How to flush brake fluid?

[RyanHeo]

Hi.
I need to flush brake fulid. So I looked at the service manual. There is " For ABS model, disconnect ABS actuator connects" What does it mean? What is the ABS actuator connector? How to disconnect the acuuator?
My car is 96' Infiniti I30.
Thanks.

 

[Merkava_4]

One way is to pressurise the master cylinder with a pressure bleeder like the one in the image. Brake fluid is in the jug and is being forced by air pressure through the clear hose and into the master clylinder. Then you just open up all your bleeder screws. It'll flush out your brake lines in a hurry.

You'll have to bleed your brakes afterwards though.

 

[AcuraTech]

Strange that they say to disconnect the ABS actuator. I've bled brakes on thousands of Acuras, and they also have ABS actuators, but I have never disconnected one. My favorite way to bleed brakes is to use a vacuum bleeder. There are other ways, of course, but that seems to be the easiest and cleanest to me. The ABS actuator should be a small boxy looking unit under the hood where all the brake lines go to. There you will find a couple of connectors that plug into it.

 

[RyanHeo]

All right.
Thanks man.

 

[Donald]

so does one need to do something with the ABS for bleeding when using a power (pressurized) bleeder or vacuum? Could not one just step on the brakes with key off?

 

[porcupine73]

If you have ABS and/or TCS some manufacturers specify particular bleed methods to avoid getting air in the hydraulic unit and/or to exchange any fluid that might be in the hydraulic unit.

They might be telling you to disconnect the ABS actuator (I'm guessing this is the hydraulic unit) so that it does not inadvertently cycle during the bleeding.

Some makes such as Subaru have specific instructions for TCS equipped models. Sometimes there is a few connectors on the ABS controller that you can ground and then the hydraulic unit will cycle all the pressure increase, decrease, and hold valves to help get out all the old fluid.

 

[RyanHeo]

That is what the manual exactly showed me.
There is the ABS actuator related to hydraulic unit.
I still don't understant what the manual want to say.
Thanks.

 

[Todd_96SRV]

I use a syringe to suck all the old fluid out of the cup, then refill with new fluid. I then bleed each corner until the fluid is clean. Typically a full flush is about 500ml of fluid for me.

 

[andyd]

I just did a rear brakeline-ectomy on my 88 528e. Keeping air out of the ABS was a major concern. I just kept an eye on the reservoir and kept it topped off. Getting the lines tight took a while. By the time I had them secured, the system had gravity flushed itself as well as bled itself. I used just under a qt of brake fluid. I was pleasntly surprised with a good pedal when i tried it just after tightening the last fitting