Advice on brake bleeding process for 182 [with ABS]

[Davyboy888]

I've replaced the rear brake lines on my 182, bled the system with an air pump bleeder. I let fluid through until I had no air bubbles appearing at the caliper bleed nipples and clean fluid coming through. Buttoned everything up and took it for a test drive. The pedal is dangerously soft. Yes it will lock the wheels after three or four pumps but goes to the floor again. I can't see any leaks around lines/unions I've fitted but something's not right. I feel I've clearly not done the bleed process correctly and feel there may be air in the ABS pump.

Anyone run me through the correct procedure for this... e.g. is there a way of informing the ECU to open the ABS valves etc... and if so can this be done with a Snap On console [which my friend has] ?

As always huge thanks in advance.

 

[SharpyClio]

I had this. It was a nightmare. You don’t need to do anything with the abs module, but I put through 2litres and couldn’t get it to work, took it to the garage and they used 250ml and had it done in about 20mins.

They bled it using the pedal though, which may have helped, I used a pressure bleeder. I’d maybe try doing it with the pedal before messing about with the abs module.

 

[Davyboy888]

Thanks for this. So they bled it old-skool without a pressure bleeder ?

 

[Yarp]

You need to activate the ABS pump as the air will be in there. You can do it using Clip or a RS tuner if you have one. If not locking the wheels and properly activating the abs pump on a something like a gravel surface will do it

 

[Davyboy888]

@SteveC_1879 Thanks for this. I think that's what it is. I've tried locking the wheels up several times on the test drive but don't I need to activate the pump while I'm bleeding the system ? I vaguely remember doing something like this on my E46 years ago when I bled the system but the Snap On was able to open the ABS valves I think. Do you know if the Snap On will do the same on the 182 ?

 

[JamesBryan]

There shouldn't be any air in the pump as long as you didn't let the system drain.

Bleeding the brakes using the pressure bleeder in combination with pumping the pedal should do it.

 

[Davyboy888]

@JamesBryan I can't rule out air getting into the pump as the rear brake line running across the beam split and quite a bit of fluid leaked from it.

I did exactly as you said with the pressure bleeder but unfortunately I've ended up with a very soft pedal I can only assume air has gotten into the ABS pump.

 

[R3k1355]

Take it down a gravel track, even a gravel layby will do. Hit the brakes and the ABS will go nuts. Go home and bleed, all 4 corners.

If you are using a pressure bleeder, don't go mad with it. Some ABS systems have a valve on the pump that shuts off if pressure gets too high.
Keep to about 10psi or so and it'll bleed through just fine.

 

[SharpyClio]

@JamesBryan I can't rule out air getting into the pump as the rear brake line running across the beam split and quite a bit of fluid leaked from it.

I did exactly as you said with the pressure bleeder but unfortunately I've ended up with a very soft pedal I can only assume air has gotten into the ABS pump.

I had the rear beam off and brake pipes open to air for about a month and the abs system didn’t need bleeding, they just did it old school one in the car one on the spanner.

 

[Louis]

You can activate abs with the car on axle stands

 

[R3k1355]

You can activate abs with the car on axle stands

Depends on the system.

If some see the front wheels accelerating and the rear wheels sat still they'll just chuck the ABS light on and refuse to do owt.

 

[Louis]

Depends on the system.

If some see the front wheels accelerating and the rear wheels sat still they'll just chuck the ABS light on and refuse to do owt.

Not on a 182

 

[Davyboy888]

I'd feel more comfortable using a scanner to activate the ABS than have it running on axle stands When you get the wrong side of 50 [like me] the mad stuff I used to do as a kid seems less appealling for some reason or other.

Does anyone know if the Snap On will activate the ABS ? The consensus seems to be that I've gotta do that to fully purge the air out of the system.

 

[Brigsy]

Snap on will prob be able to activate abs block.

I must have been lucky and my trophy bled up from fully dry with just the pressure bleeder without activating abs via clip.

On my kangoo i had a hell of a job bleeding it up from dry pedal was long and soft. I ended up putting 4ltrs of fluid through in total, and had the mrs activating the abs block whilst pressure bleeding. In the end a load of air came out of the rears after none for ages and pedal was good. Do wonder if master cyl had a hissy fit and seals had flipped and it eventually righted itself.

Id just get some cheap fluid and bleed them some more. Once pedal is right bleed with the good stuff.

 

[JamesBryan]

Bleed all 4 corners as well, not just the rears.

 

[Davyboy888]

Bleed all 4 corners as well, not just the rears.

Ya I bled all four corners... actually let run for a while until I could see the new fluid coming out... I'm guessing [hoping] that air's lodged in the ABS pump (!)

 

[Mr Underhill]

had the mrs activating the abs block whilst pressure bleeding.

When I got the missus to help me bleed one of mine, I'm shouting "push the pedal then". She says I am, I am.

I'm like no you're not because there's no fluid coming through. I go around to the front and say "show me" and she's pushing the clutch in

I'm like "push the f**cking brake pedal "and she's like, "which one's the brake" 🤦‍♂️

I use gunsons easy bleed these days

 

[Brigsy]

I use gunsons easi bleed too. I got my mrs to help bleed up the trophy clutch as was struggling to get a pedal. Had her pumping the clutch pedal, and pressure started coming up. Id failed to check the install and previous owner had not clipped the pipe in properly so she got a foot covered in brake fluid when it popped off, was going mad 😆

 

[Martin_172]

Snapon should do the abs bleed sequence as I've done it on an autel with no issues.

