Allout

Can someone with a Helms manual look up the brake bleeding sequence for me. I was looking at a 2001 Honda Accord Helms manual and the bleed sequence is totally oposite of what I've always learned and understood. For the 2001 Accord, they list the sequence as:
First - Front Drivers side
Second - Front Passenger side
Third - Rear Passenger side
Fourth - Rear Drivers side.

This is 180 degrees from what I've always understood. I've always worked from the furthest out to the nearest to the master cylinder.

This would not be the first time something on these cars has been different though. Just like measuring the auto tranny fluid level. This is the first car that I've owned that you measure with the car "Turned Off".

DRM600

you work the calipers that are furthest away all the way to the closest one.

Allout

Maybe this will make the question more clear. This is out of a "Factory" 2001 Honda Accord manual. The 2001 Accord V6 is similar in design to the TL/Cl. Does anyone understand this bleed sequence? It's opposite of what I understand.

NiteQwill

I've always bled brakes farthest to closest, it's really the only way to make sure bubbles don't hang around as you move closer to the MC.

That's really weird. Can someone scan the CL Version of Helms?

DRM600

i bled my brakes the way niteqwill and i said and everything still works fine.

Allout

DRM600 - you're not telling me anything I already don't know. Do you have a CL Helms Manual?

I bled mine according to this Honda Manual and it worked fine but that's not the point.

EricL

I just looked at the Helms (2001 CL/CLS) and the bleed page is virtually identical to the Honda page you've shown. In fact the bleed sequence is identical.

The only item that isn't mentioned -- and I don't if you really care one way or another -- is in regards to the CLs with VSA, etc that have a small resevoir for the VSA.

On page 19-177 of the 2001 CL/CLS factory service manual:

VSA Fluid Replacement

1. Clean the area around the modulator unit.

2. Remove the reservoir cap (A), diaphragm plate (B), filter (C), and diaphragm (D).

3. Clean the filter.

4. Remove the brake fluid from the VSA reservoir.

Note: Do not spill brake fluid (yada-yada-yada) ....

5. Install the filter.

6. Fill the VSA reservoir with brake fluid until it reaches the upper line of the filter.

7. Install the diaphragm, diaphragm plate, and reservoir cap, then hand-tighten the bolts.

8. Operate the pump motor by driving the vehicle at 6 mph (10 km/h) or more.

9. Repeat steps 1 through 8.

10. Test-drive the vehicle at 18 mph (30 km/h) or more for a few seconds, and check that the ABS indicator and VSA system indicator do not come on.

11. Tighten the VSA reservoir cap bolts to the specified torque.

Allout

Thanks for confirming Eric. Good info on the VSA also.

typeR

where is this VSA resevoir?

EricL

Look around the front passenger side of the engine compartiment area. Six hydraulic (brake) lines are going to the unit.

OH... The resevoir has rectangular plate on the top of its "well." Two 5-mm bolts are holding it.

If someone has a scan of the Helms, page 19-98 will show the location of the "Modulator Unit" and the note on fluid exchange is only noted for the VSA models.

They also note to change the VSA fluid AFTER the brake bleeding is done.

Bottom right of 2001 CL/CLS Helms -- Page 19-99:

Tosh

Thanks EricL for the valuable info on how to replace the brake fluid in the VSA reservoir. That is the first time I have seen that. I never felt I was completing a brake fluid replacement without somehow bleeding the ABS/VSA part...

A little (very little) analysis on bleeding sequence for those of you still interested: A designer can design the plumbing of a hydraulic system any which way he desires. Imagine a reservoir with four openings (lines) toward the bottom, each line a little bit below the previous one. If during maintenance you wanted to be sure that you replaced every drop of fluid in the whole system, you would have to start by draining the uppermost line and work your way down. Otherwise there is the possibility of trapping a small amount of dirty fluid (cross-contamination) between the openings. So presumably, since Honda knows how they plumbed their lines, they also know the proper sequence for bleeding the lines. Other designers might design their system differently and would consequently need a different bleeding sequence. And it isn't dependent on how long the lines are or if there are air bubbles anywhere. So it doesn't matter what you did to your Chevy back in the day...