Spongy ABS Brake Fix 88 to 98 Chevrolet Silverado
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- Опубликовано: 25 авг 2024
- Here is how to fix spongy brake pedal feel on a 1988 to 1998 Chevrolet Silverado truck. If your truck has an antilock brake module in it, and that ABS module has air bubbles in it, you will have spongy squishy brake pedal feel even if your ABS system isn’t working. In my case, the brakes were so bad that the brake warning light came on. So in addition to bleeding the brakes at all of the wheels, you also have to bleed the bubbles out of the ABS module. If you have a module like the Kelsey-Hayes one on my truck in the video, you can use the bleeder valve on it to bleed the bubbles out, and then you need to bleed the brakes on all the wheel cylinders starting with the one farthest away from the master cylinder, and working your way to the one closest to the master cylinder. If you do this, it will fix the spongy squishy feel that you have in your brake pedal on your Chevrolet Silverado truck. In this video you see me getting the air out of a GM ABS module.
Here's where you can get a brake bleeding kit:
amzn.to/3huAgI2
You did this the best way possible. Straight to the point. There is a special place in heaven for your kind man.
Thanks. I’m glad I could help.
You been watching too many fairy tales 😣
😂
My mechanic installed two new master cylinders, trying to fix my mushy brakes, after a full $1,300.00 brake job, and in the end told "that's just how GMC trucks are, which really pissed me off as I knew the truck had a very firm pedal before the brake job. I tried this yesterday and WOW it worked!
Oh and as the comments already mentioned, thanks for getting straight to the point instead of an incoherent, rambling, 15 minute segue.
You’re welcome. I am glad you found this video. It took me a while to find out how to do it after my local brake shop told me they couldn’t do it. I hope this video helps a lot of people.
That same shit happened to me. Replaced just about everything only to hear, "that's just how those trucks are..." I'm going to try this video-tip and see where it takes me.
@Daniel 045 And there are all too many "mechanics" that do that! I'm having oil pressure issues (20 psi) on a 2013 and I've had a shop and the dealer tell me it's find and still in spec. I was hoping someone would actually diagnose it for me before I get the parts cannon going.
Many shops today don't fully understand the older abs systems since newer, for probably the past 15 years, vehicles don't require such brake bleeding as this, just bleed the brakes at the wheels and that's it, many using a pressurized bleeding system at the master cylinder....
I needed the internet decades ago.
Me too. It took me years to figure this one out, so I knew I had to put out on the Internet once I have the answer.
@@hoohoohoblin man ur such a good person
AMEN our version of the internet was a Chilton's book lots of time and cups of coffee.
Thank you for putting this video up. I was going nuts bleeding the brakes over and over not developing a pedal. After bleeding the ABS the problem was solved.
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.
I love it, no bs, no life history of the truck or how breaks work or how you came to own it…lol just right to the point… thank you!
As a long time shade tree mechanic this is one of the best tips I've ever seen. Great job!
Thanks. I hope this helps some people. I really had to search to figure this out.
Pump and bleed. My dad taught me that in the 60's. What memories. Now I use the hand vacuum pump.
Old-school methods still work!
2/22/2021 - Had spongy break pedal on my 1998 Chevy C1500. Break pedal was firm with engine off, but spongy when engine was cranked. Did exactly what is shown in this video and it absolutely fixed my problem. Breaks now better than ever. Thanks for the awesome video.
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.
Had this same issue except pressing this button on the ABS module did not allow any fluid to come out. Never figured out what the issue was.
@@ProcessHF currently having the same issue and haven’t found an answer
@@corriganworley4961 Pretty much you need a Tech 2 scanner to activate the ABS and get the air out unless you can drive down a dirt/gravel road and slam on the brakes enough to get the ABS to activate. Aftermarket Scantools like Autel or even the Snap-On ones can't do the ABS bleed on some these vehicles, only the GM Tech 2 Scanner.
@@corriganworley4961 I would definitely bleed the 2 Master Cylinder lines, then attempt to get the air out of the ABS module through the methods I mentioned in the other comment, then bleed all 4 wheels in order of RR, LR, RF, LF.
