even though i have TCS and ABS...can i still bleed the brakes the old fashioned way by having a friend pump the pedal and opening the bleed valve until the air is out? starting furthest away from the MC? I have been reading that you ahve to clear the codes after you finsish? Also, how do i prevent fluid from being sucked backwards through the system and creating more air bubbles or damaging the ABS unit.

Also, i have been reading about having to bleed the abs and MC as well? How is this done?

 

You can bleed the brake system if there are no active codes for the braking system. If you have codes, the motor for each channel needs to be "homed" with something like a Tech 2 scanner.

There are two bleeder valves on the ABS unit. Start with those, and then follow the normal pattern on the individual calipers. The MC only needs to be bench bled if you are replacing it completely, or have completely emptied the fliud from the system.

Not sure what you mean about "prevent fluid from being sucked backwards through the system "? You make sure the MC is full before you start. You are always applying pressure to the system, forcing fluid and entrained air out the caliper bleeders. You close the bleeder before you release the brake pedal. Not sure how anything would travel backwards through the system?

 

can i bleed the ABS unit the same way by aplying pressure to the pedel? And which of the 2 bleeder valves on the ABS unit should i do first?

what i ment by travel backwards was... when i first take off the calipers and the brake lines are just sitting there open...will the fluid get sucked back toward the MC?

I am painting my calipers when i do this as well...so they will all be off for about a day. Should i close the brake lines off somehow?

 

Just keep any dirt from getting into the open lines. Put a baggie around them. When I had my engine out from the bottom, I disconnected the brake lines at the ABS unit. It was out for about a month. I merely connected the lines back and bled the front brakes at the caliper with a hand vacuum pump and they worked fine. I never touched the ABS bleeders. Of course, I did not touch the brake pedal while the lines were open.

 

should i look into getting a hand vacume pump, or is the pedal pumping method still ok?

also, do i bleed the brakes with the car on or off?

 

Get a shop manual, a Chiltons, etc. Based on the questions you are asking, you should have a written procedure to follow. No, you don't need to start the engine to bleed the brakes.

 

yea, i have been meaning to get one of those but i can not find one for a 2002. its been a while since i have done a brake job. i was mainly just re-assuring myself.

 

If you use a tool like the Mityvac, you don't need a second person.

 

how does a mityvac work? are they expensive?

 

It's just a hand held vacuum tool. Not expensive. You can Google for info.

 

i googled it, but im not too sure how it works. Do you just put it over the bleed valve, pump it up, hit the release and when fluid comes out close the valve?