Assuming not servo assit bakes of old then, Yes you are fine flushing and bleeding sans software to operate the ABS pump. FWIW I have both a GS-911 and MotoScan and most of the time do not activate the ABS pump after flushing/bleeding the brakes.

If it makes you feel like you are doing something after you flush/bleed the brakes go for a ride on a gravel roads and get the ABS to actuate then come home give them another quick bleed and top up the reseviours.

This is absolutly not necissary but some people sleep better knowing they went above and beyond what was needed.

 

Has anyone used the OBDLINKLX to bleed and flush the brakes?

 

By itself, no.

The OBDLINKLX is only part of what you would need to be able to access the bikes ECU to activate the ABS pump. You would also need a software like is offered by MotoScan and an Android devise to run run the application to receive and transmit the blue tooth signal to and from the OBDLINKLX

 

I believe activation of the ABS pump is a step worth taking. Whether done with MotoScan, GS911 or by activation on a gravel road, it is good idea to “exercise” the valves in the pump. Bad things happen when mechanical devices are not used for long periods of time.

 

I agre and very similar using the OBDLINK LX, MotoScan and an inexpensive Android phone.

 

I believe activation of the ABS pump is a step worth taking. Whether done with MotoScan, GS911 or by activation on a gravel road, it is good idea to “exercise” the valves in the pump. Bad things happen when mechanical devices are not used for long periods of time.

The ABS pump is likely more often than you realize in everyday riding.

 

Yes. I do it al the time. Works just fine.

 

Yup that is also how I roll, then zip tie the brakes over night to push any potential air bubbles out in the master cylinder......my brakes work very well with firm lever.

 

Anyone use Speed Bleeders? Where did you get them? I noticed you need one kind for the back and two different ones for the front.

 

First of all…NO you don’t need them.
Basically a “one man” job but helps to have another person squeeze the front brake lever when doing the front circuit.
Waaayyy back in early 2000 I visited the “Speed Bleeder” inventor and manufacturer here in Illinois.
First used in local stock car racing events. I used them for motorcycle applications.
I posted all this on another motorcycle forum back then and they became very popular.
Their only drawback, is they (motorcycle application) are thin and can snap easily when tightening so ya need to be careful.

The latest trend are “one way valves” connected inline on the bleed hose.

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These little “one way” valves were first used in motorcycle racing bikes to vent the fuel tank.
The valve prevented fuel leakage when the motorcycle was laying on its side or “upside down” as in a crash (I did a lot when racing)…🤪
Goodluck with your maintenance.

 

I am anti-speed bleeder. They are are expensive, fragile and simply are not needed. A old soda/water bottle and a section of 5/16" ID poly hose is all you need.

 

And a few cold beers.

 

From what I’ve seen here on the forum, they seem to create more problems than they do solutions.

Interesting; I haven’t seen this.

Can you just bleed the brakes to get all the fluid out without using a GS911 or OBDLINKLX

The answer is No; not all brake fluid will be purged without activating and running the ABS pump.
Takes all of 20 seconds with MotoScan or GS911 to purge old fluid out of the pump body. Once that’s done, it’ll be flushed (bleed) out into / through the front and rear circuits.
….. or you can look for a gravel road somewhere to ride on, and continue applying the brakes until you’re confident the ABS pump was successfully activated.
But then you still need to flush the entire F & R system’s old fluid somewhere along the gravel road.

 

Interesting; I haven’t seen this.



The answer is No; not all brake fluid will be purged without activating and running the ABS pump.
Takes all of 20 seconds with MotoScan or GS911 to purge old fluid out of the pump body. Once that’s done, it’ll be flushed (bleed) out into / through the front and rear circuits.
….. or you can look for a gravel road somewhere to ride on, and continue applying the brakes until you’re confident the ABS pump was successfully activated.
But then you still need to flush the entire F & R system’s old fluid somewhere along the gravel road.

Please eloborate on how running the ABS pump on a system that is sealed on both ends will purge the fluid out of the pump.

Also courious that if using a gravel road to activate the ABS pump why you would need to flush the entire F & R system's along the gravel road.

 

The ABS system applies to both “Front and Rear” integral system circuits, utilizing the same brake fluid run from reservoir~through the lines~to the caliper pistons. When required (to prevent brake/wheel lockup), the pump’s “hyper-pulsing“ action is activated, sending fluid to the caliper pistons.
To be confident and certain the pump activates with a fluid flush, MotoScan or GS911 are the “dependable methods” to activate the ABS, and release (pump) captive fluid through the pump body.
That captive fluid released from the ABS pump mixes with / into the F & R systems, which will then be bled out in the flushing process.
Given this mixing, and the “gravel road ABS activation“ approach, it’s up to the individual if they feel confident and certain the pump is / has been sufficiently activated. The service requirement runs the ABS pump three times.

I do have speed bleeders F & R on both my bikes, which makes flushing and bleeding a snap.
In flushing the system, I don’t skimp on fresh brake fluid.

The chronology of steps I personally follow is;
1) Siphon off F & R reservoirs old fluid and refill with fresh,
2) Activate ABS pump three times; once using the Rear brake pedal, twice using the Front brake lever (so all old fluid is now in the lines),

Rear Brakes:
3) Open rear bleeder and Flush Rear brake until fresh fluid appears and reservoir is @ min,
4) Top up reservoir and flush again until reservoir is @ min,
5) Top up the reservoir one last time.

Front brakes:
*Left caliper follows flushing in step #3 above,
*Right caliper flushing per step #4 above,
*Top up per step #5,
* Re-bleed the Left caliper, then the Right to confirm no air; top up reservoir one last time.

 

You should push all the caliper pistons in before putting new fluid in reservoirs. This ensures all the old fluid is out of the calipers, which is typically the nastiest stuff.

