Bleeding Brakes

[botus]

Right, so the new second-hand ABS unit has arrived and is ready to fit.
One question, will it need coding to the bikes ECU for it to work, and will my basic GS911 usb edition do this if required?

depends if its from an identical bike with the same set up - I believe on most vehicles, traction control and ABS parameters are set in there for given wheel diameters and on engine power output / characteristics - its only in the black bit of electronic rot, the valve body is mostly the same

there are various software part numbers out there - but oddly its very unusual for BMW to flash this module - if you look at videos of people flashing the i-level of the bike - it always skips the ABS module - even though it usually shows an updated part number for its software is available

 

[DrFarkoff]

Right, so the new second-hand ABS unit has arrived and is ready to fit.
One question, will it need coding to the bikes ECU for it to work, and will my basic GS911 usb edition do this if required?

@Watty100 Is it the same part number? Or a part number that supersedes from it or to it?? Send the number to me if you wish and I can delve in the archives Cue "The Count" from Sesame Street "Muuu Haaa Haaa!"

All that you "may" need to do is to reset the VIN number, "but" to make it work that may not even be necessary from my previous experience !!

As Usual "ButtHole" above is being as nonsensical as a big bag of nonsensical things and as much use as a Chocolate teapot!

I may revise my estimation of "it" being a BOT and Upgrade "it" to Politician !! Makes noise wanders around in circle's and fails to answer the question

 

[botus]

@Watty100

As Usual "ButtHole" above is being as nonsensical as a big bag of nonsensical things and as much use as a Chocolate teapot!

go get a module off a 2 ltr car and plug it in a 3ltr version of the same model - the ESP / Traction control will go silly - plug the car's original black control module on the replacement valve body and the world remains round - or flash the 2ltr one with 3ltr info

why do you need to talk rubbish, yet pretend you know what you are on about ?

 

[DrFarkoff]

go get a module off a 2 ltr car and plug it in a 3ltr version of the same model - the ESP / Traction control will go silly - plug the car's original black control module on the replacement valve body and the world remains round - or flash the 2ltr one with 3ltr info

why do you need to talk rubbish, yet pretend you know what you are on about ?

Bullshit DICK! I don't pretend! I actually did this work! You are a Troll or a BOT (Or now a Politician!) You offer up meaningless drivel, that obviously means something to you But to the real non AI world ? It bears little relevance! hence why I chose to chastise you for incorrect information!!

You WILL get someone killed with your Bullshit info, one of these days! Others have chosen to have you on "ignore" but My conscience won't let me!

If you read my post " Was the Part Number the same? etc etc etc!"

 

[Watty100]

Bullshit DICK! I don't pretend! I actually did this work! You are a Troll or a BOT (Or now a Politician!) You offer up meaningless drivel, that obviously means something to you But to the real non AI world ? It bears little relevance! hence why I chose to chastise you for incorrect information!!

You WILL get someone killed with your Bullshit info, one of these days! Others have chosen to have you on "ignore" but My conscience won't let me!

If you read my post " Was the Part Number the same? etc etc etc!"

The new unit is from a twin-cam GS, but the same part number as the old one. The mounting bracket is different but a straight swap for the original one, the mounting holes are identical. It's in place, connected to all brake lines, just stopped for lunch before the bleeding process begins. Haven't plugged it in to the GS911 yet, I'll be doing that when I get to the stage where I need to do the ABS bleed test.

 

[seahorse]

All I can say is I replaced the whole ABS module on a 2012 F650GS and no coding was required, so on that basis you probably won't either.

 

[DrFarkoff]

The new unit is from a twin-cam GS, but the same part number as the old one. The mounting bracket is different but a straight swap for the original one, the mounting holes are identical. It's in place, connected to all brake lines, just stopped for lunch before the bleeding process begins. Haven't plugged it in to the GS911 yet, I'll be doing that when I get to the stage where I need to do the ABS bleed test.

And there we have it ! Should be fine except for VIN

 

[Watty100]

Well, that was a day wasted

New unit was installed, I bled the system to a firm-ish pedal and lever, so that was the time to plug the GS911 in. It did show up a coding fault for the new unit, but otherwise it was able to operate it normally. I couldn't see an option to tell the ECU that this was its new ABS.
Rear brake bleed test went OK, a little more air expelled and a firm pedal afterwards.
BUT the front bleed test seemed to go OK but I was left with a brake lever locked solid, absolutely unable to squeeze it. The wheel rotated so it was not jammed on. I tried bleeding the calipers to release pressure, no change.
Disconnected the inlet pipe to the ABS, fluid flowed from the reservoir and the lever could be squeezed. Reconnected it and lever locked solid again. Disconnected the outlet pipe and although the pipe and its socket in the unit were full of fluid, no change at the lever, locked solid. Rear brakes unaffected.
The GS911 allows you to test all the valves/switches in the unit independently, which I did. One such test wouldn't work the front outlet switch, subsequent ones did.

The saga continues.....

