Well, I finally got around to flushing my brake fluid, but that process quickly stalled when I discovered the Motive Products Power Bleeder with Universal Adapter (1101) I had purchased a year or two earlier wasn't anywhere close to fitting my 2001 4Runner's brake reservoir. Plus the chain they sent was WAY to short! With the introduction of A-TRAC (Active TRAC) and VSC (Vehicle Skid Control) in 2001, which both use the ABS system, the size of the '01-'02 4Runners brake reservoir increased considerably. In order for the Universal Adapter to work, the flanges of the Universal Adapter must extend beyond the sides of the brake reservoir, but the increased size of the '01+ reservoir prevent that no matter how I rotated Adapter.

So, I began trading emails with Motive Products Customer Support group and discovered Motive Products did not have, nor would made, an adapter that would fit my '01. The Support Rep was kind enough to offer a refund for my previously purchased 1101, which was still unused, but I deferred that option in hopes of finding a way to flush my brake fluid.

After scrounging around, here's what I came up with:
1"x2"x4' (pine)
¼"-20x2" carriage bolts (x2)
¼"-20 hex nuts (x2)
¼" flat washers (x2)
2' Double-loop chain

Tools needed:
small wood or hack saw
wood rasp
drill
½" wood boring bit
¼" drill bit
Dremel w/ barrel shaped wood cutting bit
7/16 box end wrench
telescoping mechanics magnet

Use a small wood saw to cut a 9" section from the 1x2x4 and clean up any rough edges with a wood rasp. Measure and mark half way down the 9" piece to find the center, then measure 7/8" from the side into the center of the block. Using a ½" wood boring bit, prepare to bore a hole being sure the outter perimeter of the ½" bit DOES NOT go beyond the 7/8" mark. Begin boring on a firm surface (consider using a scrap piece of wood under the 9" block to prevent damaging the ½" bit/floor). Once the first hole is complete, move the ½" bit toward the edge and bore a second hole adjacent to the first. Clean up the remaining edges with the Dremel, wood saw, or wood rasp. Lay the 1"x2"x9" block on top of the Universal Adapter with the ends of the block parallel to the Adapter flanges. With the fill tube centered in the ½" opening you just cut, outline the extended portion of the fill line clamp. Use the Dremel to clean out this portion of the block so that the fill line will slip snuggly into the ½" slot. With the fill line completely inserted into the block and center over the Adapter cap flanges, turn the cap on its side and insert a ¼" drill bit into the Adapter cap holes and press to make an identation where the holes will be needed. Remove the block from the Adapter cap and drill two holes with the ¼" bit. Slide the block back onto the Adapter and check alignment/fitment by inserting the two ¼"-20x2 carriage bolts into the underside of the adapter cap. If everythings lines up, remove the block, measure and mark 1" in from each end of the block, then measure and mark ¾" in from the side to the center of the block. Use the ¼" drill bit to make an indentation on the mark and drill a ¼" hole. Repeat on the other end. Slide the block back on the Adapter cap and re-insert the ¼"-20x2" carriage bolts into the Adapter cap holes from the underside. Use a ¼" flat washer and ¼" hex nut on each and lightly tighten with the box end wrench (over tightening may cause the Adapter cap to warp). Next, insert the two ¼" J-bolts (supplied with the Motive Power Bleeder) into the underside of each hole at each end of the block and place a ¼" flat washer and wing nut (supplied with the Power Bleeder) onto each J-bolt.






Slip the 2' Double-loop chain down the left side of the brake reservoir until it is able to be seen. The telescoping mechanics is extremely handy at this point since reaching between the numberous brake lines is nearly impossible. Slide the magnet under the master cylinder until it latches onto the chain. Carefully pull the chain toward the front, being extremely careful the chain does not pass under any of the steel brake lines. Continue to slide the chain under the master cyclinder and up the right side until equal portions are on each side. DOUBLE CHECK THAT NO STEEL BRAKE LINES ARE BETWEEN THE CHAIN AND THE MASTER CYLINDER!!




Secure the chain so that it will not slip back down into the engine compartment. Clean and remove the OEM brake reservoir cap, and center the Universal Adapter (with the block secured) over the reservoir opening. Attach one end of the chain over the J-bolt. Remove any slack in the chain and place the other end of the chain over the second J-bolt. Using the wing nuts, tighten the Universal Adapter (do NOT over tighten) until a air-tight seal is achieved.



To check for an air-tight seal, pump the Motive Power Bleeder (following Motives instructions) to 15lbs. If it will maintain a constant pressure for 5-10 minutes, and air tight seal has been achieved and you can proceed by following Jalabers write-up:

http://www.top4runners.com/ja/synthetic.html

This modification may apply to 2003+ 4Runner as well, but I've never seen an '03+ brake reservoir, so I can't say for sure.