 

[/QUOTE]


The ABS pump does not "release" fluid it pulses to reduce pressue on th esystem to keep the brakes from locking up.

The ABS system applies to both “Front and Rear” integral system circuits, utilizing the same brake fluid run from reservoir~through the lines~to the caliper pistons. When required (to prevent brake/wheel lockup), the pump’s “hyper-pulsing“ action is activated, sending fluid to the caliper pistons.
To be confident and certain the pump activates with a fluid flush, MotoScan or GS911 are the “dependable methods” to activate the ABS, and release (pump) captive fluid through the pump body.
That captive fluid released from the ABS pump mixes with / into the F & R systems, which will then be bled out in the flushing process.
Given this mixing, and the “gravel road ABS activation“ approach, it’s up to the individual if they feel confident and certain the pump is / has been sufficiently activated. The service requirement runs the ABS pump three times.

I do have speed bleeders F & R on both my bikes, which makes flushing and bleeding a snap.
In flushing the system, I don’t skimp on fresh brake fluid.

The chronology of steps I personally follow is;
1) Siphon off F & R reservoirs old fluid and refill with fresh,
2) Activate ABS pump three times; once using the Rear brake pedal, twice using the Front brake lever (so all old fluid is now in the lines),

Rear Brakes:
3) Open rear bleeder and Flush Rear brake until fresh fluid appears and reservoir is @ min,
4) Top up reservoir and flush again until reservoir is @ min,
5) Top up the reservoir one last time.

Front brakes:
*Left caliper follows flushing in step #3 above,
*Right caliper flushing per step #4 above,
*Top up per step #5,
* Re-bleed the Left caliper, then the Right to confirm no air; top up reservoir one last time.

I still struggle to understand how any fluid is released, blended or flowed around a sealed single line system with an ABS pump in the middle. There is nowhere for the fluid to go. It's not a closed loop where fluid could flow around. The column of brake fluid only moved for/aft a small amount depending if the brake is appled or released. The ABS pump when acutated pulses and a a small amount of the brake fluid column is allowed into the ABS pump to relevive the column of fluid from continually pressing against the pucks in the caliper. This movement is minute and not enough to allow much fluid in/out of the ABS pump it just pulses back and forth.

 

The ABS pump does not "release" fluid it pulses to reduce pressue on th esystem to keep the brakes from locking up.



I still struggle to understand how any fluid is released, blended or flowed around a sealed single line system with an ABS pump in the middle. There is nowhere for the fluid to go. It's not a closed loop where fluid could flow around. The column of brake fluid only moved for/aft a small amount depending if the brake is appled or released. The ABS pump when acutated pulses and a a small amount of the brake fluid column is allowed into the ABS pump to relevive the column of fluid from continually pressing against the pucks in the caliper. This movement is minute and not enough to allow much fluid in/out of the ABS pump it just pulses back and forth.

[/QUOTE]
Here’s a step by step thats also entertaining. At 11:00 into it he touches on purging the old fluid, and initiates the ABS pump using GS911;

he’s also got a video using MotoScan.

 

When you "flush" a brake system, you are actually diluting the old fluid with new. Liquid does not monolithicly move down a tube or inside a caliper. Unless you completely drain the old fluid out and purge it with air, a significant amount of old fluid remains mixed with the new. Running the pump after flushing just mixes whatever old fluid was inside the valve body with the new. You could then again re-flush the system, but that's pretty much pointless given the volume involved and that fact that you have mixed old/new fluid in the system anyway after a flush.

The point of running the pump is to push fluid out of the accumulator system. There is a reservoir in the system that holds excess fluid under pressure, which is how the brakes are reapplied by the system at the original pressure the user is holding.

On the camhead, there is no need to run the ABS according to the factory manual. I'd guess that those systems self flush each time you start the bike. Most cars do this. The way self flushing works is pumping up the accumulator and then releasing it back into the unpressurized reservoir. This in effect constantly dilutes the content of the ABS system with the main circuit.

They do want you to push the front pads in before flushing, which reduces the total volume, making the dilution factor lower.

 

You also have to remember that the Calipers/Pistons are the *lowest areas” of the system. Any and all unwanted debris will accumulate in these “low” areas behind the pistons. Rust, inner brake line disintegrated rubber etc…examples of debris.
Retract/fully seat the pistons, cancels this void and allows complete washout of caliper of any debris.

Very Common after one does a “pad” renewal/change, the assembly is now hard to reinstall (pads/pistons won’t retract any further) the rotor drags more than normal (premature wear on pads) or worse, locks up on the test ride.
Very common on autos where 3 hubs are cool to the touch but one is blistering HOT or locked up.
If proper ”flushing” won’t fix issue, time for caliper rebuild or replacement.

 

One other note, these calipers do not have bellows covering the pistons. If you just push them back in, all the crud stuck on the part of the piston that was sticking out gets pushed under the exterior oring seal and if the pad was well worn, past the inner hydraulic seal as well. You should use a toothbrush and some brake fluid to clean around the piston before pushing it back in if you want your caliper seals to last.

 

This has become an interesting thread, I just try to get as much old fluid out as possible, bleed and bleed old school way and no ABS pump activation, then I tie down my levers for about 24 hours........my brakes work and feel great.

 

Just did my bleed job with Motoscan and OBDLINKLX. Took 30 minutes. I did use the wife to press down on the rear brake. I don't bend that way...LOL

 

Rear brake is not the problem for me its the front left caliper trying to reach the wrench to loosen the bleed nipple while actuating the lever and simotainoulsy keeping and eye on the brake fluid level in the resevour. It like something out of the Karma Sutra.

 

Yeah, sorta like putting the oil fill on the opposite side from the sight glass, pia.