Okay so I just purged my brake system with Ate Super Blue (that stuff rocks, my pedal has never felt better). As I was admiring the nice new blue tint of the master cylinder reservoir I glanced over at the ABS reservoir (which I had totally forgotten about) and it was still yellow-the color of my old fluid. I looked up the bleeding procedure of the ABS system in my Helms and it's a pretty involved process (requiring a special tool) I don't want to undertake any time soon.

Is the ABS hydraulic system a totally independent/closed hydraulic system from the brake system? I can't imagine how ABS's hydraulic pressure modulates the caliper's pistons if it's on separate lines from the main brake system.

When you guys (and girls!) with ABS bleed your brakes, do you also bleed your ABS system? The service manual doesn't seem to differentiate the service schedules of brake system and ABS system (if indeed they are separate systems).

Thanks for any advise.

 

The ABS systems on hondas are stand alone.. Eveyone I know just leaves the ABS reservoir alone.

 

1. I'm not sure if it's a separate circut - and I hope someone knowledgeable can field this. I've wondered myself.

2. I *suspect* that it is, in fact, a separate circut.

3. I don't remember needing a special tool to bleed the ABS unit. IIRC, it was...attach bleed hose, start car (to build up pressure), stop car, open screw that you attached the hose to, remove fluid. Rinse, repeat until some condition is met (no manual in front of me so I don't remember).

4. I don't bleed the ABS system nearly as often as I do the "regular" system. I probably should though.

Not sure if that helps - but if nothing else, it's a data point.