Bleed brakr accumulator pump after replacement?

JT15601

Registered User
I had to replace the accumulator pump motor because mine went out and I have it all back together but it just won't pump any fluid. It runs and sounds fine but no brake fluid is moving through the pump and into the accumulator ball. I took the ball off to try and let it bleed itself out and it still won't move any fluid. I did make sure the little key is in place so the end of the motor meshes with the pump and I also tried using an air compressor to pressurize the brake fluid reservoir and that didn't work either. I'm stumped
 
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There is an oddball method in bleeding these Tevis brake systems. The Haynes manual gad it in there step by step, the manual from Ford will definitely have it. I'll search the forums and see if anyone documented this
 
i swear later copies of the Haynes manual left things out, the one I just bought vs the one I HAD and probably sold with the car was from 2002. it seems to have things missing in the latest one I bought off Amazon.



This is from TbirdSCfan, I did some searching.


For the front brakes, presuming you know how to bleed the calipers such that no air reenters the caliper, then its just the usual:

setup: loosen bleed valve ever so slightly, reclose finger tight, hook up clear tubing (to see the air bubbles) to the bleed valve and the other end submerged into a tin can with about 3/4" of brake fluid.

1. have assistant (kids are good for this) hold down pedal,
2. open valve enough for fluid to flow out (not too much)
3. bleed for a few seconds
4. close valve
5. release pedal
6. repeat steps 1-5 until you have bled around 1/2 cup and no more air is seen going out of the valve into the tubing. Be sure to refill the reservoir occasionally.

Now the rear brakes are different; with those, you have to turn the key on to the run position (to keep the pump running to charge the accumulator).. and you don't need anyone to press the pedal, although I suppose they could to help.
 
I'm not trying to bleed the brakes. I still have brakes. I'm trying to bleed the accumulator pump so that i have boosted brakes. Basically the brake booster motor won't pump high pressure brake fluid
 
Basically the brake booster motor won't pump high pressure brake fluid

Did you gently depress the brake pedal with the key on and sufficient fluid in the reservoir w/the accum. removed or did you just go key on?

Seems odd if all you did was simply replace the accum. ball. Why was it replaced?
 
I hate to tell you this ...

I was at the same point as you a month ago. The pump ran and ran and no fluid moved at all. I tried everything under the sun to get the thing to pump. Bleeding just the MC. Pressure bleeding. NOTHING.

I thought maybe I let the pump sit open too long while I was messing with getting everything put back together (several weeks). What I ended up doing was replacing the pump with a good used one and putting my stock pump on the shelf to figure out when work quiets down.

The sad part is, my stock pump that wouldn't pump looks 10x better and fresher than the used one that does pump. I had to clear some bad looking fluid out of the used one. So I am wondering if there was really anything wrong with my pump, or whether it's just a mega air bubble that I couldn't clear.

My advice would be, don't bother trying any other bleeding methods right now. Pull the unit out. Try opening up the pump and flooding it with clean brake fluid. Maybe turn it upside down, every which way. See if that will get it primed. If that doesn't do it ... uh, try another pump.

If I figure this out in the meantime, I will tell you!
 
The sad part is, my stock pump that wouldn't pump looks 10x better and fresher than the used one that does pump. I had to clear some bad looking fluid out of the used one. So I am wondering if there was really anything wrong with my pump, or whether it's just a mega air bubble that I couldn't clear.

My advice would be, don't bother trying any other bleeding methods right now. Pull the unit out. Try opening up the pump and flooding it with clean brake fluid. Maybe turn it upside down, every which way. See if that will get it primed. If that doesn't do it ... uh, try another pump.

When I ran across a similar problem last year with my red car, I pumped the pedal with the key on (that is the pump running) and opened the rear brake bleed valve. As I recall, 3-4 good pushes almost to the floor seemed to get it kick started. I think it may be a matter of getting it primed. Like with an oil pump, it probably involves getting some amount of fluid in there while its being reassembled.

Just an idea. Of course, be sure the "tang with the 2 points" which fits between the motor shaft and the pump drive is present and accounted for.. :)
 
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