Bleed Nipples and ABS Bleeding

[Deequeue]

Hi All,

Right, had some bad news last night in that my P/S front rail is rotted through about 4 inches on the bottom - the only part I couldnt check when I bought the car, as it sits underneath the undertray.


So, I'm going to treat what I can on the bottom / arches, then get it over to the guys at AK Automotive to replace the rails - I would do it myself, but I dont fancy learning how to weld on a structural component, and as I've been quoted 150 a side, it seemed a false economy too.


So, problem 1 - I've had the brake system off the car for a while now refurbing the calipers, so I'm guessing that its pretty much empty. Whats the best way to bleed through the ABS pump seeing as it can cause issues. Can they be reverse bled to pull the air out of the pump, or is there a better trick to it?

Question 2 - I'm going to replace the bleed nipples with speed bleeders so I can bleed the system easier - I've checked the brakes int. website, it shows the 1.8 big calipers as m8x1 for the front and m7x1 for the rear - can someone confirm this for me.


Thanks
Dale

[Deequeue]

M-M and associated tech guru's,

Anyone seen this before?

http://www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/index ... ic=26846.0

Describes jumping 2 pins in the DLC to put the ABS pump into Diag mode, which cycles the pump once on each channel.

[Mazda Mender]

So why did you not clamp the Rubber brake hoses before removing the calipers? , if the pump is empty you are going to have major fun bleeding the system regardless of this guys write up, although i have never tried his way, I personally use a compressor and a tool mad e for the job to suck fluid through but even with that it is a nightmare, why have you lost all the fluid? have you undone all the lines also or just left it open at the rubber hose off the caliper to run out?
M-m

[Deequeue]

Hi MM,

I have all the rubber lines off as they are all being replaced with braided hoses - so I couldnt clamp them.

I also have had all calipers off to do a complete refurb on the lot, and the car was always intended to be off the road for 4 or 5 months over the winter. I've also found that if you depress the brake pedal, it prevents the Pump from draining due to the position of the m/c, so I will be doing the in future.


I'll be interested to see how well it works - as you say, I'm expecting it to be a headache, but I will be doing a write up as to how effective this method is. Just to confirm so I dont end up using the wrong one, the DLC is the diag port on the drivers side, beneath the lower dash, right?

[Mazda Mender]

If it is a Mk 2.5 yes which is a OBD II port, you will need the one in the engine bay on the passenger side which is grey.
I am interested to see if this does work?????
M-m

[Deequeue]

Ahh cracking - I'd seen that one too and wondered if it had anything to do with it.


I'll definitely let you know either way, and will create a write up if it is an effective way of doing it. Fingers crossed we'll be able to help some others that dont have the scan tool to cycle it!

If not, I guess I'll be careful, and end up with the ends up individually on axle stands to get the abs to kick in.