Bleeding Brakes

[shock_core]

I'm was looking through the Hanyes manual ( Yes, I have no life. Sue me. ) and I discovered that they do not recommend bleeding the brakes on TCS equipped cars. They say that I should take it to the dealer to get the brakes bled. This news isn't good because I am going to be replacing pads and rotors quite soon and I beleive I will need to bleed the brakes. Is there a really big difference in bleeding brakes on TCS and non-TCS cars?

Also, how the hell do I bleed brakes?

Michael

[darkthoughts5000]

I did it myself for mine. I also have TCS equipped Camaro. I havent gone off the road yet from a malfunctioning braking system yet ;) . Do it yourself and learn well.

[BLLDOGG]

does it say why not to?

[shock_core]

Yeah, it says like something about the TCS not setting up right after you do it and it flips out. I don't understand how all of that works, but I'd tend to think that Haynes knows what they are talking about.

I'm just trying to research this stuff so when I do do my brake fluid change I do not destroy my car.

[BLLDOGG]

thas interesting cause the traction control system isnt apart of the brake system other then through the pcm which uses the inputs of each other to determine if it should engage something. now the ABS has to be bleed via the Tech2 or something simular or it will have air trapped in it no matter how well you bleed the brake lines.

im sure they know something i dont though. just an interesting thing

[SilverBirdSeven]

lol, did anyone else find this ironic,
"Thank you for purchasing a Haynes Manual, you will now be able to fix your vehicle by yourself."
BRAKES- Dont fix yourself, take it to the dealer.

Haha, stupid haynes manual...

[shock_core]

Originally posted by BLLDOGG:
thas interesting cause the traction control system isnt apart of the brake system other then through the pcm which uses the inputs of each other to determine if it should engage something. now the ABS has to be bleed via the Tech2 or something simular or it will have air trapped in it no matter how well you bleed the brake lines.

im sure they know something i dont though. just an interesting thing

Tech2? I'm assuming that that's someting that I will not be able to get my hand on unless I go spend some outragous amount at a dealership. Lol, so how are you supposed to bleed the brakes if you don't have a Tech2 thingie?

[BLLDOGG]

i think you can rent one from oreillys or autozone or something simular. a tech2 is just a gm tool basically that is used to reprogram things, read codes, monitor things and control things and in all that, it has an abs bleeding process you can go through. maybe there is a different "brand" that can allow you to do the same thing. call some parts stores and ask if you can get you hands on one

[BLLDOGG]

Matt, if your reading this...what do you think of this TCS thing?

[shock_core]

Oh delightful. Lol, something complicated for me to screw up. :D

[BLLDOGG]

It’s a pretty simple thing to do once you get your paws on the tool

ok, I just read what you read and I'm really sure they are talking about the same thing I am about using the tech 2, written as tech 1 in the book cause its old material.

I went through SI and the only thing I found that is a connection between the brakes and TCS is what I was talking about above. The TCS system as a last resort to control wheel speed is to have the brake system apply the brakes. I think the reason they mentioned the TCS is because the TCS and ABS is the same thing basically. It’s all in the same module

I hope you can follow all this blabbering

[ December 19, 2005, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: BLLDOGG ]

[shock_core]

Lol, not really, but i'm trying. [img]graemlins/stickpoke.gif[/img]

[BLLDOGG]

lol, im still working on this explaining whats going on in my head thing.

anyways, if you get the tool needed, bleed the abs first, then the rest of the brake system

by the way, after all this, you dont need to bleed your system if you only replacing your pads and rotors [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

you will just simply take off your rotor and hang it from the inerfinder somewhere, replace the pads, then pull the rotor, replace it, bolt the rotor back on and go on your way. [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

[98Camaro3.8]

Couple things....

For a normal pad change, you shouldn't need to bleed your brakes. Just remove the cover from the master cylinder and maybe remove a bit of fluid.

TCS is definitely a part of the brakes. Its whole premise is that it applies brakes as necessary to control wheel slip.

You need to use the Tech 2 to bleed the TCS/ABS system when air gets in there. If air gets into the Brake Pressure Modulator Valve (the ABS box thing), you need the Tech 2 to command it to move the valves and stuff inside.

[BLLDOGG]

Matt always says things better than I.

anyways matt is right like i said before you wont need to bleed the system.

also Matt, the apllying of brakes is the last thing to happen when the TCS is doing tis thing. timing retard, throttle angle control, then aplly brakes.