Nothing lasts forever, including the rubber parts inside calipers and wheel cylinders. I have seen old brake parts where the the fluid turned to granules. That may have taken 20 years in a junkyard with the system open. If not every time, calipers should be rebuilt every few pad changes. You lose a bunch of brake fluid each time. Even more if you first replace what has set in the master cylinder exposed to the air for a while. Over the course of the years, the brake fluid would eventually be completely changed. I seriously doubt there is any good reason to mess with it or bleeding between rebuilds. The owners manual for my 02 Cavalier says nothing about it. I also strongly recommend choosing a brake fluid brand and sticking with it.
Can I change my brake fluid using the "turkey baster" method?
- Thread starter SteveD2
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The ABS actuator on my car lists for $1700 and is available with a discount for $1200.
Personally, I feel an annual brake fluid flush is darn cheap insurance.
Water and salt are absorbed through the brake hoses and the seals in the calipers and cylinders.
Absorbtion rates 1
Absorbtion Rates 2
There are test strips and machines available to check if you have too much water, but considering how easy it is to just do the flush, I'll stay with that route.
As water is absorbed into the fluid, it loses its protective properties, which is WHY you see problems with cylinders and calipers. I've never had to replace a cylinder or caliper in a car for fluid related problems, such as seal failure or internal corrosion of calipers or wheel cylinders or had to replace a master cylinder on a car that got annual brake fluid changes...
Personally, I feel an annual brake fluid flush is darn cheap insurance.
Water and salt are absorbed through the brake hoses and the seals in the calipers and cylinders.
Absorbtion rates 1
Absorbtion Rates 2
There are test strips and machines available to check if you have too much water, but considering how easy it is to just do the flush, I'll stay with that route.
As water is absorbed into the fluid, it loses its protective properties, which is WHY you see problems with cylinders and calipers. I've never had to replace a cylinder or caliper in a car for fluid related problems, such as seal failure or internal corrosion of calipers or wheel cylinders or had to replace a master cylinder on a car that got annual brake fluid changes...
Kestas
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Even when I was a young kid I didn't feel right about neglecting the brake fluid. After all, it's corrosion of the metal and not wear of the seals that typically forced a caliper rebuild. Before the internet I used to change the fluid every brake change or every 4 years, whichever came first.
Gary Allen, first I want to say that even though I personally change the oil and filter every 3k and the air and fuel filter and ATF every 12k, I have never changed the brake fluid in any of my cars. One reason is I did't have the equipment to do it and it is a two man job. That is a bad excuse because every thing you read says to change the brake fluid every one or two years. Several reasons- brake fluid is hydroscopic. It also gets contaminated with dirt. When new, most fluid looks like honey. After a couple years usage it is dirty black, like used oil. Here's an eye opener. Get the proverbial Turkey Baster and a quart of new brake fluid from WalMart or Kmart. Open the reservoir and draw out the old fluid and look inside the reservoir. You will see the residue of the contaminants I am talking about. Take a shop rag and wipe out the residue and fill with the fresh fluid. Be careful to not pour the new fluid directly into the drain hole in the bottom of the reservoir. You don't want to get any air bubbles trapped there. You have now done what the title suggests- a turkey baster method. The problem is it doesn't flush out the lines, the hoses, and the rest of the brake system such as the calipers. I now have a new one man brake bleeder and am learning how to use it. It is not easy.
Kestas
Staff member
Lately, I've been using a rather easy one-man bleeding system. I just crack open a bleeder screw maybe 1/16 of a turn and pump away. There's considerably more forward movement of the fluid than backward. I get a decent flush.
The only caveat (as someone from this site pointed out) is that there's a slight chance of sucking air past the threads. But as I think about it, the same principle of forward movement applies with the threads also, so the chance of introducing air is rather slim.
I've always gotten a firm pedal after using this method.
The only caveat (as someone from this site pointed out) is that there's a slight chance of sucking air past the threads. But as I think about it, the same principle of forward movement applies with the threads also, so the chance of introducing air is rather slim.
I've always gotten a firm pedal after using this method.
If you are going to do it that way, and I don't really suggest you do, at least hook a hose to the bleeder and run it into a jar with some brake fluid in it. That will prevent air from getting sucked in.
Better, is a one man bleeder like Jim mentions. They are not too good at bleeding, but they work great for flushing.
Has anyone used Speed Bleeders?
http://www.speedbleeder.com/
I haven't used them but keep hearing good things about them.
http://www.speedbleeder.com/
I haven't used them but keep hearing good things about them.
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Excellent point! I've been fortunate enough not to own a vehicle equipt with ABS (yes, that may sound funny to some)...but I agree that IF changing brake fluid is going to aid in the extension of this devices life, given the replacemt cost, this is a worthwhile practice.
Pehaps this practice came about because of the widespread use of ABS.
I tried 'em once. They leaked.
Recently put a set on my 88 Saab 9000T. Had checked them out, and needed to replace rear brake caliper, so ordered a set. Replaced caliper. Last weekend weather was decent so replaced the bleeders and flushed.
No leaks so far, makes fluid change much easier (and even easier next time). And, don't need to get grumbling wife or kid to sit in car and pump.
No leaks so far, makes fluid change much easier (and even easier next time). And, don't need to get grumbling wife or kid to sit in car and pump.
The first time I had my son help me bleed brakes he was three or four years old. He was short enough that he sat on the floor in front of the drivers seat and used both feet on the brake.
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