Alistair:

For a couple of decades (or more) I've used a custom-fitted shaft from a Victoriaville stick (the same one I used as cruise-control in the ’66 Westy) to slightly depress the brake pedal when bleeding the brakes (a local VW mechanic - imported from Germany in the 70s - recommended this approach years ago.  

> On 01-Sep-2019, at 13:49, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> 
> Time to flush the brakes, it’s due and an event on last trip made it even more time :-) I might post a description of what happened, but for now I have some questions.
> 
> I have been using a home  made pressure bleeder for years, and it works fine. Nothing complicated, just a garden sprayer modified with pressure gauge and fluid reservoir cap  with bulkhead fitting .
> 
> Some years ago I noticed in one of the German language manuals I have, that they go into more detail on pressure bleeding than the English Bentley. One thing especially intriguing, that is a special tool that goes between the driver’s seat and the brake pedal. It’s just and adjustable bar and it seems the brake pedal is pushed , not full way down, during pressure bleeding.
> 
> I kinda thought that the passages from the brake mc to the reservoir would be blocked during brake pedal depression and thus preventing the pressurized ( during bleeding ) fluid in reservoir from travelling thru system. Maybe the idea is only partial brake pedal depression? 
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 
> Another query is from the English Bentley, 47-8. Procedure calls for disconnection of the brake booster vacuum line at the check valve when pressure bleeding. Again I haven’t done that before. And again I don’t know why this should be needed.
> 
> Same page of Bentley, and I think this is a mistake. Calls for the pressure regulator lever to be pushed towards rear wheels. I’m pretty sure our vans don’t have a lever on the pressure regulator ( the proportioning valve under the van ).
> 
> Alistair