Total cost of the Motive Products Power Bleeder (1101) 2001+ Mod = $2.50 (plus tax).
Not having to pay someone to flush my overdue brake fluid =

 

Good to know, I was planning to do the fluid on my 01 soon and hadn't checked to see if my motive bleeder would fit.

 

Good ol' American ingenuity! I love it.

Have you emailed pics of this to Pam yet? This may spur Motive into action so that they can design and sell a proper adaptor for our trucks.

Andreas

 

Thanks Anreas. Yea I CC'd Pam, from Motive's Support staff, in the email I sent you earlier today. Guess we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed they care enough to put some time into R&Ding an fancier adapter. Pretty tough to beat for $2.50 though....

 

Hillbilly, once you got the Motive adaptor clamped on tight was the beleeding just like any other other vehicle, or will I run into any other fun 'surprises'. I'm planning on doing the Tundra brake swap soon and I'll have to bleed the system after replacing the calipers.

 

Eric,

Bleeding procedure is the same as any other vehicle. See my writeup here for the amounts of fluid that I had to bleed from each wheel before clean fluid came out.

Just a note: If you were bleeding our '01 and '02 4Runners using the brake pedal method, then you must have the ignition to 'ON' (truck does not have to be running, thought) to be able to bleed the rear brakes. Without the ignition to 'ON', you will get 0 psi at the rear brakes by using the brake pedal (well... that's not entirely true... after turning the truck off, you will still have pressure at the rears for 4 or 5 brake pumps, until the fluid pressure in the accumulator goes to zero, then, all your brake pedal will do is pressurize the fronts.)

 

just make sure you wait the 10-15 minutes to see if you have a proper seal, i started mine and half way through the seal broke and brake fluid gushed out of the reservoir all over the engine bay and onto the floor, big mess.....you really have to clamp the bleeder down good and wait to make sure it won't give way

 

No. As GSGALLANT indicated, everything was pretty much by the book from there, and I followed Jalaber's 3rd Gen write-up. The only difference was the strainer in the '01 reservoir can't be removed, so its nearly impossible to get all the old fluid out. I used a 30mL syringe with a small tube attached, instead of a turkey baster, to it to draw out as much old fluid from the reservoir as I could (about 12oz. with the syringe). So I took it one step further and connected the EMPTY Motive Power Bleeder to the reservoir and pumped it up to 15psi. Then I cracked the passenger rear bleeder for a few seconds to push out any remaining old fluid from the reservoir until I heard the Motive Bleeder gurgle and knew air began being pushed in and knew the first chamber of the reservoir was dry.

After that, I let the pressure off and topped of the brake reservoir with fresh Toy Dot3. Then filled the Motive Bleeder with 48oz. of Toy Dot3, and reconnected the Bleeder to the reservoir and pumped it up to 15psi again. In hindsight, I probably could have gotten away with only using 36oz., but I wasn't going to sweat about wasting $3 worth of Dot3, as I wanted to be sure I got all the old fluid pushed out.

I drained each wheel for about +/-5 mins to be sure all the old stuff was pushed out cause it was a bit tough to tell the difference between old & new fluid when working under the truck in artifical light.

 

I would not pressurize the "nearly empty" reservoir and open the bleeders until the reservoir is empty. You risk getting air into the master cylinder that you will not be able to bleed out with the master cylinder in the car. Worse case scenario is you will have to remove the master cylinder and bench bleed it to get all the air out.

Instead, get as much of the old fluid out as you can (it's ok to leave a bit of old fluid at the bottom of the reservoir.), then, top up the reservoir again with new fluid before pressurizing the reservoir and opening the first bleed valve.

 

Good to know, thanks

 

The Motive is on order for my 2001 4 Runner so I am asking a few questions. Before I cut woood do you think the solution GSGALLANT did in his write up would also work if you hooked the Motive up instead of a compressor? I would like to keep the Motive even if I cannot use it's "universal" cap on the 4Runner. Basically I would build GSGALLANTS solution since I don't have all the wood tools listed and plug the tubing from the Motive into it instead of a compressor.

 

As long as you could make the connection between GSGALLANT's suggestion and the Motive air tight, I would think it should work. But in all honesty, that might be more work then just going with the 1"x4" solution. It doesn't get much simpler... here's a couple pics to give an idea of what it looks like.

 

Thanks for he reply. The pictures were worth a thousand words. I was having
trouble visualizing the 7/8 dual holes...

 

Well I tired both ways and like the compressor adapter hooked up to the Motive. I didn't get a perfect seal after putting fluid in. While I was crawling around the back end about a pint of brake fluid was coming out of the bad seal and on the ground.:cry: Cleaned everything up and bought more parts. I made the compressor adapter and used a nipple for the pvc tubing instead of a compressor fitting. Worked fine with adding more fluid each time I went to another wheel. Also with this arrangement of only using the Motive for air pressure there is no chance of spilling fluid.

 

X2, you don't ever want to let the reservoir run dry while power bleeding.