TechStream can bleed brakes (1 Viewer)

[Tummler]

I did a complete brake job and flush over the weekend, and in researching the best brake flush procedures, i found a lot of great answers on here with the exception of the following question: can TechStream be used to bleed the brakes including the ABS or must this be done with an IntelligentTester, the ABS specific tool referenced in the FSM or possibly some aftermarket OBDII testers.

I followed the procedure 2001LC described in great detail (I think somewhere in the brake failure poll thread) for the initial flush, and it appeared to work great.

I then attached my old laptop with TechStream and started investigating my options. It didn’t take long for me to find an option to bleed the brakes by entering the ABS ECU after connecting and then clicking “Utilities” on the left side of the screen. It looked like this function could be accessed following different menu paths, but this is how I did it.

Using the TechStream brake bleed utility definitely caused more dirty fluid to be flushed from the front calipers after they were already bleeding clean fluid using the traditional pump and hold the brakes method.

The entire project was a huge success. I have never liked the brakes on my 06 LC since I bought it several years ago. The peddle always felt a little too mushy and it just seemed like it required excessive application of the brakes to achieve the desired deceleration. I have also struggled with the passenger side inner pad always wearing down at a much quicker rate than the other pads. I did one brake job and took it to a shop for a brake job, with neither resulting in much improvement.

This time, in addition to the flush, I followed every last detail in the FSM, which resulted in a shockingly long and expensive brake job but it had the desired effect.

I can’t say with absolute certainty what did it for my brakes, but I did make an interesting discovery: the driver’s side rear brake bleeder did not have the the lower hole drilled in it, and judging from the amount of sediment that was discharged once I replaced it and bled that caliper, I am guessing it came from the factory that way.

When I went on my first test drive and hit the brakes for the first time, I nearly sent my dog into the glove box. I’m sure it is because i was acclimated to the impaired brakes, but now the brakes almost seem too grippy, which was hard to imagine ever being a possibility prior to this weekend.

 

[UZJ100LC]

if you use techstream to do this, you dont have to bleed the brakes the manual way as well?

 

[Tummler]

@UZJ100C I was doing a complete flush, so I needed to get all of the old fluid out one way or another, which is why I didn’t sweat using the traditional method first followed by using Techstream.

If your only concern was getting air out of the calibers, it APPEARED the TechStream method would suffice, but for god’s and your sake, don’t rely on my interpretation of appearances.

 

[2001LC]

I always flush and bleed old school.

I do use Tech Stream (TS) (Intelligent Tester, is just box used to access tech stream) to bleed with, mostly just when replacing master.

I've yet to get more air with TS method, if I've old school bled first.

When you got dirty fluid with TS method, after old school flush & bleed. It likely was form caliper cavities. Which just re-bleeding old school or TS, it's not uncommon to get some dirty fluid on first opening of a bleeder. Since when we flush or just bleed old school or TS. We only get what's at top of caliper, as fluid from line passes through caliper to bleeder. Most all fluid remains in caliper, unless piston(s) compressed with bleeder opened. We then come back are pick up some of that old remain fluid from caliper.

Dirty fluid on a re-bleed with TS, actually from master. Is not a good sign. As it's from ABS (black box on side of master).

 

[Tummler]

@2001LC your observations make perfect sense with that I observed. I did the follow-up bleed with TechSteam immediately after your method, and the dirty fluid immediately exited the bleeder when the bleed was initiated, which means it almost certainly originated in the caliper.

How often do you find bleeders omitting the bottom hole?

 

[2001LC]

Hole likely clogged, and just looks "omitted". First time I saw this. I thought someone solder hole shut. This happens mostly in rear bleeders, and only when bleeder rubber cap missing.

 

[Tummler]

Hole likely clogged, and just looks "omitted". First time I saw this. I thought someone solder hole shut. This happens mostly in rear bleeders, and only when bleeder rubber cap missing.

That was my first assumption, too. Out of curiosity, I dug out my dremel and ground on it for a while. No signs whatsoever of a hole. Maybe it is packed so tightly the material clogging the hole remains consistent with the metal. I'll leave it to soak in some brake cleaner for a few days.

 

[menancyandsam]

So is the answer yes?
Using techstream to bleed brakes will also bleed the ABS system.