Dude I've had my 95 since I was 19 im 29 now , abs light on for the longest time . I didn't know about that secret button bleeder lol. Gonna try that soon man thanks.
You’re welcome. I hope it works for you.
ABS light being on MAY be cause you need a wheel bearing.
Best video by far, short and simple without a bunch of senseless yapping... Great job guys
Thanks. Glad I could help.
choices31 exactly!!!!! Thank you do much
U
Thanks short sweet to the point!
Agreed
MANNNNN. I waited until a snow storm so I could get my brakes to lock up and engage ABS before. And it's this easy. Sweet tip
He was looking through the camera to pick up the quarter it's a thing
I know I’m late to this lol but I wish I found this video sooner, would’ve saved me tons of headaches…with that being said, anyone with a 90s Chevy equipped with 4wheel abs system that has a soft/squishy brake pedal to follow this tip!! Bleed brakes from all wheels as you normally would then after bleeding from wheels bleed from the module and your brake pedal and stopping power will feel 1000x better!! My 98 feels like a brand new truck 🤘
I’ve tried this a few times on a ‘96, but nothing (or just air) comes out when I depress the needle that pops out when the brake is pressed. How long did it take for the brake fluid to finally come out?
@@anfitch8706 hope I’m not too late but from my experience I pressed it before the person pushed the brakes
@@anfitch8706 When I pressed the button 10 times after my wife pull the breaks, nothing happened. When i pushed the button before she pressed the brakes, suddenly the pedal was less spongy! Strange but never brake oil was coming out. Mayby I shoud use in stead of a flat srewdriver one with a point to push it deeper..
to be clear - - pop the rubber cap off and you'll see that pin he's holding in the video push out when the brake pedal is depressed - - what you are doing is holding the pin in then having the pedal depressed , release the pin and have them release the brake - - push the pin in and then have them depress the brake pedal until you get a squirt not just a trickle come out around the pin. Be sure to bleed the lines after because the sensor that puts up the red light for brakes on your dash is in or on the module - - you can clear the warning light but still have air in the lines . Good video - - many people don't know about the module bleed
Thanks for the clarification. This was the only thing that fixed my brakes, and they still work fine since I made the video.
@@hoohoohoblin good video trying to get out information rather than their mug up on the screen - - seen too many that its more about them than what they are fixing
What if no fluid is coming out of the pin
ive spent hundreds having all different shops rip me off doing my breaks , even after they were still spongy the one shop told me "You just have to pump it a few times to stop" I'm like "THATS WHAT I BROUGHT IT HERE FOR!" either way, i am replacing the master cylinder myself next week and i will also try this method too! i'll let you know how it goes! thanks for this video
How did go? I have this problem and wanted to know if breeding it this way helps, thank you
@@philliparthur8672 A drunk driver totaled my truck so i never got a chance to change it. My buddy has the same truck and we changed his master cylinder and it was a little better but the brakes still suck. I bought a newer truck and that seemed to have fixed my issue🤣
@@STREETRACEN4U Damn that really sucks but if you didn't get hurt or hurt bad that what matters most. I'm glad you got a new truck and thank you for replying to me.
@@philliparthur8672 yes, no problem. and it wasnt too bad it was a bump at maybe 30mph but due to the age of the vehicle (97) insurance totaled it out. No injuries thankfully!
Great info, my 98 has had spongy brakes sense I bought it in 01. I've tried ceramic pads with fancy drilled and slotted rotors that helped but still not great. This is the tip that I needed. Thanks.
You’re welcome. I hope it works for you. No matter what you do, these brakes are always a little squishy. The next generation of trucks from 99 on has really good brakes.
Thanks for the video. I'm gonna try this. I've had a soft pedal in my 97 ever since I had to replace a rotted hard line and lost all fluid in the rear. Its probably been 4-5 years now.
You’re welcome. I hope it works for you. I’ve done this a couple of times, and it really helps.
Idk what this was all about. After trying everything on the internet, I did this and the brake light on the cluster is no longer on. Thank you sir. God Bless!!
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help. This can be very frustrating.
hoohoohoblin yes!! Very frustrating. Thanks again.
