E85 ABS Pump removal - capping the pipes?

enzed4

Veteran
 New Zealand
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have the unholy trinity of ABS/TC/Brake dash lights, and the 5DF0 / 5DF1 error codes.
Best advice so far seems to be remove the pump and control unit attached to the side of it, and send them away for inspection/repair. I've found a local place that does this so I'm preparing to remove the ABS pump and control unit - there's quite a good step by step on the instructables website I can follow.
The only thing I haven't seen is anything about capping the hydraulic pipes when the pumps removed. I don't want the fluid to drain out if possible, even though I'll do a bleed/replace of the hydraulic fluid when the pump comes back.
Is there anything that can be used to cap the exposed ends of the pipes to prevent any contamination getting into the system while the pump's removed?
 
Actually, I may have found the answer:
actuate brake pedal (>60mm) and secure using a pedal pusher. This closes the central valves in the TMC and prevents fluid running out of the open system.
I guess if this is done then the hydraulic fluid will not leak out (obviously still put plenty of material around the area to catch anything that might leak).
But it doesn't answer the question of posible contamination of the pipes while waiting for the pump to be reinstalled.
Probably not too much of a risk if the car is stored in the garage out of the weather so maybe just leave the pipes 'uncapped'
 
I'd use the fingers from nitrile gloves, pop over the pipe end and secure with an elastic band or cable tie.

Before you send it off, can you not have a go at repairing it yourself? Someone posted on here yesterday that it was the pump brushes that had seized, and he managed to open it up and fix it himself.

If mine goes, I'll be doing it myself.

As an aside, I wonder if the fact that the ABS rarely kicks in on our cars, is what causes the issue? Might be good preventative maintenance to occasionally invoke the ABS on a wet road for instance, to prevent the brushes sticking??

Mike
 
Ducklakeview said:
I'd use the fingers from nitrile gloves, pop over the pipe end and secure with an elastic band or cable tie.

Before you send it off, can you not have a go at repairing it yourself? Someone posted on here yesterday that it was the pump brushes that had seized, and he managed to open it up and fix it himself.

If mine goes, I'll be doing it myself.

As an aside, I wonder if the fact that the ABS rarely kicks in on our cars, is what causes the issue? Might be good preventative maintenance to occasionally invoke the ABS on a wet road for instance, to prevent the brushes sticking??

Mike
Mike, probably a good point about using the ABS (use it or lose it...).
I'd be happy to have a look at it, except for 2 things:
1. To remove the pump cover, you have to cut/grind off tabs that hold the cover to the body of the pump. These pumps are not designed to be repaired by the look of it. What would cause me problems is securely reattaching the cover after working on it as the tabs are gone. There is one position that a bolt can be put in but the other side can't be secured that way. It can be done with the right tools and skills, which I don't have.
2. the 5DF0/5DF1 error codes sometimes indicate a fault with the control module, rather than the pump. I'd rather send it to the company that can fix the module first, so it either comes back fixed, or at least they should have narrowed it down to the pump. If it's the pump I might have to try and find a used unit, remove the module, attach the original module to it and refit it.
 
You can get bleed nipple caps off eBay for a couple of pounds,these should be a snug fit on the pipe ends.
 
maxman said:
You can get bleed nipple caps off eBay for a couple of pounds,these should be a snug fit on the pipe ends.
Hadn't thought of that - thanks.
But I have nitrite gloves and cable ties already, so pretty much no cost or effort using that method instead of the bleed nipples caps :thumbsup:
 
Back
Top Bottom