How-To: Bleed brakes with ForScan

[Jabbit]

Did this tonight, screenshots below. I pulled my front brakes and added a Whoosh kit with stainless lines. I did this procedure 3x per side in the back, 2x per bleeder in the front (8x total) and went through 2.5 bottles of RBF600. Pretty self explanatory below. Let me know if you have any questions. Most important step is once you click "OK" after opening the bleeder, be ready with your brake fluid to keep the reservoir topped off.

Cable I use - https://a.co/d/ac3bwT9

ForScan - https://forscan.org/download.html (I paid $50 for a lifetime license but I don't see it anymore.

 

[Fiestig]

I have yet to use ForScan for bleeding. Including the most recent addition yesterday below. With 0 issues without ForScan, I am still am not understanding why it is necessary to do so. I do use a vacuum bleeder so I am not sure if that is why I have no issues not using forscan.

 

[koozy]

For normal bleed jobs its not necessary. Forscan is necessary to bleed the ABS by activating it, the other tool is Ford’s. Several members botched their ABS and needed a tool like Forscan to resolve it. The usual bleed method doesn’t activate it to bleed and clear it out.

 

[Jabbit]

I wouldn't say it's totally necessary but I had the tools already, just another option for people.

 

[dhminer]

Thanks for posting this. Big help

 

[Fiestig]

For normal bleed jobs its not necessary. Forscan is necessary to bleed the ABS by activating it, the other tool is Ford’s. Several members botched their ABS and needed a tool like Forscan to resolve it. The usual bleed method doesn’t activate it to bleed and clear it out.

Ahh, makes sense. Gives me another good reason to use my ForScan...lol

 

[Bpjr07]

Thanks OP! Did a brake change and botched my abs module, brakes like like my minivan! Just purchased the cable. Will get the program once it arrives.
This a 2 person job? One to click away other to open and refill the resevoir?

Did you connect a pressure bleeder as asked?

 

[Jabbit]

Thanks OP! Did a brake change and botched my abs module, brakes like like my minivan! Just purchased the cable. Will get the program once it arrives.
This a 2 person job? One to click away other to open and refill the resevoir?

Did you connect a pressure bleeder as asked?

In an ideal world, yes you'd have two people. I didn't use a pressure bleeder or anything else. I opened the reservoir, filled it to the absolute brim, click the button, then walk over and fill the fluid as it pumps in.

 

[Bpjr07]

In an ideal world, yes you'd have two people. I didn't use a pressure bleeder or anything else. I opened the reservoir, filled it to the absolute brim, click the button, then walk over and fill the fluid as it pumps in.

I dowloaded forscan (free) i found the abs bleed but only told me to hold the brakes as it "cycled" did not show me anything about bleeding the brakes,
Will try to purchase, but i dont see the lifetime purchase.

 

[Jabbit]

I dowloaded forscan (free) i found the abs bleed but only told me to hold the brakes as it "cycled" did not show me anything about bleeding the brakes,
Will try to purchase, but i dont see the lifetime purchase.

Make sure you pick "caliper" on the screen that asks you to pick which part you replaced. There was a lifetime option when I bought mine but maybe that went away, haven't checked.

 

[Bpjr07]

Make sure you pick "caliper" on the screen that asks you to pick which part you replaced. There was a lifetime option when I bought mine but maybe that went away, haven't checked.

Do not see any caliper instructions.. just have a "abs valve bleed". Just a few exercises of pressing and depressing the brake pedal while i hear the abs pumping.. (does not tell me to or specify to open any bleeder screws, not sure if its just cycling within the system?)

Tried it a couple of times and also tried it with a bleeder screw open.

Ended up using a motive pressure bleeder, had trouble even getting any fluid to come out of the rear calipers at 15psi very very slow to get 1/4 quart (15min) . Did1.5 quarts of dot 4. Car feel like its at 80% of braking original power. Still spongy.
Might have to bench bleed the master when i get a chance.

 

[Jabbit]

Do not see any caliper instructions.. just have a "abs valve bleed". Just a few exercises of pressing and depressing the brake pedal while i hear the abs pumping.. (does not tell me to or specify to open any bleeder screws, not sure if its just cycling within the system?)