I had same problem. Replaced master cylinder, bleed brakes, adjust rear drums, was about to replace abs mod when a 40 yr ASE mech said find dirt or gravel road, run up to about 30 mph and slam on brakes. Did it about 5 times and now have rock solid pedal. Said this activates the abs system and bleeds air from it. Hry, worked for me!
I’ve heard that that method works. In my case, the wheel sensors have gone bad, so the antilock brakes don’t engage when I hit the brakes. So I have to bleed them this way to get the air out of them. They will sensors were notorious for going bad, so this method is good for anybody who has their abs brake dashboard warning light on and wants to bleed the brakes.
OnlineSales Dude lol, we wait until it snows to bleed the module one rock hard stop on snow, ice or dirt will cycle the abs mod on and purge it.
when the abs is active and you slide does it make a sound like rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
does that mean its working?
will this work for a 99 suburban?
I needed this video 7 years ago!! Great video did a nbs master cylinder swap, driled and slotted rotors, even rear disc brakes and brakes still feel funny definitely trying this! Grate video, very well explained, short, straight to the point!! Subscribed 👍👍
Thanks.. I appreciate it.
Please let me know if it worked for you. I did the swap & my pedal feel thw same way. SPONGY...
Was looking for a new ABS for my 95 2 door which they don't make anymore. Used this tip and it worked! Now I have a brake pedal, just like new.
That’s great. I’m glad I could help. It took me a long time to find a fix for this, so I’m glad I could share it with everyone else.
Cool vid. Hey I just fixed that abs issue, which actually worked this time. What I failed to do before is flat file the surface down to make it perfectly level and remove any rust, then prime it and let thoroughly dry before reinstalling with new orings... Worked like a champ!
Thanks. I’m glad you got it fixed.
Secondary bleeder is under the blue pigtail wiring where all the brake lines join in the abs. Use a mirror to see it. You will have to unclip or snip the plastic clip that holds the wire going down to the frame rail. Then ziptie it back into place.
@Grease Dog
Do these have two valves like the older 88-94 models? I've only found the one he shows us on my 97.
I'm assuming it's not possible to push in the button unless the brake pedal is depressed?
Mine seems to be stick but I'm working alone, so I ordered the specialty tool.
A friend who helps you bleed brakes is a good friend!
True
Thanks so much man, just did the rotors, bearings and pads and I was freaking out cause it was not bleeding properly at the wheels.
You’re welcome
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, as a long time mechanic I have chased this issue on a friends truck over and over to fix the spongy brakes. This isn't taught in any school I have known of. Many blessings to you for taking the time to make a video. God bless.
You’re welcome. I had the same problem. I found it on some deep dark corner of the Internet in a forum, and decided I needed to make a video about it to help guys like you out. I’m glad you found it.
thank you very much, finally sombebody that gave us the short and right answer for this problem, Greetings from Mexico
You’re welcome. I hope it works for you.
As an update...
To anyone not getting any fluid out, depress the button even harder. It starts out flush in its own little orifice, but you need to put enough pressure so the button actually pushes in like a mm or so
After I realized that, I got fluid flowing
That’s great. I’m glad you figured it out and got the bubbles out.
Thank you for the important knowledge. I couldn't get fluid to come out with a blade screw driver. Will try again after I replace the leaking lid for the master cylinder. I was searching for a comment like your. Thanks from Canada 🇨🇦
@@hoohoohoblin on my 97 Tahoe,the needle of the bleed valve pops out,when my helper pumps and hold the brakes? dang near impossible to push it in,to get a bleed?Any thoughts or tips,to be clear everytime the brake pedal gets pumped,the center of the bleed valve pops out,goes back in flush,when off the brake
@@JV-no9fp did you figure it out?
@@chi09avalanche76 no still spongy brakes,just livin with it man
Another thing you can do which gives a big improvement in pedal feel and braking is replace the master cylinder with one from a 2003. It has a bigger bore which gives more fluid displacement when you brake. You do need one brass fitting to adapt the rear port in the master cylinder to the brake line, but there easily found at hardware or big box stores with a good brass fitting selection ( remember you need a double flare fitting on each side). OEM master when you hit the brakes there was a lot of extra pedal travel plus if pushing hard it almost felt as if the brake hoses were ballooning or the calibers were flexing. Have had truck since new several brake jobs different brands quality pads, new hoses and calibers and no improvement. Changed the master cylinder and “wow” big improvement.
good job suprised how many mechanics dont know this .also porportion valve can give trouble [needs reset] if no fluid to rear brakes after brake job .it thinks brake line has burst and isolates .
