Brake fluid change - Servo ABS

[leinsterrugby]

Hey all,

I need to bleed the brakes on my '04 GS. She's a servo assisted ABS. I've had a read of the Haynes manual and it tells me to leave it well alone, remove one kidney instead and offer it as payment to your local dealer (ok may have taken some creative license).

Any advice on wheater it can be done as a DIY jobbie or do I need to bring it to a dealer? Anything in particular I need to know about the servicing procedure versus a non-ABS bike?

Cheers.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

I must admit that this is the only servicing task I don't do myself. Maybe it isn't that difficult, but I don't want to take the risk with the braking system, either of sudden failure or damaging the ABS stuff and having to fork out a fortune for repairs.

 

[patzx12]

I did mine last weekend. followed the article posted on Adventure rider forum for the 1150.
It was an easy job that is complex when you read it.
To bleed the calipers you have to top them up at the ABS unit which has 2 reservoirs, 1 for the front brake and 1 for the rear brake.
The front and rear reservoirs are bled with the 6 bleed nipples on the ABS unit, 3 for the front and 3 for the back.
The servo pushes the fluid through with just the slightest squeeze of the lever \ pedal.
The article tells you to take out the pads, clean the calipers, push back the pistons and put blocks of wood in to keep the pistons back. This to get all of the old fluid out including the fluid behind the pistons.
Clenliness is essential, you will need a clean place to work and you will have to clean all the reservoir caps before removing them.
If this response does not put you off completely. good luck.

 

[Pukmeister]

Pat, did any of the procedure differ on the 1200 or was it exactly the same?

I presume it's this document you used: http://advwisdom.hogranch.com/Wisdom/service_abs3.pdf

I intend to make up some fittings for my ABS unit and do mine soon. Do you need a screw-on filling funnel or does it just push on? How did you make yours?

Any advice you can give would be much appreciated. I've done plenty of hydraulic work as a marine engineer so I'm well aware of the need for cleanliness etc.

How much new brake fluid was needed?

Did you notice any improvement in the braking afterwards ?

Thanks in advance

 

[MOTOTECH]

Hey all,

I need to bleed the brakes on my '04 GS. She's a servo assisted ABS. I've had a read of the Haynes manual and it tells me to leave it well alone, remove one kidney instead and offer it as payment to your local dealer (ok may have taken some creative license).

Any advice on wheater it can be done as a DIY jobbie or do I need to bring it to a dealer? Anything in particular I need to know about the servicing procedure versus a non-ABS bike?

Cheers.

If you decide to do it yourself, you need to be VERY careful not to let the fluid in the ABS pump get too low. This can run you into all sorts of grief!
After bleeding, you really need to do a brake pressure test, which can only be done using equipment that can access the ABS ecu.
If you decide to do it yourself, I can do the pressure test for you, give me a call.
Brian.

 

[EasySushi]

Hey all,

I need to bleed the brakes on my '04 GS. She's a servo assisted ABS. I've had a read of the Haynes manual and it tells me to leave it well alone, remove one kidney instead and offer it as payment to your local dealer (ok may have taken some creative license).

Any advice on wheater it can be done as a DIY jobbie or do I need to bring it to a dealer? Anything in particular I need to know about the servicing procedure versus a non-ABS bike?

Cheers.

It's really easy to do takes about 2 hours


Ty

 

[Pukmeister]

After bleeding, you really need to do a brake pressure test, which can only be done using equipment that can access the ABS ecu.

Can this pressure test be performed with the GS911 unit, or do you need dealer facilities (eg GT1)?.

 

[SVENA]

I must admit that this is the only servicing task I don't do myself. Maybe it isn't that difficult, but I don't want to take the risk with the braking system, either of sudden failure or damaging the ABS stuff and having to fork out a fortune for repairs.

I agree with Robin, just had mine done today (servo assisted ABS), took the mechanic approx. three hours to do, but finished of with a test and a readout about the systems condition. So now, if anything goes wrong, blame the mechanic

 

[SVENA]

Can this pressure test be performed with the GS911 unit, or do you need dealer facilities (eg GT1)?.

I have a GS911, very handy, but no! It can't do the pressure test, only read and delete fault codes.

 

[EasySushi]

I have a GS911, very handy, but no! It can't do the pressure test, only read and delete fault codes.

Hi Guys,

Actually the GS-911 will report on Hi or low ABS presure, it will also report on low ABS fluid levels.


Ty

 

[Steptoe]

I intend to make up some fittings for my ABS unit and do mine soon. Do you need a screw-on filling funnel or does it just push on? How did you make yours?

You pour the new brake fluid in the servo reservoir as the old fluid gets pumped out of the caliper.

