crucial question, do all 4 tires have to be off the ground and removed? or can I do 1 tire removed off the car at a time? by going from RR to LF to LR to RF?
Brake Fluid Flush
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Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
crucial question, do all 4 tires have to be off the ground and removed? or can I do 1 tire removed off the car at a time? by going from RR to LF to LR to RF?
Technically, none of the tires has to be off the car or even off the ground. As long as you can reach the bleeder valves.
Realistically, it's easier with the wheel off. One at a time is ok.
Be very careful around a vehicle up on a jack without jack stands. Never get under it. Especially if it is a flimsy scissor jack.
crucial question, do all 4 tires have to be off the ground and removed? or can I do 1 tire removed off the car at a time? by going from RR to LF to LR to RF?
Technically, none of the tires has to be off the car or even off the ground. As long as you can reach the bleeder valves.
Realistically, it's easier with the wheel off. One at a time is ok.
Be very careful around a vehicle up on a jack without jack stands. Never get under it. Especially if it is a flimsy scissor jack.
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
No, by now it is saturated with moisture. Toss it.
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
No, by now it is saturated with moisture. Toss it.
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
Another vote for tossing it. If you're going through the bother of flushing your brake fluid use fresh unopened fluid. Brake fluid takes on moisture, and an opened bottle is tempting fate IMO. The good news is brake fluid is pretty cheap, so get new stuff.
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
Another vote for tossing it. If you're going through the bother of flushing your brake fluid use fresh unopened fluid. Brake fluid takes on moisture, and an opened bottle is tempting fate IMO. The good news is brake fluid is pretty cheap, so get new stuff.
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
The only way for glycol brake fluid to last in usable form 1.5 years will be in an unopened "metal" container otherwise it is toasted, most of us hate to waste but in this case is just waste.
About the wheels off question, in most cases the front wheels can be bled by just turning the wheel to the max and that gives enough space to reach the bleeder, the rears is best to take the wheels off. Yes, you can do 1 wheel at a time it is best when you don't have much experience. Important stuff is that FWD and RWD cars have different bleeding sequences.
Keep asking, I wouldn't want to make a mistake with the brakes, it wouldn't be the smart thing.
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
The only way for glycol brake fluid to last in usable form 1.5 years will be in an unopened "metal" container otherwise it is toasted, most of us hate to waste but in this case is just waste.
About the wheels off question, in most cases the front wheels can be bled by just turning the wheel to the max and that gives enough space to reach the bleeder, the rears is best to take the wheels off. Yes, you can do 1 wheel at a time it is best when you don't have much experience. Important stuff is that FWD and RWD cars have different bleeding sequences.
Keep asking, I wouldn't want to make a mistake with the brakes, it wouldn't be the smart thing.
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Originally Posted By: mene
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
The only way for glycol brake fluid to last in usable form 1.5 years will be in an unopened "metal" container otherwise it is toasted, most of us hate to waste but in this case is just waste.
About the wheels off question, in most cases the front wheels can be bled by just turning the wheel to the max and that gives enough space to reach the bleeder, the rears is best to take the wheels off. Yes, you can do 1 wheel at a time it is best when you don't have much experience. Important stuff is that FWD and RWD cars have different bleeding sequences.
Keep asking, I wouldn't want to make a mistake with the brakes, it wouldn't be the smart thing.
Thank You guys so much for all the help & info, just did a full brake fluid change in all three of my cars and used about a quart of brake fluid in each, no performance difference of any sort but in the 96 civic, the fluid was dirty black...now amber with the fresh fluid. I finally understand that it is a required fluid change.
During this whole time my uncle who also maintains his own cars kept asking me why are you doing this and that I shouldn't do this as I'm wasting time & money.
Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
i keep forgetting to ask, i have so many questions in my head.
I have an open bottle of Dot 3 brake fluid from 1.5 years ago, it has been stored in the basement during that time. still good to use?
I hate wasting anything or should I just go with the safe bet and not even use any of it and throw it out?
The only way for glycol brake fluid to last in usable form 1.5 years will be in an unopened "metal" container otherwise it is toasted, most of us hate to waste but in this case is just waste.