Thanks
I've litterally changed every brake part except the abs module and brake lines. I never thought of this. Gonna try tomorrow
Did it work??
Consider that quarter a tip for the tip you just gave all us OBS owners. Thanks
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.
Will be tryin this after work today. Been having the same issue and almost got into a wreck cuz of it. Fingers crossed it works I miss drivin my baby
It work 4 u?
Trevor Hageman: I was wondering did bleeding on the system and each wheel work? Thank you
@@0ptimal yes it did sorry I just saw your comment
@@philliparthur8672 it did. I had to bleed it for awhile all around. Keep some extra brake fluid with you for sure
@@trevorhageman2831 Thank you for replying I know it was a little while when you wrote it. I just got a 98 Cheyenne this weekend and what I think I'll do is bleed the wheels and then the abs and wheels again. Do you think I should do it that way? Anymore feedback is appreciated, thank you.
EFFING AMAZING!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this HOT HOT TIP!!!! I've had so many people, GMC techs and the like tell me " you have to bring it to the dealer or use the fancy scan tool to bleed air" or hard brake it on dirt roads etc etc etc. Well the ABS computer needs to be rebuilt and I dont need ABS for a yard truck. This is the perfect work around! Finally got the brake pedal back to where it should be!! A THOUSAND THANKS FOR THIS VIDEO MAN!!!
I had no idea their was a button their .. I have been dealing with spongy peddle bleeding like crazy to fix it .. you are a wizard my friend .. thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome. It took me about a year to figure this out.
I have a 1998 GMC 3500 4X4, with the same problem bleeding the brakes, spongy pedal. After using a Motive pressure bleeder 2x over 3.5 quarts each time. 0 air bubbles and clean as a whistle. Thought after seeing this video that all my brake bleeding problems were over. Sorry! WRONG!!! There are 4 ports in total, on that system to bleed. As far as I'm aware GMC/Chevy would have the same ABS. But I could be wrong! If you look on the opposite side of the ABS unit, there's another bleed port just like the one your looking at on drivers side in video. It should have a rubber cap on it. And there's 2 more at the base of the ABS facing the firewall. Pain to get to and if you don't look real hard...you won't see them. I bleed them all and it looks like my ABS module is hooped. Now trying to find a local ABS module rebuilder. Good luck to everyone with their brake issues.
Dude. Thank you for taking the time to make and post this video. What a help!
I have a 97 C1500, original owner. First few years, no issues but somewhere around 2000-2003ish it developed the mushy brake problem. I've been pulling trailers literally every week with this truck, boat and jetski year around... More than once I've tried bleeding them, replacing Booster, Master Cyl and wheel hub cylinders and still have mushy brakes. I've had a shop or 2 look at it and they can't figure it out. Now my brake light won't come on and I assume it's because I had to push 2-3 inches back just to engage the brakes and I know the sensor near the steering column is good because I replaced it. I will try that "Button" thing this weekend plus bleeding everything again and let you know. Thanks for posting this video...
You’re welcome. I hope it helps. People have also told me that if you have sponginess in your antilock brakes, you can get on an empty road and slam on your brakes hard enough to activate the ABS, and it will blow the bubbles out of the system. I don’t know if that is true or not.
will this work for a 99 suburban with abs
sounds exactly like my 98 1500, break peadle goes all way down slowly when at a stop, then my break
lights quit working, but 3rd light does still work (?) , so not sure it's my break switch, did I you v figure yours out?, thanks
ksmons hay did this work for you .. I am in the same boat . I have done everything you have .
Thanks, good tip, good descriptive video. I had to disconnect my ABS, all kinds of problems with them. I like driving without ABS anyway. Keep the tips coming, because I'm keeping mine forever.. . . . . . !
You’re welcome. I try to get whatever I do to this truck on video so it will help other people keep their trucks on the road. This one was pretty tricky, and I had to dig really deep on the Internet to find a solution. I have thought about routing the brake lines around the ABS module and getting rid of it altogether.