When I built my van I set it up from dry, 4 litres of fluid thru it still couldn't get a pedal, another litre with the rstuner bleed sequence and it was good as new.

 

[Davyboy888]

Snapon should do the abs bleed sequence as I've done it on an autel with no issues.

When I built my van I set it up from dry, 4 litres of fluid thru it still couldn't get a pedal, another litre with the rstuner bleed sequence and it was good as new.

Thanks for this Martin. Were you using the Autel when you ran through the 4L ? Is the RS Tuner sequence different ? Problem is I don't have Clip or RS Tuner... just access to my mate's Snap On. Also, when you talk about the RS Tuner Bleed Sequence... is there a process they suggest doing ?

 

[hopgop1]

Thanks for this Martin. Were you using the Autel when you ran through the 4L ? Is the RS Tuner sequence different ? Problem is I don't have Clip or RS Tuner... just access to my mate's Snap On. Also, when you talk about the RS Tuner Bleed Sequence... is there a process they suggest doing ?

I'll grab a screenshot of the RS Tuner suggested order if you want? It's slightly different to what was in the workshop manual, but either would probably work fine.
I followed the RS Tuner's suggestion when I did it, sorted the ABS issues as it got quite a bit of air out that hadn't come out through normal pressure bleeding.

 

[Davyboy888]

I'll grab a screenshot of the RS Tuner suggested order if you want? It's slightly different to what was in the workshop manual, but either would probably work fine.
I followed the RS Tuner's suggestion when I did it, sorted the ABS issues as it got quite a bit of air out that hadn't come out through normal pressure bleeding.

That would be brilliant... thanks so much

 

[hopgop1]

That would be brilliant... thanks so much

Not super obvious, but by default it goes to rear right, which has 1. next to it, then 2. is front left etc. I just followed that order.
Believe we did two goes around.

 

[Davyboy888]

Ya that is different to the Renault Workshop manual alright... it's RL->RR->FL->FR... Hopefully the Snap On has something similar as I'm guessing RS Tuner is organising the pump configuration as you're doing this.

 

[JamesBryan]

Ya that is different to the Renault Workshop manual alright... it's RL->RR->FL->FR... Hopefully the Snap On has something similar as I'm guessing RS Tuner is organising the pump configuration as you're doing this.

RR is the longest line, so that's usually the first. Each is paired with the opposite corner.

You just select each one manually as you go, it doesn't move on to the next one for you.

 

[Davyboy888]

RR is the longest line, so that's usually the first. Each is paired with the opposite corner.

You just select each one manually as you go, it doesn't move on to the next one for you.

Ah of course... that makes sense. Thanks so much.

@hopgop1 So sorry I didn't thank you for posting the photo above... really appreciate it

 

[hopgop1]

Ah of course... that makes sense. Thanks so much.

@hopgop1 So sorry I didn't thank you for posting the photo above... really appreciate it

Not a problem mate, will try my best to help anyone trying to keep these old sheds going.

 

[Martin_172]

Thanks for this Martin. Were you using the Autel when you ran through the 4L ? Is the RS Tuner sequence different ? Problem is I don't have Clip or RS Tuner... just access to my mate's Snap On. Also, when you talk about the RS Tuner Bleed Sequence... is there a process they suggest doing ?

no the 4 litre was me being a spaz trying to get a pedal!

yeah autel was much the same just follow the onscreen instructions, pressure bleeder on it, open the bleed nipple as its purging the pump and the air will come thru

 

[Davyboy888]

no the 4 litre was me being a spaz trying to get a pedal!

yeah autel was much the same just follow the onscreen instructions, pressure bleeder on it, open the bleed nipple as its purging the pump and the air will come thru

That's brilliant... thanks again so much

 

[Davyboy888]

My friend with the Snap On [Solus] came over this afternoon and unfortunately it won't communicate with the ABS module on the 182 It'll do a code read on the module but nothing more.

So I guess I'm faced with having to get RS tuner... any recommendations on what should get from Fastchip. I suppose if I'm investing in this I probably ought to get a version that will do everything on the car - body, chassis and engine. Alternatively, does anyone have one they'd be interested in selling ?

As always, massive thanks in advance for all the help.

 

[Crispyy]

My friend with the Snap On [Solus] came over this afternoon and unfortunately it won't communicate with the ABS module on the 182 It'll do a code read on the module but nothing more.

So I guess I'm faced with having to get RS tuner... any recommendations on what should get from Fastchip. I suppose if I'm investing in this I probably ought to get a version that will do everything on the car - body, chassis and engine. Alternatively, does anyone have one they'd be interested in selling ?

As always, massive thanks in advance for all the help.

Sorry to bring up the old thread but did you get anywhere with this?
I'm having the exact same issue and just wondering if it's worth buying an "rstuner" or something like that or just to take it to renault to quickly bleed it for me

 

[Davyboy888]

Sorry to bring up the old thread but did you get anywhere with this?
I'm having the exact same issue and just wondering if it's worth buying an "rstuner" or something like that or just to take it to renault to quickly bleed it for me

I did. I bought RSTuner from Fastchip and it did the bleed process perfectly. I don't plan to use the remapping elements of RSTuner but the rest of it is really excellent so it's worth the investment if you plan on keeping the car.