Tried it a couple of times and also tried it with a bleeder screw open.

Ended up using a motive pressure bleeder, had trouble even getting any fluid to come out of the rear calipers at 15psi very very slow to get 1/4 quart (15min) . Did1.5 quarts of dot 4. Car feel like its at 80% of braking original power. Still spongy.
Might have to bench bleed the master when i get a chance.

What version do you have? What license?

 

[Bpjr07]

V2 3.49.

Got the 2 month licence, was told its the same as the 2 year, there is no lifetime license anymore.

 

[MauiRoads]

Do not see any caliper instructions.. just have a "abs valve bleed". Just a few exercises of pressing and depressing the brake pedal while i hear the abs pumping.. (does not tell me to or specify to open any bleeder screws, not sure if its just cycling within the system?)

Tried it a couple of times and also tried it with a bleeder screw open.

Ended up using a motive pressure bleeder, had trouble even getting any fluid to come out of the rear calipers at 15psi very very slow to get 1/4 quart (15min) . Did1.5 quarts of dot 4. Car feel like its at 80% of braking original power. Still spongy.
Might have to bench bleed the master when i get a chance.

Bpjr07: did you ever get your brakes sorted out? Were you able track down why your ABS service bleed procedure was different from Jabbit's?
I saw discussion with TyphoonFist on the Forscan Forum about some US cars not having or allowing the individual component bleed, and Forscan fixed it, but I couldn't get a final answer.

I see that Jabbit's ST is a 2019. What year is yours? Maybe that makes a difference in what procedures have been programmed. Also, maybe you need the extended license ($12 per year) and the cable Jabbits provided the link to above. That's the one Forscan recommends. For a total of $70, I might order the cable and get the extended license, even if it only does the basic ABS bleed and not the individual components.

Thanks.

 

[NOVA_Ranger]

For routine flushing of brake fluid, can you just have one guy pump the brake while another keeps it topped off? I'm assuming this will work, and that is what I planned to do this weekend.

 

[Jabbit]

Bpjr07: did you ever get your brakes sorted out? Were you able track down why your ABS service bleed procedure was different from Jabbit's?
I saw discussion with TyphoonFist on the Forscan Forum about some US cars not having or allowing the individual component bleed, and Forscan fixed it, but I couldn't get a final answer.

I see that Jabbit's ST is a 2019. What year is yours? Maybe that makes a difference in what procedures have been programmed. Also, maybe you need the extended license ($12 per year) and the cable Jabbits provided the link to above. That's the one Forscan recommends. For a total of $70, I might order the cable and get the extended license, even if it only does the basic ABS bleed and not the individual components.

Thanks.

I've done it on two different 2014 models fyi, never did it on any other year. It shouldn't matter.

 

[MauiRoads]

Thanks for the quick reply, Jabbit. If selection of individual components is programmed into the 2014s, I would think it will be there for later models. I'm going to pull out all the stops and throw down the $12 for the extended license That combined with the Forscan-recommended cable will hopefully do it. I can't imagine the rabbit holes I'll be going down with the other Scantool functions. Like: can you disable torque vectoring...which remains on even when you switch off ESC?

 

[Ford ST]

Thanks for the quick reply, Jabbit. If selection of individual components is programmed into the 2014s, I would think it will be there for later models. I'm going to pull out all the stops and throw down the $12 for the extended license That combined with the Forscan-recommended cable will hopefully do it. I can't imagine the rabbit holes I'll be going down with the other Scantool functions. Like: can you disable torque vectoring...which remains on even when you switch off ESC?

No you cannot turn it off.

 

[Ford ST]

For routine flushing of brake fluid, can you just have one guy pump the brake while another keeps it topped off? I'm assuming this will work, and that is what I planned to do this weekend.

Sure but I would get a pressure bleeder. Makes everything so much easier.

 

[MauiRoads]

No you cannot turn it off.

Thanks Ford ST. I was afraid of that. Ford offered a B-Spec ABS module, but it was only for early cars and is NLA. Used ones are impossible to find, and I've read that they don't work with the 16-19 cars, and it's not clear that they can be adapted. I haven't seen any other solutions...except to pull the ABS fuse.