bleeding brake lines
#1
#2
bleeding brake lines
Unless you have opened a line or had a leak and emptied the master cylinder, I wouldn't touch it. They say that braked fluid should be changed every so often, but I do not know the recommended interval. I would think that if the system is never opened, it shouldn't go bad.
Jimmy
Oh, Yeah, Welcome to FTE!!
Jimmy
Oh, Yeah, Welcome to FTE!!
#3
bleeding brake lines
If you haven't changed your pads in 65,000 miles, you will need to either bleed the brakes or suck fluid out of the reservoir after compressing the pistons, to make the new pads fit over the rotors. If you don't, the fluid level will be too high.
You can use the gravity method to bleed the entire system, if you have time. Your only concerns are that you don't want air sucked into the system through the open bleeder valve and you don't want to run the reservior dry. The only way air will be sucked into the bleeder valve is if you step on the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open and then release it. It's not complicated, at all.
If you don't want to bleed the entire system, just use a 1/4" piece of plastic tube to drain the excess fluid. The bleeder valve is 10mm. After the pads are replaced and everything is back together, open a bleeder valve, connect the 1/4" tube to the valve and allow the excess fluid to drain into a cup.
You can use the gravity method to bleed the entire system, if you have time. Your only concerns are that you don't want air sucked into the system through the open bleeder valve and you don't want to run the reservior dry. The only way air will be sucked into the bleeder valve is if you step on the brake pedal with the bleeder valve open and then release it. It's not complicated, at all.
If you don't want to bleed the entire system, just use a 1/4" piece of plastic tube to drain the excess fluid. The bleeder valve is 10mm. After the pads are replaced and everything is back together, open a bleeder valve, connect the 1/4" tube to the valve and allow the excess fluid to drain into a cup.
#4
#5
bleeding brake lines
brake fluid is hydroscopic, meaning it attracts oxygen. Oxygen will degrade braking fluid performance and protection against corrosion. Old brake fluid is more prone to boiling which reduces braking efficiency. Good idea to change our fluid according to the owners manual.
#7
Trending Topics
#8
#9
bleeding brake lines
Yeah, if you let it run dry its a b**** to get the air out of the ABS pump without the scan tool, but otherwise its no problem.
I should add that ABS gives you another big reason to change the fluid: you want to protect those very expensive ABS parts! It's so cheap and easy; why not do it with every brake job?
I should add that ABS gives you another big reason to change the fluid: you want to protect those very expensive ABS parts! It's so cheap and easy; why not do it with every brake job?
#10
bleeding brake lines
What happpens if you run your resevoir dry and get alittle air in the line. What does a scan tool do? I had to take a line off the resevoir. The brakes felt weired/soft when I put it all together and bled the brakes. I ran a lot of fluid through the lines to insure no air in the lines. The strangest thing happened. I was backing up and appling the brakes firmly to tighten up (self adjust) the rear brakes and when I applied pressure to the peddle something kind of popped and the peddle went way down. It felt like a line had burst. Oddly enough the brakes felt great after that. I mean they feel really nice and firm. The way I thought they should have felt in the first place after putting new rotors, pads, fresh fluid and turned drums. I looked for problems, everything looks fine. I think I need to educate myself alittle more on f150 ABS. Anyone know of a source of referance for Ford f150 ABS.
Last edited by QuickerPickerUpper; 07-15-2003 at 07:38 PM.
#11
bleeding brake lines
The scan tool basically cycles the ABS when bleeding the brakes to make sure that any air trapped in the system is expelled.
I'm wondering if the "pop" you felt was the brake proportioning valve going back into place. It's possible that when you vled it that the valve "tripped" and when you stomped the brakes hard it went back to where it should be. As long as the brakes work well now I think you're good to go. Or is that good to stop?
The best info for working on the system would be in a Ford shop manual. They dont always give good descriptions of how things work though as they figure that we learn that in training courses.
I'm wondering if the "pop" you felt was the brake proportioning valve going back into place. It's possible that when you vled it that the valve "tripped" and when you stomped the brakes hard it went back to where it should be. As long as the brakes work well now I think you're good to go. Or is that good to stop?
The best info for working on the system would be in a Ford shop manual. They dont always give good descriptions of how things work though as they figure that we learn that in training courses.