Changed my brake fluid today

the reservoir adapter is from Speedi-Bleed
https://speedibleed.com/product/c800-toyota-lexus-brake-bleeder-adapter/

and I also bought the female quick-connect from Speedi-Bleed and attached that to the hose from the Motive tank
https://speedibleed.com/product/fc02-female-coupler/

I did have an issue with fluid leaking out of the Speedi-Bleed cap when I tried to transfer fluid from the Motive tank to the reservoir so I don't do that anymore, I just check the fluid level after each caliper and add fluid. With the quick-connect it's very easy and the Motive tank doesn't loose pressure so you don't have to pump it all the way back up again.

 

For anyone who has bled their brakes, did you also do the ABS bleed? If you have and have used some type of scanner/software or Techstream itself, I'm wondering what the on-screen instructions were for you? I have an Autel MX900 which apparently supports the ABS Air Bleed function for our trucks. Decided to include this in my routine brake fluid exchange a couple days ago but for the life of me, can't tell if it ACTUALLY cycled it. My buddy and I can't recall any noise coming from the ABS. My instructions on screen were as follows:

Connected MX900 to cycle the ABS

• Select "Service"
• The only option I saw was "Air Bleed." The on-screen instructions said to:
• Head to each individual caliper
• Have someone press & hold the pedal
• Select which line you want to bleed (RR, RL, FR, FL)
• Open the bleeder of the line you selected on the scanner (bottle and hose connected)
• Press "next" on the screen
• Wait 5 seconds
• Close the bleeder
• Release the pedal
• Move to the next caliper
• Repeat until all 4 calipers are bled

Fluid came out but unsure if I just did a 2-person traditional manual bleed, but with a scanner LOL or if it actually cycled the ABS.

 

I use a Motive Power Bleeder and this adapter from Ares. I got both from Amazon

https://www.arestool.com/products/43mm-master-cylinder-adapter

So two things.

1) I have not done it, but I'm pretty sure you would hear the ABS actuator makes some noise if it did bleed.

2) More importantly, if the fluid reservoir was never fully emptied, you don't need to bleed the ABS. The way the lines are run prevents air from entering the ABS actuator from the caliper side of the system.

 

Thank you for the feedback! I've been getting, what I'd call, that "spongy pedal" feel. Hopefully I just needed a traditional exchange as there shouldn't have been any reason air got introduced but for safe measure wanted to do a full bleed and cycle the ABS since I already had the scanner lol. My buddy and I were waiting for an audible notation and nothing happened. So anticlimactic

 

I'm not sure if it will work on these trucks, but I know on some vehicles you can do a poor mans ABS bleed by getting ABS to activate while driving. Not the safest way to do it, but its an option. I'm pretty sure the acutator on these would be loud enough to hear during a bleed. These do that ABS test thing in the first 20-30ft of driving and its loud enough to hear in the cab with the windows up and AC on.

Just to help diagnose the issue. With the truck off, pump the pedal a few times to release all the vacuum in the booster. Then walk away for a few minutes. When you come back (still with the truck off) press on the brakes. If it feels soft, try pumping a few times to see if the pedal gets firmer. If it firms up after a few presses, that's air in the system. If it stays soft or just keeps sinking, you may have a leak or some other issue.

 

I did my brake fluid with a mityvac and never let the reservoir empty. Afterwards the pedal was not as hard as it was before. That's when I decided to try using the brake bleed function on techstream and it will activate the ABS and you will hear it and it absolutely made a difference and not my pedal is back to how it was from factory so now I use it everytime. I can't recall the exact process but it does require either a second person to hold their foot on the pedal or I found I was able to use a 35lb dumbbell and a 2x4 to get it done on my own.

 

Just did a flush on mine as well as brand new front calipers. Used a pressure bleeder to push new fluid through/get air out. Did nothing as far as needing a tech stream to cycle the abs. Brakes feel like a brand new truck. Pad engagement is immediate and pedal is very modular.

 

X2, I do them every three years on all our vehicles

 

It was bothering me so decided to do it again and film it. ABS actuator cycles when using this scan tool - you can hear the clicking. Same process for every line. My fixation was officially put to rest lol. Sorry for the terrible audio, truck was right next to our air condition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVD3tggpNQE

 

man, looking at your old one and comparing it to what I have on the reservoir now. I need to get that done ASAP.

 

If the reservoir looks bad wait til you see how bad the fluid closest to the calipers is. Brake fluid is hydroscopic meaning that it absorbs water and can be a contributing factor to stuck calibers due to corrosion.

 

I know.

Knowing how brake fluid works and knowing how bad my reservoir looks.

This post was the reminder I needed to make this a priority on my schedule.