X5 E53 Brake Bleeding Woes...

[mark74]

Hi All

New to the forum after looking in as a guest for some time.

Wonder if anyone can help us diagnose a problem on our 2003 x5 e53 3.0 sport.

We lost brake fluid at the weekend - luckily just on our way home. When we stopped to check we noticed fluid dripping from passenger rear wheel area.

On closer inspection the hose was badly corroded - long and shot we changed the hose but have no operation of rear brakes now. Clearly not enough fluid is getting through to operate rear calipers.

Ive been through all the bleeding processes, several times, working from furthest away etc etc.

We still have poor flow to both rears but the front pressure and brakes are spot on. The x5 has always had exceptional brakes so we know everything was working.

Today we bit the bullet and took the car to "one of Scotland" leading independents. We told them the issue, asked if they could electronically bleed etc etc ( i have read it on here)

After two hours they were no further forward - even though they did advise on the phone that they were well aware the X5s were a mare and they had had a few in.

Next diagnosis is a new master cylinder - neither myself or the indy are 100% sure but the quote to supply and fit and bled is £360 ( which i think is excessive)

Questions.

1. Old school - does the e53 have a brake compensator valve that may need bled? If so where is it?
2. Anyone heard of such a prognosis that it may be the master cylinder ( even though front brakes have excellent pressure and are perfect)
3. Does the price sound right or too high?

I am concerned about going ahead, however after 4 hours bleeding ourselves and two hours on a ramp ( i watched the hole process) i cant keep bleeding brakes.

Sorry if this is long winded!
Mark

[mark74]

...i should add we used the traditional two man bleeding system that has served me and my father many many years, and also the garage pressurised the fluid on a 1 man bleed to 20psi.

[Raj]

I covered this sometime ago.

Taken from my build thread:

As the fluid has drained out the system the valve has closed holding just the fluid to the fronts.


Unfortunately after quite some time of trying to bleed the brakes we had to give up as there was air trapped in the system which needed the pressure system and diagnostics laptop to be able to open the valves. So in came our very own Jason from BWChiptune to sort it:

[mark74]

Hi Raj

It has been pressure bled with the internal valves opened in the ecu to bleed with no difference at all ( this was done as part of a cycle then onto the individual pipes)

Are there any other valves outwith the ecu and the bleed at each wheel? ( its been hooked up) by an Audi /BMW specialist.

It was actually that excellent thread that prompted me to down manual tools and take it to a recommended Indy to link it up

[Raj]

[quote="mark74"]
Hi Raj

It has been pressure bled with the internal valves opened in the ecu to bleed with no difference at all ( this was done as part of a cycle then onto the individual pipes)

Are there any other valves outwith the ecu and the bleed at each wheel? ( its been hooked up) by an Audi /BMW specialist.

It was actually that excellent thread that prompted me to down manual tools and take it to a recommended Indy to link it up
[/quote]

Hmm in that case not sure buddy. Might be worth calling Jason as it still sounds like the valves haven't been cycled open as you still have pressure in the fronts.

[shadrack]

[quote="mark74"]
Hi All

New to the forum after looking in as a guest for some time.

Wonder if anyone can help us diagnose a problem on our 2003 x5 e53 3.0 sport.

We lost brake fluid at the weekend - luckily just on our way home. When we stopped to check we noticed fluid dripping from passenger rear wheel area.

On closer inspection the hose was badly corroded - long and shot we changed the hose but have no operation of rear brakes now. Clearly not enough fluid is getting through to operate rear calipers.

Ive been through all the bleeding processes, several times, working from furthest away etc etc.

We still have poor flow to both rears but the front pressure and brakes are spot on. The x5 has always had exceptional brakes so we know everything was working.

Today we bit the bullet and took the car to "one of Scotland" leading independents. We told them the issue, asked if they could electronically bleed etc etc ( i have read it on here)

After two hours they were no further forward - even though they did advise on the phone that they were well aware the X5s were a mare and they had had a few in.

Next diagnosis is a new master cylinder - neither myself or the indy are 100% sure but the quote to supply and fit and bled is £360 ( which i think is excessive)

Questions.

1. Old school - does the e53 have a brake compensator valve that may need bled? If so where is it?
2. Anyone heard of such a prognosis that it may be the master cylinder ( even though front brakes have excellent pressure and are perfect)
3. Does the price sound right or too high?

I am concerned about going ahead, however after 4 hours bleeding ourselves and two hours on a ramp ( i watched the hole process) i cant keep bleeding brakes.

Sorry if this is long winded!
Mark
[/quote]

i went through all this with mine, first indy (local) couldnt do it, the one i normally use 50 miles away did it fine, but on the master cylinder they are £60 from motor factors and maybe 1hr to fit??  i tryied all this with mine and it turned out the suposed specialist....well wasnt

[mark74]

[/quote]

i went through all this with mine, first Indy (local) couldn't do it, the one i normally use 50 miles away did it fine, but on the master cylinder they are £60 from motor factors and maybe 1hr to fit??  i tried all this with mine and it turned out the supposed specialist....well wasn't
[/quote]

Sounds very similar - we went to a new indy as they were localish and we wanted a quick turnaround, now i`ve called my normal indy and he finished my sentence when i called him about the problem.

Guess i should have went to my trusted indy, we shall see next Wednesday when it goes in..

[mark74]

Little update on this. X5 is now fixed. Brakes bled on diagnosis eventually did the job, with no new master cylinder required.

It did however stump even Scotland's best ( in my opinion) with 4 attempts to electrically bleed before it was resolved - air all the way to the DSC unit.

They had also just about given up and were contemplating a master cylinder also when Eureka!

Points to note - 1> Be careful about what constitutes a good "indy" and if at first it does not succeed, try and try again!

[jevansio]

Guys I'm having a very similar problem after loosing all fluid to the rear with a rotten brake hose. I'vetried bleeding ttheold ffashioned way and with one of those air line machines. Is the best advice just to take it to a main dealer for them to bleed. Any idea on price? I'm assuming this isn'tssomething I can fix at home now?

[storminmike]

[quote="jevansio"]
Guys I'm having a very similar problem after loosing all fluid to the rear with a rotten brake hose. I'vetried bleeding ttheold ffashioned way and with one of those air line machines. Is the best advice just to take it to a main dealer for them to bleed. Any idea on price? I'm assuming this isn'tssomething I can fix at home now?
[/quote]

Another timely reminder to all about the vunerabilty of the rear brake hoses

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/t ... 227.0.html