what is the best way to bleed brakes

By Tsukasa Azuma

Last updated January 20, 2021

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Do you lot know how to drain ABS brakes ? Bleeding is required when replacing an ABS modulator or other hydraulic components. It might not be necessary when performing a wheel-based hydraulic repair merely you should be careful well-nigh not letting in any air into the system. Y'all must bleed the brake systems when air bubbles get into the arrangement during a repair or replacement task.

An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is less tolerant of air bubbles and polluted fluid than a non-ABS system. An ABS hydraulic pump uses thousands of psi to push brake fluid through tiny valves. Contaminated fluid can easily damage the valves and pump, so you should never dally when the organization needs bleeding. Although bleeding the ABS restriction is hard as high pressure in the pump whip air bubbles and brake fluid into a foamy substance.

The Necessity of ABS Brake Arrangement Bleeding

We've already mentioned that the system needs bleeding due to air bubbles in the system. Simply how these air pockets course inside the organisation?

Well, every time the brake lines are open for repairing or changing some parts such every bit the wheel cylinders, calipers, or ABS units, some air gets into the system.

Any restriction-related repair lets air into the system. (Photograph Source: istockphoto)

When in that location are air pockets inside the lines, the brake pedal feels spongy and the entire system feels imbalanced. For this reason, haemorrhage the brakes is mandatory for any brake work. Skipping it would crusade diverse brake issues afterwards a while because without haemorrhage, you lot non but allow the air pockets stay merely likewise button contaminants through the system.

Flushing the brake fluid every two to three years is a office of the regular maintenance schedule. Doing so volition go along the system free of contaminated fluid and air bubbles.

How Bleed ABS Brakes: A Technique For All Types of Units

Haemorrhage involves flushing the air pockets out and replacing the old fluid. The old fluid needs to be changed because polluted fluid absorbs air moisture and lowers its boiling points. Such degradation affects braking performance.

Things You'll Demand

• A few 8-ounce brake fluid cans
• Plastic tubing
• Automobile jack and jack stands
• A turkey baster
• A box wrench
• Rags or microfiber towels
• Spacer
• A small bottle
• Protective gloves and goggles

The Process of How to Drain ABS Brakes

Before getting on with detaching bolts and loosening nuts, you lot will demand to fix for bleeding the brakes. It includes jacking up the vehicles and removing all four wheels. Yous tin also work with keeping the wheels on but raise the vehicle high enough and so that you tin can swing a wrench on the bleeder valves.

Loosen the Bleeder Valves

Later preparing the vehicle, your first task is to loosen the bolts of the bleeder valves. Use a box wrench for the job. If the bolt joints seem rusty, you lot should spray some penetrating oil the previous 24-hour interval. Doing so will brand the task easier as you tin interruption off the corrosion past some light taps with a hammer.

Be conscientious when doing this because these little hollow bolts can snap off if you apply excessive force. If this happens, you will need to replace the wheel cylinders or brake calipers (depending on the vehicle model), which means wasting more money and time.

Loosen the bolts carefully so that they don't break off. Get out them closed without removing completely. Let's move to the side by side step of how to bleed ABS brakes.

SEE More than

• Learn How to Deal with an ABS Warning Light
• The Proper Ways to Bleed a Clutch

Remove the Old Fluid

Use the turkey baster to flush out the onetime fluid and deposits from the master cylinder reservoir. Use a lint-free material to remove the sludge from the reservoir. Be extremely cautious when dealing with restriction fluid considering it is corrosive. Accidental spillage on any painted surface will deliquesce the paint immediately. You should also wear gloves so that it does not touch the skin.

Bleed the ABS Organisation

Take a piece of plastic tubing (any kind of cheap tube is fine) and push button its ane end over the brake bleeder bolt. Some other end will go into a small-scale canteen filled with ane or ii inches of fresh brake fluid. This small trick will prevent air from getting back into the caliper or brake cylinder.

Upon releasing the line force per unit area, the pedal will be displaced from its position. To prevent that, put a spacer under the pedal. Then, fill the master cylinder reservoir with new, clean fluid and close its opening by putting the cap back on. Otherwise, each time you release the pedal, fluid will spurt out through the reservoir opening.

Yous volition need a helper through this process of bleeding. At this stage, enquire them to depress the restriction pedal with a force that you would employ to stop the vehicle from moving at a traffic lite. Tell them to keep the pressure on while y'all turn the bleeder bolt a quarter.

Doing so volition force some polluted fluid to come out through the tubing end that goes down to the bottle. Shut the bleeder when the dripping stops completely. So, ask the helper to take the pressure off of the pedal.

This is how to bleed ABS brakes . However, you are not finished yet. Repeat this process until you see make clean fluid coming out of the bleeder. After that, tighten the bleeder commodities and move to the adjacent wheel to repeat this same process.

Siphoning erstwhile fluid with a turkey baster. (Photograph Source: sunliv)

During this whole process, keep filling up the reservoir with fresh fluid. Never let the fluid level drop below half of the reservoir tank. Otherwise, air can get into the master cylinder.

Too, you should skip none of the bleeding steps because that may suck air into the caliper.

Bleeding with a Scan Tool

Many ABS modulators are not equipped with bleeders. In that instance, use a scan tool to cycle the pump and valves. How to bleed ABS brakes  with a scan tool?

The scan tool is mainly required for activating the pump and cycling the valves to drain out these areas. For instance, the EBC 310's Ford version requires an NGS scan tool for the bleeding. This tool helps with cycling the dump valves and activating the pump so it becomes possible to bleed these areas.

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Source: https://carfromjapan.com/article/car-maintenance/how-to-bleed-abs-brakes/

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