air bubbles instead of just bleeding it? I saw one video on YouTube where they did it but I can't for the life of me find it again.

    Also was told you could "rent" techstream from the dealership but I get bumped around on their phone line then sent to voicemail limbo, every time. Any alternative suggestions for techstream sourcing for a broke (and mostly broken ) amateur?
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
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    Base
    AUTEL ap200 Will be your friend in this journey probably the best $63 you'll spend while you're with this model of vehicle I believe almost certainly this can bleed your brakes with minimal nonsense It does work on my generation 2 perfectly I believe it's also set up for the 2010 through 2016 generation 3 I personally haven't had to bleed the brakes on my generation 3 as none of them make it or last long enough to get to replacing the brakes all mine blow up but that's not neither here nor there. I know on the generation to you generally want to be bleeding the brakes correctly there are ways around easier on the two then it is on the generation 3 on the three you're going to want to be able to get into the menu to completely electronically bleed the brakes not fool around with clamping what are you going to clamp we're talking the metal lines here going to the wheels from the part that has those lines connected to it we're not talking about the lines that are rubber that feed the parts on the firewall from the reservoir and hopefully you're going to let that drain so you can put in all new fluid dot 4 something along those lines. Then when you reconnect everything if you fill the reservoir first put all the metal lines on the aluminum block of the part you're replacing on the firewall loose then unclamp your reservoir feed tube and let those aluminum blocks start to fill up with brake fluid with those metal lines loose you'll see the bottom when I think start to run fluid first You watch the fitting that's loosely screwed into the aluminum block and when you see the little bubbles of air stop forming and fluid start to drip drip drip you close that line then you watch the next one up the block the same thing will happen You close it and so on and so forth till you get to the top this is not bleeding you're just purging the feed lines of air when you actually bleed the brakes you're going to operate the valves with the scan tool or the AP200 that are going to allow the air to clear the brand new block that you just replaced on your firewall or the two of them That's why you need the scan tool to bleed because it operates those internal valves and clears the air and pushes it back up into the reservoir and then you go to the wheels.
     
  3. MaskedCrocheter

    MaskedCrocheter New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2024
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    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Thank you. This is great. I'll also look into the AUTEL AP200 you mentioned.
     
    Tombukt2 likes this.