About the wheels off question, in most cases the front wheels can be bled by just turning the wheel to the max and that gives enough space to reach the bleeder, the rears is best to take the wheels off. Yes, you can do 1 wheel at a time it is best when you don't have much experience. Important stuff is that FWD and RWD cars have different bleeding sequences.
Keep asking, I wouldn't want to make a mistake with the brakes, it wouldn't be the smart thing.
Thank You guys so much for all the help & info, just did a full brake fluid change in all three of my cars and used about a quart of brake fluid in each, no performance difference of any sort but in the 96 civic, the fluid was dirty black...now amber with the fresh fluid. I finally understand that it is a required fluid change.
During this whole time my uncle who also maintains his own cars kept asking me why are you doing this and that I shouldn't do this as I'm wasting time & money.
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I like to flush my brake system about every 2-3 years. Most folks that I know never do anything and never have any issues with stopping power. It's a good rule-of-thumb to flush the system on some regular basis.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture and the more moisture it absorbs the lower the boil temp of the fluid becomes. You would only get a braking problem when the fluid gets really hot and the water in the fluid boils releasing the oxygen in the water. It does save money in the long run with the lack of seized brake callipers and wheel cylinders.
I like to flush my brake system about every 2-3 years. Most folks that I know never do anything and never have any issues with stopping power. It's a good rule-of-thumb to flush the system on some regular basis.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture and the more moisture it absorbs the lower the boil temp of the fluid becomes. You would only get a braking problem when the fluid gets really hot and the water in the fluid boils releasing the oxygen in the water. It does save money in the long run with the lack of seized brake callipers and wheel cylinders.
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Originally Posted By: 01_celica_gt
... I finally understand that it is a required fluid change.
During this whole time my uncle who also maintains his own cars kept asking me why are you doing this and that I shouldn't do this as I'm wasting time & money.
It's documented in the maintenance schedule of all cars I've owned recently. In Germany for example a regular change is a requirement to get a roadworthy certificate (TuV). Most master cylinder reservoirs are vented to atmosphere and breath slightly whenever you press the brake pedal, so moisture gets in over time and (by design) is absorbed by the fluid.
... I finally understand that it is a required fluid change.
During this whole time my uncle who also maintains his own cars kept asking me why are you doing this and that I shouldn't do this as I'm wasting time & money.
It's documented in the maintenance schedule of all cars I've owned recently. In Germany for example a regular change is a requirement to get a roadworthy certificate (TuV). Most master cylinder reservoirs are vented to atmosphere and breath slightly whenever you press the brake pedal, so moisture gets in over time and (by design) is absorbed by the fluid.
So where do you find the capacity for your vehicle? I need to flush a few vehicles, 150 and 230k miles. Unsure of whether oreillys house brand is ok or is Amsoil is worth the cost in DOT3
Originally Posted By: JD4440
So where do you find the capacity for your vehicle? I need to flush a few vehicles, 150 and 230k miles. Unsure of whether oreillys house brand is ok or is Amsoil is worth the cost in DOT3
Typically no manufacturer publishes brake fluid capacity. I usually only need 1 quart for most cars.
House brand DOT3 is okay. Premium fluid tends to stay cleaner for a longer period of time, so I usually recommend it.
So where do you find the capacity for your vehicle? I need to flush a few vehicles, 150 and 230k miles. Unsure of whether oreillys house brand is ok or is Amsoil is worth the cost in DOT3
Typically no manufacturer publishes brake fluid capacity. I usually only need 1 quart for most cars.
House brand DOT3 is okay. Premium fluid tends to stay cleaner for a longer period of time, so I usually recommend it.
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I like to flush my brake system about every 2-3 years. Most folks that I know never do anything and never have any issues with stopping power. It's a good rule-of-thumb to flush the system on some regular basis.
LOL, I most the time just remove as much as I can from the brake fluid reservoir with a turkey baster... then put in new fluid.
However when I rotate tires or do a FULL brake job I remove it all.
