Draining all brake fluid. How will this affect the ABS?

[Tom_Mazda2]

Hey Guys! I got a question.

So I got everything I need now for a brake upgrade. I have EBC slotted rotors and Green Stuff pads along with stainless steal brake lines from Goodwin Racing. I want to drain all the brake fluid that is currently in the system and replace it with DOT4 Motul high temp brake fluid. However I do not know how draining the system completely of brake fluid will affect the ABS module.

Is their anything special I need to do regarding the ABS? Is there a special bleeding procedure I need to do? I just want to make sure that once everything is done that the ABS functions correctly and I don't have any warning lights on my dash. I have never completely drained a brake system of oil on a car that is equipped with ABS.

Thanks!

- Tom

 

[Minimazda]

As far as I am aware it should not. The last time I drained a brake system was on a protege5 which does have ABS and nothing special was needed to be done. The brake lines were replaced as well and that didn't pose an issue to the ABS.

But for the love of god be careful with the ABS wires and whatnot. The last thing you want is to mess that up by not moving the ABS line outta the way.
Good luck!

 

[Andres3165]

It did not affect mine, the only advice is not to allow the reservoir to get empty, you'll get air in the system , pain in the but.. ask me why I know..

Andres

 

[Wall Of Death]

If you are not familiar with how to properly flush and bleed a brake system it might be best so just install the rotors and pads yourself and have a shop do that for you. Considering how important brakes are, and how much of a pain it is to have to bench bleed a master cylinder if you do accidentally let the reservoir run dry it might be worth saving yourself a potentially massive headache and quite a bit of brake fluid too by paying a professional. I am sure if you look on yourtube or in other areas of this forum you can find a detailed how to on installing brake lines and flushing and bleeding new fluid but if you have never done so and don't have someone who has done it to help you while you pump the pedal, for the sake of your safety you are probably better off paying the small labor associated with the install of the lines to have it done correctly the first time.

 

[DrWebster]

I wouldn't drain the system dry; I'd just do several flushes in a row to progressively get the old fluid out and the new in. (Put some new fluid in, bleed, put more in, bleed, etc.)

 

[Wall Of Death]

Yes, you do not ever want to completely drain a brake system of fluid. Once you get air in the master cylinder you will have to bench bleed it before you can bleed the calipers.

 

[Tom_Mazda2]

If you are not familiar with how to properly flush and bleed a brake system it might be best so just install the rotors and pads yourself and have a shop do that for you. Considering how important brakes are, and how much of a pain it is to have to bench bleed a master cylinder if you do accidentally let the reservoir run dry it might be worth saving yourself a potentially massive headache and quite a bit of brake fluid too by paying a professional. I am sure if you look on yourtube or in other areas of this forum you can find a detailed how to on installing brake lines and flushing and bleeding new fluid but if you have never done so and don't have someone who has done it to help you while you pump the pedal, for the sake of your safety you are probably better off paying the small labor associated with the install of the lines to have it done correctly the first time.

The day I pay someone else to work on my car is the day people start snowboarding in hell.

I wouldn't drain the system dry; I'd just do several flushes in a row to progressively get the old fluid out and the new in. (Put some new fluid in, bleed, put more in, bleed, etc.)

It looks like I may have to do it this way. I know it will be the easiest. A concern of mine is that I want to take full advantage of the Motul high temp brake fluid and it's heat shedding characteristics. Motul recommends to drain the brake system completely of the old fluid so that the Motul high temp fluid won't be contaminated by the old fluid.

I have replaced brakes many times before on my old school mud trucks and older cars. But I have never done it on a vehicle equipped with ABS. It seems like there is no difference between non-ABS vehicles and vehicles with ABS in terms of bleeding procedures.

 

[Wall Of Death]

(inout)