Brake Fluid Job DIY - Question - Brake Flush & Bleed - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

J Irwan · 8th June 2007, 06:21

I have searched but can't find some definitive answer.

I am still biased to the manual brake bleed 2 man job. And I heard its still the best method to get the bubble out of the system .

I've read somewhere the best "brake flush" procedure is to suck as much as the old fluid out of the reservoir tank. Then put it the new fluid and start bleeding.

Now if I want to to do a brake flush on my own, what would be the best way to do it, best tool to do it.

If I try to bleed out the whole fluid using the 2 man procedure it would take awfully a long time (withouh sucking out the old fluid first).

With that being said the breakdown of the procedure for "Brake Flush" would be.
1. Suck out the old fluid (what would be the best tool for this)
Btw how much fluid should I expect to suck out of the reservoir.
2. Put the new fluid. (I will be altenarnating between ATE Super blue fluid in blue and amber after each brake job to make it alot easier to tell between old and new fluid).
3. Start the "2-man" brake bleeding process.

Another important note: Do I need to have additional special procedure to properly "brake flush" the system since our cars have DSC & ABS ?

I would appreciate any feedback and insight on this.

Regardz,

J Irwan

Habu · 8th June 2007, 18:54

J Irwan,

I have a vacuum hand pump and bleed the brakes myself. Rather than purging the reservoir through the brake line, I suck it out using the hand pump.

Then like you said fill the reservoir and start bleeding the calipers. There are threads out here about the procedure. For me I do the furthest caliper first and work my way to the closest.

I think I bought my hand pump years ago from Bavarian Auto. One of our sponsors may sell a vacuum pump for bleeding brakes.

Bob

mottati · 8th June 2007, 21:15

i've done this a few ways. I've had one of those pressure bleeders, essentially, a small garden sprayer, put a liter or two of brake fluid in it, attatch it's cap to the master cyl, pump it up to about 10psi, and crack open bleeder valves until clean fluid flows.

To "finish" the job, i'd have my 10 year old son give a push or two of the brake pedal as i opened and closed the bleeder valve.

More recently, i picked up a vacuum type suction bleeder, that runs off the air compressor, i still ususally finish with a couple pumps of the pedal by my son.
I also do empty and refil the master first with fresh fluid. You could do either as a one man job without the pedal pushing at the end, and probably have good results, but the pedal pump at the end makes me feel more complete.

I do think you are leaving old fluid in the dsc/abs system with any manual bleed (not certain though). So an occasional dealer flush where they cycle the dsc/abs pumps may not be a bad idea.