However most time I just replace whats in the reservoir and Im sure thats plenty good.
I like to flush my brake system about every 2-3 years. Most folks that I know never do anything and never have any issues with stopping power. It's a good rule-of-thumb to flush the system on some regular basis.
LOL, I most the time just remove as much as I can from the brake fluid reservoir with a turkey baster... then put in new fluid.
However when I rotate tires or do a FULL brake job I remove it all.
However most time I just replace whats in the reservoir and Im sure thats plenty good.
I've always wondered what good it did to do just the reservoir. I wouldn't think it circulated much.
If you just replace reservoir with new fluid at every oil change then do full flush at the bleeder valve every few years, then it may not do much good but it didn't hurt anything either.
After you do a master cylinder drain and fill, consider engaging your ABS.
On some vehicles, brake fluid in the ABS stays stagnant and will eventually begin to corrode. Engaging ABS swaps the fluid out for fluid from elsewhere in the system.
The first time I did this, the new brake fluid in the master cylinder turned green.
So I ended up doing this procedure prior to a full flush and will engage the ABS again after the flush. I will then use my remaining fresh brake fluid and do another master cylinder drain and fill. It will be going to waste anyway.
On some vehicles, brake fluid in the ABS stays stagnant and will eventually begin to corrode. Engaging ABS swaps the fluid out for fluid from elsewhere in the system.
The first time I did this, the new brake fluid in the master cylinder turned green.
So I ended up doing this procedure prior to a full flush and will engage the ABS again after the flush. I will then use my remaining fresh brake fluid and do another master cylinder drain and fill. It will be going to waste anyway.
Originally Posted By: JD4440
So where do you find the capacity for your vehicle? I need to flush a few vehicles, 150 and 230k miles. Unsure of whether oreillys house brand is ok or is Amsoil is worth the cost in DOT3
Just use a decent brand DOT 3 approved fluid if that's what's recommended
You can find DOT 4 fluids that are also DOT 3 approved, might be the best option so you can rationalise to one brake fluid if you are doing a few different cars
As for capacity, if you can't find out the info online or from the manufacturer then you'll have to use your brain, usually systems on standard road cars hold about 1 - 1.5 litres
If possible suck the dirty fluid out of the reservoir before you start so that you are instantly flushing the lines with clean fluid (this will save you a load of fluid and give you a better end result).
It's best to buy in 500ml or 1 litre bottles as well rather than bulk buy so you can keep the fluid fresh and water free. For the workshop i used to buy a 20ltr "bag in a box" with a tap dispenser but we tested the fluid when we got halfway through the bag and the tester lit up all red saying danger, danger change fluid immediately, it hadn't even seen an engine bay!!
Silly design really, every time you open the tap and get some fluid out it lets air in, then the fluid absorbs the water from the air you just let in. Ok for oil but not for a hygroscopic brake fluid!!
So where do you find the capacity for your vehicle? I need to flush a few vehicles, 150 and 230k miles. Unsure of whether oreillys house brand is ok or is Amsoil is worth the cost in DOT3
Just use a decent brand DOT 3 approved fluid if that's what's recommended
You can find DOT 4 fluids that are also DOT 3 approved, might be the best option so you can rationalise to one brake fluid if you are doing a few different cars
As for capacity, if you can't find out the info online or from the manufacturer then you'll have to use your brain, usually systems on standard road cars hold about 1 - 1.5 litres
If possible suck the dirty fluid out of the reservoir before you start so that you are instantly flushing the lines with clean fluid (this will save you a load of fluid and give you a better end result).
It's best to buy in 500ml or 1 litre bottles as well rather than bulk buy so you can keep the fluid fresh and water free. For the workshop i used to buy a 20ltr "bag in a box" with a tap dispenser but we tested the fluid when we got halfway through the bag and the tester lit up all red saying danger, danger change fluid immediately, it hadn't even seen an engine bay!!
Silly design really, every time you open the tap and get some fluid out it lets air in, then the fluid absorbs the water from the air you just let in. Ok for oil but not for a hygroscopic brake fluid!!
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