Bleeding the ABS system without the Bleeder T wrench?

[OLDMNSX]

do you have a picture of what wire you are talking about?

what if you just diconect it and leave it that way what will happen?

Take a look at the picture of this ABS unit. You are looking at the rear of the unit,(closest to the firewall). If you unplug this connection (orange plug)and not jump the two wires in the vehicle harness, you would be better off leaving it connected. With it connected at least the pressure switch will shut off the pump if the solenoid was to stop seeping and allow the pressure to come up. If you don't want to jump this connection just remove the ABS pump relay in the forward fuse box. This will disable the pump, but will leave the ABS caution warning light in the instrument panel illuminated.
Brad

 

[goldNSX]

Does anyone have a step by step description besides danoland which shows each step in detail and photograph and can post it here.
From time to time I'm getting pm's about the danoland procedure not being clear enough. Nothing wrong with that as I'm willing to help out but I can't do an exact description anymore as I've upgraded my ABS.

 

[VampNSXX]

Take a look at the picture of this ABS unit. You are looking at the rear of the unit,(closest to the firewall). If you unplug this connection (orange plug)and not jump the two wires in the vehicle harness, you would be better off leaving it connected. With it connected at least the pressure switch will shut off the pump if the solenoid was to stop seeping and allow the pressure to come up. If you don't want to jump this connection just remove the ABS pump relay in the forward fuse box. This will disable the pump, but will leave the ABS caution warning light in the instrument panel illuminated.
Brad

thanks man this really helped. :smile:

 

[Honcho]

Resurrecting this thread in light of Tim's recent ABS troubles and my concern over my 19-year old unit. The good news- I "exercised" the ABS vigorously last weekend during the rain (fifteen 35-0mph hard stops) and it worked flawlessly. No lights or other issues. But, considering the fluid in there is at least 9 years old (the accumulator was replaced back in 2001), I figure I'd better do the flush this winter as a preventative issue.

In another thread, someone said that he was able to use a 10mm box wrench to loosen the T-shaped bleed screw. I tried to fit my 10mm wrench on it but it was too thick to fit inside the guard surrounding the screw. Does anyone know the particular brand of box wrench that is skinny enough to fit in there? Should I just buy a crappo wrench and file/grind it down? Is there a different clever way to do this?

 

[OLDMNSX]

Considering the fluid in there is at least 9 years old (the accumulator was replaced back in 2001), I figure I'd better do the flush this winter as a preventative issue.

In another thread, someone said that he was able to use a 10mm box wrench to loosen the T-shaped bleed screw. I tried to fit my 10mm wrench on it but it was too thick to fit inside the guard surrounding the screw. Does anyone know the particular brand of box wrench that is skinny enough to fit in there? Should I just buy a crappo wrench and file/grind it down? Is there a different clever way to do this?

Honcho,
Again, bleeding the fluid at the pump bleed port is only bleeding off the fluid from the accumulator and is NOT bleeding the old fluid from the modulator and through the solenoids. It is kind of like draining out HALF of the oil in your engine and then refilling with new oil and calling that an "Oil Change".
Brad

 

[JWillis]

Resurrecting this thread in light of Tim's recent ABS troubles and my concern over my 19-year old unit. The good news- I "exercised" the ABS vigorously last weekend during the rain (fifteen 35-0mph hard stops) and it worked flawlessly. No lights or other issues. But, considering the fluid in there is at least 9 years old (the accumulator was replaced back in 2001), I figure I'd better do the flush this winter as a preventative issue.

In another thread, someone said that he was able to use a 10mm box wrench to loosen the T-shaped bleed screw. I tried to fit my 10mm wrench on it but it was too thick to fit inside the guard surrounding the screw. Does anyone know the particular brand of box wrench that is skinny enough to fit in there? Should I just buy a crappo wrench and file/grind it down? Is there a different clever way to do this?

You can try this method at your own risk to open up the bleed screw. i just used a 3/4" extension, used the female end and placed it over the bleed screw, then I used a 10mm open end wrench to loosen the screw on the male side of the extension. Make sure you have some sort of drain pan to catch the brake fluid.

 

[Honcho]

Thanks Brad and Jwills. From what Brad is saying, bleeding through the bleed screw won't change out all the fluid, correct? If I do the solenoid flush, will that swap out all the old fluid?

 

[OLDMNSX]

If I do the solenoid flush, will that swap out all the old fluid?