Cool worked for me too. I replaced the brake master cylinder did the whole bench bleed before I installed it. Then bleed the brakes and it was still spongy. I watched this video and then bleed that button without doing a re-bleed of the wheels and the brakes were a little tighter then I went out and slammed on my brakes to make the fluid run threw the proportioning valve and bam good as gold so this method does seem to work. At least it helped. Thanks!
You’re welcome.
This works man this saved me from spending money on a new control module.!
Glad it worked for you.
ONE MORE WORD OF CAUTION - - keep the cap snapped down on your master but remove it periodically in the process to check your reservoir has plenty of fluid in it - - if it goes dry you will suck air into the system and you have to start from square one
I have 2003 Silverado with spongy pedal. I've replaced all calipers, pads, rotors and even replaced all flex lines with the stainless steel braided ones. Still somewhat spongy. I am gonna see if my ABS controller has a bleeder like this. I hope it does! Thanks for the great little video.
I hope you figure it out. On some generation of these trucks, people say the brakes are spongy no matter what you do. That being said, there is probably a way to make it better.
Yeah, u r right. I had a '98 K1500 and it always had spongy brake pedal, with weak braking, even after numerous bleeds. Very frustrating.
I have a $500 OBD tool for my laptop called AutoEnginuity, so I loaded that up and actually figured out how to cycle the ABS in my '03 Silverado. No difference at all in brake pedal. But I did not actually bleed the brakes. On my next attempt, I will remove all wheels, then pressure bleed, cycle ABS, rinse and repeat a few times, and see what happens. Thanks again!!
99 S-10's also have this issue! Had one brand new and the dealerships replaced just about everything more than once for the brake system and it would only last a little while before it would become like a sponge again! Seems like it's a problem with the ABS distribution module that is causing the issues. Best way to get around not dying is to cut it out and run new replacement lines directly to your distribution block. This of course will delete any ABS you ever had. But will keep you alive when you have to depend on stopping! My blazer was a death trap waiting to happen!
Best car video explanation out there
New Subscriber here!! Thanks for the straight to the point explanation video! I will be doing this to my C1500 later this weekend. I've had a spongy brake for a while and got used to it. I want to be able to enjoy braking like at 2:24 👌😊👍
You’re welcome. I hope it works for you. If it still seems spongy, try doing this a few times.
How did this end up in my recommended?! I needed this, literally tomorrow morning. Awesome. I'm about to drop some coin on my old C/K 1500 (not a Silverado) for brakes, and those old mushy things needed some serious bleeding.
I hope it works for you.
@@hoohoohoblin It didn't work.
How did that work out.. As I have a ck1500 work truck..lol
@@Bingo551 Spent money on brake things ... I finally had to replace bad drum brake cylinders. I also spent coin on an ABS brake OBD-II bleeder scanner, $120 on Amz. The truck was cheap, though. To get the button-push thing to work, I ran the ABS bleed while mashing that button with a screwdriver and mashing on the brake pedal. It worked. Look at gmt400.
guy at wheel calls out pressure. guy at pedal pumps brake a few times, holds foot on pedal confirms saying pressure. guy at wheel opens bleeder. guy in cab says floor when pedal hits floor holds, close bleeder repete
For anyone wondering junk yards can swap the abs board out stupid cheap. Typically after 10 years of bumpy roads the solder points on the board break off causing the abs light on. Happened in my 1500s, trailblazer and blazers. Swapped the board with same gen board and no abs light.
I agree with all the other comments mentioned. Straight to the point. Did this today and no more spongy brake pedal.
Thanks. I’m glad this video is helping so many people. I wish they would put this kind of information in the repair manuals. I have a Haynes manual and it Chiltons manual, and both of them say bleeding the brakes needs to be done by the dealer, and they don’t tell you how to do it.
I have a 99 tahoe. I've replaced both front calipers and lines, all rear brakes, upgraded to NBS master cylinder and even used the scan tool to bleed. I've had an amazing hard pedal for about a week then it has now slowly gone back to having to push it half way before it works and mush. Same as it was before all the upgrades and old master. Cannot find a leak anywhere. This brake system is a disaster!