 

[Santa-2512]

Well, that was a day wasted

New unit was installed, I bled the system to a firm-ish pedal and lever, so that was the time to plug the GS911 in. It did show up a coding fault for the new unit, but otherwise it was able to operate it normally. I couldn't see an option to tell the ECU that this was its new ABS.
Rear brake bleed test went OK, a little more air expelled and a firm pedal afterwards.
BUT the front bleed test seemed to go OK but I was left with a brake lever locked solid, absolutely unable to squeeze it. The wheel rotated so it was not jammed on. I tried bleeding the calipers to release pressure, no change.
Disconnected the inlet pipe to the ABS, fluid flowed from the reservoir and the lever could be squeezed. Reconnected it and lever locked solid again. Disconnected the outlet pipe and although the pipe and its socket in the unit were full of fluid, no change at the lever, locked solid. Rear brakes unaffected.
The GS911 allows you to test all the valves/switches in the unit independently, which I did. One such test wouldn't work the front outlet switch, subsequent ones did.

The saga continues.....

Did you buy the unit from a breaker / used??

Sounds like its faulty,

re the coding issue, no GS911 will not allow you to rewrite the internal can data -

The easiest way to explain it , is a block of data from the previous bike is stored in all the modules on the canbus , each module uses the data it needs and sends the other data onwards to the next module

Effectively you need to have the data stored in the module deleted, and your bikes data inserted ..

Its an ISTA+ session i believe

 

[DrFarkoff]

Did you buy the unit from a breaker / used??

Sounds like its faulty,

re the coding issue, no GS911 will not allow you to rewrite the internal can data -

The easiest way to explain it , is a block of data from the previous bike is stored in all the modules on the canbus , each module uses the data it needs and sends the other data onwards to the next module

Effectively you need to have the data stored in the module deleted, and your bikes data inserted ..

Its an ISTA+ session i believe

I do not think you are correct, I have swapped ABS units previously AS long as it is the same part number Its just a big calculator for Wheel deceleration

the only difference when at the dealership I had to code the VIN number in

I think its only important with the 1250 onwards with the 3 way security between Clocks ECu and Key

@Watty100 It does sound like a bad unit !

 

[Watty100]

The "new" ABS unit has been returned. As I separated the electronic module from the alloy block on the old one, and cleaned up the joint faces, I thought I'd try a run with the ABS off to see if it made any difference. A longer ride than the last non-ABS test.

What I found was that I still kept losing the rear brake, but a firm application of front brake also allowed me to use the rear, obviously the partially integrated circuit still working. As I got home, I applied the front brake, then was able to lock the rear wheel. Without using the front first, no rear brake at all.

Back in the garage, I got more air out of the rear brake, but it took more pumping through than before. What I'm reading into this is that the ABS unit is letting air into the rear brake circuit. With the ABS switched off and the pump inoperative, that air is staying inside the ABS unit. With the ABS left switched on, it pumps the air further down the lines towards the rear wheel.

Either way I'll be ordering another replacement unit, a refurbished one with warranty, more expensive than the last used one I tried but hopefully it will actually work

 

[GrinningGSer]

It’s aways dodgy , purchasing second hand or even refurbished stuff, but hey I do understand.
There really is a guy on YouTube , who used one from a Ford Focus , with success. Remember , they are not made by BMW .

 

[DrFarkoff]

It’s aways dodgy , purchasing second hand or even refurbished stuff, but hey I do understand.
There really is a guy on YouTube , who used one from a Ford Focus , with success. Remember , they are not made by BMW .

Focus ??? ABS Pump Drive motors? Yes!

ABS Block units? No! definitely not!

Cars are 4 channel Left and right front and left and right rear

Bike simply front and rear

All independent of each other

 

[Watty100]

So, the latest update is that the ABS unit was sent to ecutesting.com in Derbyshire, who had indicated it was repairable.
Turns out that after testing, they declared it scrap. The lass from the office who called with the news was unable to elaborate further. No charge other than postage though.
I wasn't surprised as every website I'd looked at that claim to repair these units actually only mentions fixing/reprogramming the circuit boards and fixing/replacing the pump motor or its brushes.
So another used unit has been ordered, I await with bated breath.......

 

[Watty100]

Well I now have functioning front and rear brakes and a new MOT certificate.
What I don't have yet is functioning ABS as the replacement ABS unit needs coding to the bike's ECU and that's not a job a GS911 can do .
However, if I plug the GS911 in and start the bike, then clear the fault code "ABS Coding Error", the ABS functions as normal, no warning light on the dashboard, until the ignition is switched off and then the coding error returns and ABS doesn't work.
So a call to the local dealer tomorrow (Wolverhampton Motoradd) to see if they will plug it in and update the electronics. Just hoping they won't respond with "we didn't fit it so we can't code it".

 

[Watty100]

To bring this saga to a happy conclusion, the bike has been to Sytner today and for the princely sum of £31.92, the new ABS was coded to the bike and full functionality restored.

 

[botus]

nice to see a dealer being responsible and helping a customer (as well as making the roads be safer !!!)

now you published their name I expect Germany at the highest levels will be ringing BMW UK with a stern warning they never allow a dealer to do anything like that again