So I got all the stuff to do the brakes for a 2001 Sunfire with the 2.2l 4speed automatic:
Brembo Rotors & Drums
Axxis Ultimate Pads for the front
Ceramic Pads for the rear
Power Bleeder + Brake Tools

So I want to as completely as possible flush all the old brake fluid out. I plan on using the power bleeder and then bleeding at each wheel from furthest to closest, but when looking through the Chilton it also has a procedure for bleeding the ABS module using the power bleeder and then doing each wheel. Should I bleed the ABS module first to get more old fluid out, or is this a procedure only necessary if you have gotten air in the ABS somehow?
Thanks.

It's only necessary if you got air in there. If you flush from the calipers/cylinders it will also flush the abs unit. If you get air in the abs unit though, it will get stuck there. That's why the bleeders are there.

That's what I figured. Thanks!

I got the brakes flushed and there was nothing to it. I highly suggest using a Motive Power Brake Bleeder. It made the job super easy and easy to do with only one person. I used Valvoline SynPower Brake fluid which probably isn't near as good as ATE Super Blue I plan to use in my Jetta, but it is half as expensive. I used nearly two quarts, but I flushed a ton more through than I needed to. Especially on the first wheel. I would buy at least two though, so you don't have to worry about having enough. Also, having the real GM adapter for the Motive would have been much easier than using the universal thing with the chains and wingnuts. URL=http://www.motiveproducts.com/]http://www.motiveproducts.com/[/URL]

Craig Lee wrote:So I got all the stuff to do the brakes for a 2001 Sunfire with the 2.2l 4speed automatic:
Brembo Rotors & Drums
Axxis Ultimate Pads for the front
Ceramic Pads for the rear

I'm running that setup and I like it a lot. The synpower is actually almost as good as the ATE. I haven't been able to boil it yet. Lots of local autocrossers run it here.

Yeah, I haven't been able to drive with the new fluid yet, unfortunately. I went to flush the Power Steering pump and while trying to get the return hose clamp off the resivoir, I broke the plastic nipple. That car is going to be stranded up on jackstands for more than a week, because I am going out of town tonight. Anyone got a resivoir sitting around?

i was going for that $5 single-man brake bleeder tool from autozone, but there's a better one: speedbleeders.

any1 here had 1st-hand experience w/ these? cause sometimes u don't have a buddy around to push on the brake pedal...

Well I got the power steering pump fixed and took the car into the shop to have the safety inspection redone. I just got a call. They said the pads on the front are on backwards. Is this possible? It is a reputable shop and I guess they may be right, but I don't remember that even being possible. There was a clip and the brake wear sensor on the outside. Anyone?

Ahh, they had made a mistake. They meant the rear. Whoops.

Yeah.. It's possible to put the front on backward. But you got it right, clip to the outside.

The back can be backward too. But if they took it appart far enough to tell, it's only a quick fix to get it right.

Probably a good thing you have to have it inspected. Where do you live anyway?

Virginia. I am in a DC suburb, the whole state has inspection though, and apparently they are pretty thorough. I was able to fix both sides in under an hour including getting all the stuff out to the car and jacking it up and all. It is back in this morning for the thrid time to complete this inspection. I didn't notice the difference in the shoes before. The metal parts are identical on the primary and secondary, just the material is longer on the primary. Somehow I even got both sides backwards, not just one.
The power steering pump is holding up, but it is rigged right now. I had to cut off the plastic piece so it comes directly out of the resivoir instead of doing a 90. The I got a rubber 90 and a barbed 3/8" copper (or brass) coupler and used three hose clamps to reconnect the return hose to the resivoir. It isn't a great fix, but it was cheap and should last long enough to get the inspection, move into our new place (with 2 car garage) and get the correct parts at my leisure.