No need for over elaboration as on the american websites .

It's easier than bleeding normal brakes. Turn the ignition on, touch the brake lever/pedal and let the servo pump the fluid out.
I've bled fanums servo brakes with him watching, he couldn't believe how easy it was after all the palaver on the internet.
20 minutes to bleed everything.

 

[Pukmeister]

Cheers Neil, I had hoped it would be that easy.

Two more questions:

Is the CANBUS brake pressure test essential, or would you just test ride and be content?

Any idea why the GS-911 tool can't 'read' the ECU for a brake pressure test like the BMW GT1 machine can? Surely the bikes' ABS electronics incorporates a transducer to sense braking force.

I would ask the one (and only) BMW Motorrad agent here in Western Australia to service my bike, but since they refused to give me a customs valuation figure last year when I imported my bike (despite offering to pay,because it was from the UK and not from them), they can go feck 'emselves. I'll do it myself.

Edit: Just seen Ty's post above re GS911. Thanks Ty.

 

[patzx12]

The procedure is the same as the article. I have a sealy vacume brake bleeder but I do not use an air line, it is just a handy way of collecting the fluid.
The bleed nipples on the calipers are 8mm and 7mm on the ABS unit.
Just break the nipples slightly without opening them, then you can use a mini 7 and 8 mm wrench when you have the bleed hose on.
I bled the calipers with the ignition on and half a press on the lever / pedal.
To bleed the ABS unit i had the ignition off and used all of the lever / pedal stroke. I disconnected the electronic plug on the unit to allow access to the nipples. Always nip up the nipples with the lever / pedal depressed.
You will need 1lt of Dot 4. I did not notice any improvment due to the fact that the brakes were spot on anyway but I always clean the brakes and calipers twice a year bike or car.

 

[Red Rock]

How fast does the fluid drain out of the servo unit? - Can you manage it with an assistant topping up, or do you need to get the bmw tool/mini-stan funnel thing?

 

[SVENA]

Cheers Neil, I had hoped it would be that easy.

Two more questions:

Is the CANBUS brake pressure test essential, or would you just test ride and be content?

Any idea why the GS-911 tool can't 'read' the ECU for a brake pressure test like the BMW GT1 machine can? Surely the bikes' ABS electronics incorporates a transducer to sense braking force.

I would ask the one (and only) BMW Motorrad agent here in Western Australia to service my bike, but since they refused to give me a customs valuation figure last year when I imported my bike (despite offering to pay,because it was from the UK and not from them), they can go feck 'emselves. I'll do it myself.

Edit: Just seen Ty's post above re GS911. Thanks Ty.

I followed the ABS test today, and it's a read out, done as a graph. The GS911 ,which I love, only gives you a realtime value in numbers or codes
Thats why I still trust the mechanics to do the job on the servo ABS and rely on the dealers experience. My life might depends on a working brakesystem

 

[leinsterrugby]

Cheers for all the posts lads.

Think I might leave it to the pros this time round. Would at least like a pro to look over my handy work the first time out. Not so sure that I'd me keen to be horsing down the road only to find the old GS has no anchors

 

[EasySushi]

I followed the ABS test today, and it's a read out, done as a graph. The GS911 ,which I love, only gives you a realtime value in numbers or codes
Thats why I still trust the mechanics to do the job on the servo ABS and rely on the dealers experience. My life might depends on a working brakesystem

You are correct that it does give you codes, but there are some codes that refer to the pressure of the ABS on front and rear. The programmers are working on a version of the software that will display PSI value the same as the print out one would get from the BMW F1 sys.

If you change the brake fluid, then check for fault codes and if you get none, then the ABS pressure is within set parameters.

Ty

 

[Steptoe]

Cheers Neil, I had hoped it would be that easy.

Two more questions:

Is the CANBUS brake pressure test essential, or would you just test ride and be content?

.

3 years ago I changed all the brake lines on a servo bike for braided hoses, took it to the dealer to have it tested, it came up 100%

I've since replaced a few knackered servo units and all worked 100%. I've never encountered any problems working with the servo units.

Any idea why the GS-911 tool can't 'read' the ECU for a brake pressure test like the BMW GT1 machine can? Surely the bikes' ABS electronics incorporates a transducer to sense braking force.

.

I expect because it enables BMW to charge you for the privilege

 

[Steptoe]

. My life might depends on a working brakesystem

You better sell the bike then, thats why BMW have got rid of the damn things. To many failures.

 

[cookie]

i had a master cylinder changed at a bmw dealer. they told me they couldn't do the specified pressure test as there was no power in the workshop due to a storm.
they said it didn't really matter & i was ok with that. done 10000+ miles since and all is fine.