Could do with changing my brake fluid. Is the brake system easy enough to bleed with a pressure type bleeder (Gunsons), bleeding at each caliper or is electronic trickery required to activate the abs while doing so? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

This is something I found easier but had to make the device first, there are devices out there but I tend to make my own special tools.
Vacuum is the best way as was the method used at the factory, so I adopted this method.
Firstly I connected a large glass jar to a vacuum pump which has the suction pipe 5mm from the base of the jar so you can see air bubbles, suck out the master cylinder of old fluid then top up, remove the furthest bleed nipple eg off side rear and carefully put grease on the threads of the nipple which stops air from travelling up the threads then slowly draw off the old fluid with the vacuum device but maintaining new fluid levels at the master cylinder.
I had copious amounts of new fluid so I drew quite a bit from each caliper. Ending the last off side front.
This way the whole brake system has been flushed through with new fluid.
Yes there are easy bleed devices out there but care must be taken with brake fluid as it’s an excellent paint stripper and you don’t really want air in the system as vacuum system is the best way to eliminate this.

Sorry should have added this, suitably sized pipe to fit the bleed nipple without air being introduced.
Obtainable from Halfords or euro car parts.

Have a vacuum bleeder but never got on with it, always found it put more air into the system than it took out! so bought the gunson pressure model. Used it on my simple classic mini, no servo or abs so dead easy. Just wondering if the abs system needs to be operating to bleed the Freelander properly? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Well, to add my experience to the thread..

bought a sealey pressure bleeder, this exact one https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/563720632...ing-system

And followed the instructions correctly, but even at the max psi they recommend NO brake fluid at all came from the bleeder ports..

Bleeders bled fine with the old fashioned two person method, but for some reason the pressure bleeder didnt work on my freelander 2

works fine on my girlfriends golf and my old Bmw, great piece of kit.
Strange one..

Hi chaps this where I always if at all possible copy what the factory does where bleeding the brake or clutch systems, again with the freelander the factory plus main dealer workshops do the vacuum method as some complex abs brake systems have valves or restricted galleries where pressure systems don’t actually work, again we all know about brake fluid and paintwork damage if a pressure device decides to remove itself while you have your head under the vehicle, where actually you don’t really know what air pressure has been created, also the reservoir could detach itself in extreme cases or even split open.

The two person method does work but think of this, when your driving the car and operating the brakes the master cylinder pushrod isn’t always pushed fully in under normal braking conditions so the rod and seal are only using the same part of the pushrod, when your bleeding the brakes manually the pushrod is then being moved it’s full length, so if the master cylinder seal isn’t brilliant without close inspection possibly this seal could fail allowing a fluid leak into the pedal area, this has happened before mainly though on motorcycles, we used to carefully squeeze the lever only slightly so as to not allow full travel.
I do remember long ago a Mercedes owner complained of a musty oily aroma in his car, we knew it was brake fluid and eventually a leaking seal on a brake master cylinder was the culprit, that was the good old days where we used the two person method to bleed brakes.

Yep totally get the issue of moving the master cylinder push rod too far. Never had a problem personally doing this. I wonder if engine running would allow pressure bleeding? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Ive used pressure bleeders in the past - fine until you get a leak on the master cylinder cap and then brake fluid everywhere.

Nowadays I use a length of silicone tubing on the bleed nipple. Its blocked off at one end with a bolt which also acts a weight to keep the tubing inside a jar containing brake fluid. I made a 1cm longitudinal slit with a Stanley knife near the bolt . I then open the nipple and pump the brakes, the slit opens when pressurised and closes when I release the pedal. The slit is below the brake fluid level in the jar so air cannot be entrained even if the slit doesnt seal 100%. Just works and cost nowt. Not as quick as a pressure bleeder but less to go wrong.

You do need a computer to operate the ABS valves to purge the ABS block but so far Ive not needed to do this and AFAIK its only mandatory if you've got air into the ABS block somehow. Jules

Last edited by jules on 21st May 2023 11:26 pm. Edited 1 time in total

All 3 ways will work fine, however be aware that the pedal pump method wears the seals on the master cylinder.

I use my pressure bleeder running at 20 PSI, which worked fine on my Freelander 2. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.

jules wrote:

You do need a computer to operate the ABS valves to purge the ABS block but so far Ive not needed to do this and AFAIK its only mandatory if you've got air into the ABS block somehow.

Nodge68 wrote:

All 3 ways will work fine, however be aware that the pedal pump method wears the seals on the master cylinder.

Sort of, old skool knowledge. The normal daily range of motion on the master cylinder piston can leave a ring of buildup on the cylinder at the end of normal travel... if you come along every 3-5 years and push it past that point it can damage the seal.

But modern seal materials are less prone to that I believe.

Also if you change your fluid regularly using full strokes, the buildup probably won't occur. I actually open a bleed valve and push the brake pedal to the floor once a year for that reason.

I still have original master cylinders in my 2004 Acura and 2008 LR2. I bleed them the old fashioned way because affordable bleeder kit is hit and miss in my experience. Not going to spring for professional gear. The manual technique used to be a bit frustrating when I had to rely on my wife to press the pedal, but my teenager now does a much better job

Easier if you do it when you rotate the tires, so the wheels are off. Also helpful to suckout as much old fluid from the res as you can and replace with fresh before starting the job... makes the first line go much faster.

FREEL2 Readers,

I use a pressurized bleeder on my master cylinder for all of my vehicles and I just change the fluid every 2 or 3 years.


Top Tip: for later FREEL2 owners with the electric parking brake. This brake is also an emergency brake and it will use the ABS pump to actuate the brakes so that is what I do for the 2010 S80. Traveling 30 MPH I shift to neutral and then pull on the handle and the ABS actuator isolates and activates the brakes. I don't have this feature on my LR2 but I expect that it works the same as the Volvo.

Take care

Paul

A tip I gained after beggering up the servo on my X type, through over extending the brake pedal whilst bleeding the brakes manually, is to place a block of wood or a brick under the brake pedal whilst bleeding.

thats a good idea.  Jules