abittenbinder
Doktor A (864-623-9110)
There have been numerous posts regarding the importance of regular 2 year brake fluid flushing intervals as part of routine maintenance.
Brake fluid slowly absorbs moisture and the long term result is a lower fluid boiling point which can cause entrained bubbles and a low/soft (or non existent!) pedal at very high brake operating temps.
Another consequence of excess fluid moisture contamination is damage to costly brake system components, in particular ABS/ESP components which are extremely expensive.
ALL '02-'06 Sprinters (with standard ABS and standard traction control, regardless of ESP option) utilize a 4-channel Bosch 5.3/5.7 ABS unit.
Because of the 'X' brake pipe circuit configuration (RFront-LRear, LFront-RRear) and standard traction control (ASR), non ESP Sprinters feature the same 12 solenoid valves as ESP equipped Sprinters in the ABS hydraulic modulator.
Each of the 2 hydraulic modulator circuits in the 'X' pipe configuration has 2 inlet valves, 2 outlet valves, a high pressure switching valve and a switchover valve, for a grand total of 12 valves. Each circuit also has a pump element and low pressure reservoir using the shared electric pump.
When flushing/bleeding the brake system using ONLYthe conventional pressure or suction methods, the 2 high pressure switching valves and the 2 switchover valves as well as the fluid return pumps and all their related hydraulic paths, ARE NOT FLUSHED OR BLED. This can cause deterioration of the expensive hydraulic modulator.
If flushed properly using the factory DRBIII (along with pressure or suction devices) these 4 valves as well as the 2 pump elements are DRBIII remotely activated and also purged of old fluid.
DIY brake fluid flushing will replace fluid at the calipers, master cylinder and 8 of the 12 internal valves in the ABS hydraulic modulator, but not the 4 valves and 2 return pumps critical to ABS, ESP and ASR operation. Doktor A
Brake fluid slowly absorbs moisture and the long term result is a lower fluid boiling point which can cause entrained bubbles and a low/soft (or non existent!) pedal at very high brake operating temps.
Another consequence of excess fluid moisture contamination is damage to costly brake system components, in particular ABS/ESP components which are extremely expensive.
ALL '02-'06 Sprinters (with standard ABS and standard traction control, regardless of ESP option) utilize a 4-channel Bosch 5.3/5.7 ABS unit.
Because of the 'X' brake pipe circuit configuration (RFront-LRear, LFront-RRear) and standard traction control (ASR), non ESP Sprinters feature the same 12 solenoid valves as ESP equipped Sprinters in the ABS hydraulic modulator.
Each of the 2 hydraulic modulator circuits in the 'X' pipe configuration has 2 inlet valves, 2 outlet valves, a high pressure switching valve and a switchover valve, for a grand total of 12 valves. Each circuit also has a pump element and low pressure reservoir using the shared electric pump.
When flushing/bleeding the brake system using ONLYthe conventional pressure or suction methods, the 2 high pressure switching valves and the 2 switchover valves as well as the fluid return pumps and all their related hydraulic paths, ARE NOT FLUSHED OR BLED. This can cause deterioration of the expensive hydraulic modulator.
If flushed properly using the factory DRBIII (along with pressure or suction devices) these 4 valves as well as the 2 pump elements are DRBIII remotely activated and also purged of old fluid.
DIY brake fluid flushing will replace fluid at the calipers, master cylinder and 8 of the 12 internal valves in the ABS hydraulic modulator, but not the 4 valves and 2 return pumps critical to ABS, ESP and ASR operation. Doktor A
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