Kelsey Hayes. I didn't know I wanted to master gm abs systems from the 90s until I gotta branick brake bleeder and a snap on scanner with the multi-1 plug for doing the automated bleed on pre 0bD2 systems
Thanks, I've had soft brake on my c1500 for a while even after bleeding all the wheel cylinders. I'm going to try thais and hope it finally goes away!
You’re welcome
I have the KH 325 in my 2000 Jimmy and Bravada. I will look for that recessed Schrader on it and see if it works. My 93 Suburban doesnt have this kind of ABS module, it actually has bleeder valves on it.
This is my sequence of commands to the assistant cycling the brake pedal: OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, NEXT BLEEDER
Step on the brake than depress. Is more effective. let off the screw driver than release the pedal.
Although this seems clever enough, I'm not sure I fully accept it. Especially considering that many commenters describe their lack of success. But also, on the particular ABS module being shown there are two of those little capped bleed valves, not just one. The bleed valve shown is for the front brake circuit. The other one (rear) is on the same axis on the other side of the ABS module, is much more awkward to get at, and is angled slightly downward - not really conducive to removing air. So it seems that this has, at best, a 50% chance of accomplishing anything.
What if you disconnect the ABS altogether?
The best/ funniest demonstration I’ve seen, props to yall!
Thanks
I had this problem 2001 with the same setup I didn't realize you can bleed that thing and because I noticed on the old ABS that was on the 95 you could do that with the bleeder valve on the ABS thank you for this video I definitely needed it
You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.
Theres a special gm tool to hold that proportion pin from coming out. Otc #7853. When it comes out, its blocking pressure to rear brakes
That combination valve is there incase brake line leaks. That combination valve cuts pressure to rear brakes so the front brakes will still slow u down. You have air in the rear lines because the combination valve is doing its job.
Maybe you need to show this to Eric the car guy
Herock Hernandez Eric the car guy doesn’t have ABS on his truck though
backh0e that is true, adjusting my rears helped alot
What's it mean if you have pushed it alot an no fluid comes out?
What if fluid doesn't come out of the ABS module and I have bled the brakes and there's still air in the system? Bad ABS module?
omg I didnt know that bleeder was there, Thank you. I just subscribed
You’re welcome.
Fasho bro saved the day ..just got off a side job to come home to a busted line .almost crashed but now it’s fixed lol
I'm glad to see this info is getting out. I haven't seen it in any repair manuals -- shame on their authors/publishers.
Thanks. I really wanted to share this info, because I couldn’t drive my truck for a few months while I was trying to figure out how to fix it. The local brake shop had no idea how to do it.
Great job " I've been dealing with this problem a while now with a spongy pedal . Thank you for this info ...
You’re welcome. I hope it helps.
"Hey, a quarter!".....😆
good to know. i have a 99 s10 2wd with a different, but very similar abs module. ive heard you can (should) cycle the pump with a tech2 scanner, but theyre not common for DIYers, and who wants to pay the shop? another method to cycle the pump is to jam on the brakes in gravel or grass at about 10mph to activate abs a few times, and the system *should* purge the air. might have to bleed at the wheels then repeat a few times. this method seems a lot more practical.
Geez wtf, how did i not know this... this old truck im working on has great brakes again!! Someone had done mater cylinder and some brake lines in the past... I bleed the lines at the master cylinder by blocking the brake and cracking the lines, same from the master to abs and then the abs bleed port pin a few times.
Perfect!!.
I did it all by myself too. If you block the pedal you can only barely push on it for the module bleed, or you wont be able to release the pin. It only takes a little, a few times.. Ive spent hours days on these in the past trying to get the right pedal.
I’m glad I could help you get it working right. They should really put this in the aftermarket repair manuals for these trucks.
@@hoohoohoblin thanks a million. Its ridiculous i have Mitchell prodemand and never ran across this tip. may not have looked for it though but ive had a few gmcs from this era o had trouble with, usually they blew a brake line and run half the master empty.. i fix and bleed and bleed till your ears fall off. Lol.. still not great.. this was the problem all along.. hidden little bastard it is.
Thank you for your advice going to change out master cylinder this Saturday
You’re welcome.