YES it will. When you cycle the solenoids you need to keep the fluid coming out of the solenoids from getting back into the fluid going to the pump. On the early ABS units (these have a square reservoir) the fluid will come from the forward port in the reservoir. The rear port feeds the pump. If you remove the reservoir and filler screen and look at them. You will look in the reservoir there is a small nozzle that comes from the forward port that directs the return fluid into the filler screen. This will catch any small particles before the fluid is allowed to return into the reservoir and hence back to the pump......smart little dudes. You don't want the old fluid that comes from the solenoids to return to the pump.

If you have a mid-year ABS unit the fluid will come out of both ports and the pump is feed by the forward port. These units have a reservoir that is square WITH AN EXTENSION TO THE REAR PORT. What I do on these units is feed the pump with an external reservoir and collect the waste fluid from each of the solenoid top housings. These top housings is where the reservoir attaches.

When I flush a system it usually takes 3 Qts of brake fluid to completely flush the old fluid and air out of the system.

I was in Texas a couple months ago and did an ABS flush on Dave's car. He had recently had the hi-pressure hose replaced that goes from the ABS pump to the modulator housing by an Acura dealer. They bleed the system using just the T-Handle bleeder. (This is my assumption since that is all they know) When we did the flush on his ABS he and everyone else watching was amazed at how much air came out of the system using my technique.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Brad

 

[lightguy]

^
You were in Austin right ?
I saw the post awhile back but am in Dallas so missed it.

My ABS has original fluids I'm sure since 91 so I want to do a bleed.

Is there a step by step anywhere ?

 

[tbromley]

I will say that i bet that Eiffel didn't do all that flushing. I bet there is a lot fo air in my system. The brake doesn't feel right to me since the work was done. I'm going to have to study this so i can figure it out carefully. Doesn't seem like it would be terribly diffcult. Honcho are you going to try this?

Thanks for all this it's great info!

 

[Honcho]

Yep, I am presently assembling the switches and wires. I think Brad is right- the only way to completely flush the system is to do the solenoid flush. I plan on running at least two bottles of fresh fluid through to be sure. My only issue right now is time, as a lawyer working in a huge Manhattan law firm has very little free time to himself. :smile: I have a long winter NSX project list that I fear will not get done...

I will say that i bet that Eiffel didn't do all that flushing. I bet there is a lot fo air in my system. The brake doesn't feel right to me since the work was done. I'm going to have to study this so i can figure it out carefully. Doesn't seem like it would be terribly diffcult. Honcho are you going to try this?

Thanks for all this it's great info!

 

[ok2k]

Take a look at the picture of this ABS unit. You are looking at the rear of the unit,(closest to the firewall). If you unplug this connection (orange plug)and not jump the two wires in the vehicle harness, you would be better off leaving it connected. With it connected at least the pressure switch will shut off the pump if the solenoid was to stop seeping and allow the pressure to come up. If you don't want to jump this connection just remove the ABS pump relay in the forward fuse box. This will disable the pump, but will leave the ABS caution warning light in the instrument panel illuminated.
Brad

I've just had my entire brake system flushed - but still getting the ABS clicking noises every 30 seconds...Am ordering the SOS ABS system next week and will search for someone to install it in the mean time (I would only cause disaster if I attempted myself).

I know next to nothing about electronics - can someone please spell out for me on the above description EXACTLY how to "jump the two wires in the vehicle harness" after disconnecting the old ABS unit?

Thanks!

 

[OLDMNSX]

Send me your address and I will send you a jumper wire. I made up a few of them and I have an extra.

Look at the picture of the ABS unit that I posted in this thread. Disconnect the orange connector at the pressure switch. You will install the jumper wire into the vehicle part of the connector. Secure the jumper wire to the connector with a zip tie or black electrical tape. WARNING: When you do this your ABS will be DISABLED COMPLETELY. The ABS caution light on the dash will no longer be illuminated either.

In order to disconnect the connector you will need to jack up the drivers side of the car. USE JACK STANDS TO SAFE THE CAR.

To get the connector apart: 1. disconnect the connector from the tang on the bracket. 2. Apply pressure to the connector as if you were pushing it TOGETHER. 3. Push the release. 4. Pull it apart.

If you don't follow these simple instructions you WILL NOT get the connector apart. There is a seal inside of the connector that keeps pressure on the release to make the connection water tight.