I remember seeing this video and trying the same method for little to no actual improvement so I'm not sure what's going on with my brakes. For a decade my brakes have been not only soft and spongy, they are slow. I can slam the brakes and the pedal will travel slowly as if the lines or hoses are clogged, the harder I press the slower the pedal travels. So if some little child ran out in front of me there'd be nothing I could do to stop in time.
I have replaced brakes hose left right and rear, the master cylinder, the power booster, both front calipers, both rear wheel cylinders and over the course of a decade have bled several gallons of brake fluid through my truck. On top of trying to bleed that little valve thing I've also read it needs to be held down flush and in place to properly bleed the brakes (or maybe just to properly bleed the rear brakes) and still the brakes suck. I even became friends with a mobile mechanic who hung out at the store I work at and was able to use his scanner to run 3 automated brake bleeds, _still, no, improvement._
At this point I'm ready for my last resort, I'm gonna speak to a Chevrolet dealership shop, try to find an experienced or high ranking technician, and tell them my whole story and tell them I give up and that no matter what it takes or costs I want my brakes to be firm and responsive again, I want to be able to slam the brakes and break my nose on the steering wheel. I don't care if they need to stick my truck on a giant rotisserie to flip it upside down to get the air out of the lines, or stick it in some giant NASA vacuum chamber to suck all the air from the lines, whatever it takes to make the brakes work again.
2 years update?
I did this and nothing squirted out, made sure the peddle was mashed and then I pushed the pin in and nothing came out. It's full of fluid and the brakes semi work they just get stuck to the floor if you push them to hard and it takes a minute for them to free back up. Could it be water?
What is the little rubber piece called mine doesn’t have one I’m having one heck of a time trying to find it. Thanks in advance.
When I lift up on the emergency brake peddle with my hand the ABS light goes out until I let go of it.
Awesome, simple to follow video.
Thanks so much for this!!!
You’re welcome
Great job brother, gonna try it on my 95 Z-71...Thx...Been frustrated for 2 days...
Thanks. I hope it works.
This bleeder on the module is dripping a little fluid when I press the brake pedal down! Not dripping onto the ground or making a puddle! Crappy brakes after doing the whole process! Bad abs module?
Who else thinks he planted the quarter? 😂😂
This works great, if (and only if) there's no air trapped in the ABS unit itself.
Great video, gonna try it this afternoon.
oddly i just tried this and nothing came out at all. i could see the little plunger thing actuating while the peddle was being depressed and pushed it in but nothing came out. no hissing or any fluid of any kind. The truck has some spongy brakes and i've bled it a few times just put new pads and shoes on it aswell.
Were you able to get the fliud to drain? I am having the same problem.
I had seen your video before and I tried it but nothing came out would you happen to know why? My truck has always had spongy pedal also
Were you able to get fluid to come out? I am having the same issue.
@@ArtDaBarber619 I actually haven't tried it again ..but I did post the problem on a Chevy forum and one of the guys suggested to pump it a lot of times untill you get something he said he did it for about 2 hrs lol so definitely take your time eventually fluid should start coming out you just need a buddy to pump the pedal.. I honestly think it's air trapped in there as I've already changed out alot of parts during the years with no improvement on the pedal
There are 2 of those abs bleeders. The other one is just opposite of the one in the video.
That's what I was thinking.
My 97 only has that one.
I didnt see another one on my 96. And my brakes have alot of slack.
@@h0ot3r I just did the nbs master cylinder upgrade, makes a world of difference. Use a 2000 MY master cylinder with an adapter for the forward line.
@@jimbobjimbob8275 i might give it a try. Im doing this again and bleeding the brakes and going to see if thatll help.
Thanks! I put a new master cylinder but it was still soft.
You’re welcome
You should be so lucky that your ABS pump is under the hood. Most are under the cab , which is where mine is. I just replaced mine, so this is what I have to do tomorrow. I'll have to recruit the neighbor kid to work the brake pedal. At least my abs light is out now, so i don't have to redo the solder connections inside the ebcm.
Outstanding! Planning to change my MC and now I can burp the ABS, Very Cool!
Damn, Worked Like a CHARM!, Thank you Brother for posting, Life Saver!
You’re welcome. I’m glad it worked for you. It took me a long time to figure this out, and there isn’t much other data on it on the Internet. I took my truck to a brake shop that has been in business for 40 years, and they didn’t know how to fix it, so I had to figure it out.
I hear you Brother, I told the old owner that I fixed it and he was pissed he did not charge me more for the truck. Can't believe he was driving like that for 15 years. He even replaced the MC. I don't need to now :-)
Again Thanks Brother!
FYI: tubing needed is 1/4 inch inside diameter clear vinyl. 10 feet for less than $4 at Home Depot. The rear bleeder on my '98 Tahoe is not able to be accessed with a normal flare nut wrench or crowfoot adapter due to tight spacing between other bolts... Special semi-telescoping tool would be needed for this - 10mm size. Ended up having to take mine to the dealer to get the rears done and ABS flushed with the scan tool - different module than the one in this video.
Does this fix the abs grinding that occurs when breaking normally? I just had a break job done and the mechanic (not my mechanic) said he didn't know how to fix this issue. Said he "went over the abs" and couldn't find an issue. It's so annoying.
Quick question I bled all my brakes on the truck and got it to where no more bubbles were coming out! If I were to bleed the abs module after this would I still have to go back and bleed all 4 wheels again?? Thanks looking forward to your reply! Thanks for the video.
There is another bleeder valve on the opposite side of the abs module, is that side left alone or its only neccessary to bleed the one ?
I only did this one, and it worked. I’ve done that a couple of times. I would guess that you should do both of them to be safe.
I have a 99 GMC Sierra with the module on the bottom of the truck. I'm going to crawl under there and see if it has a bleeder also. My truck is dead in the driveway and won't bleed at the rear. There's no fluid coming out after I replaced a rusty Hardline.
I had to replace the wheel cylinder in myb99 Suburban but the ABS is still messed up. Imma have to try this
Whats the proper size for the bleeders? Ive tried a 9, 10, 7/16, and a 3/8. The 3/8 and 9 are too small, the 10 and 7/16 just slip, i had to buy a pack of two new bleeder valves already because i had to use vice grips.
Most GM bleeder screws are 10 mm.
HELP!
When I do this nothing comes out of that valve.
The valve actuates with the brake pressure but I don’t actually get any fluid moving.
Do I need a more involved process of purging the air?
Did you eventually get the fluid to drain? I am having the same problem.
@@ArtDaBarber619 I didn’t. I never did figure out what it was. Got rid of the pickup. Rockin a gmt 800 now
@@coleknight7529 I appreciate the reply.
I have replaced every part of my breaks and still couldn't get the stiff brake pedal I use to have !! I have the vacume pneumatic bleeder that helps since I'm a one-man job operation !! Going to give this a try ! Thanks !!
I hope this works for you. This was the only thing that worked to make my brakes better.
@@hoohoohoblin I have fought my breaks and steering gear box for 4 years now !! Replaced the steering gear box 3 times and keep getting junk remanufactured ones battery either too tight or too sloppy and my brakes everything brand new but have a spongy pedal so I'm going to give this a try over the weekend and hope it works if not I'm ordering a scanner that does auto bleed had enough of it. 😒
@@whodoneit1224 Well, its been a while now. Any luck on the truck brakes?
@@tinytim9453 yes ! I beat that sob ! 😆 😆. I did a master cylinder up grade I ordered a 02 master cylinder and a fitting that's you need for one break line. That's all and bleed all like usual. Breaks are superior now.
No! Thank you hoohoohoblin for this helpful tip.
You’re welcome.
For me when you get mushy brakes you replace the module on the hydraulic side.
First off, thanks for all the easy to understand info you put on here. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination. What steps do you think I should take, because this bleeding process didn't work. Thank you.
I would start over and try again. You might have to do it a couple times. You should definitely do a brake bleed first, making sure there are bubbles at any of the wheel cylinders, and then try bleeding the module again. This is really frustrating. The reason I ended up making this video is because I couldn’t find any local mechanics who were willing to work on it because it’s such a bad system.
That fixed it now its as good as new !!! Just changed the break booster
Excellent! Sorry you had to replace everything else before you figure that out, but now you have a totally new braking system.