Brake fluid flush, is this something that should be done ?

[Scali62]

A friend of mine mentioned the brake fluid should be flushed & changed every 5 years or 50k miles or so, is this true ? His opinion is contamination or moisture gets in there & could create problems. Whats the line of thinking on this one

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Steve S]

yes on the flush but every 2 years.

 

[3 Mad Ponchos]

Yea even brake fluid gets nasty after a while.

Man I have pulled some brake fluid so gross I thought I hooked up to the wrong line & was pumping used oil.

Cheers, 3MP

 

[Pablo]

On a new purchase every 2 years might be a bit of an overkill - 5 years - 50K is probably OK...I go about 4 on new and with a used purchase right away then every 2 years or so.

I mean how many people with cars 4-5 years old have actually FLUSHED the brake fluid...?

 

[Kestas]

AT LEAST every 5 yrs/50k. Every two years is recommended. American manufacturers don't address this preventive maintenance. German manufacturers have it in their service schedule.

 

[ALS]

My owners manual says every 20K brakes should be flushed. I do them every two years or 30K. 285K miles with original master cylinder and calipers with no rebuilds or problems.

 

[cousincletus]

I do it every year, but I know that's probably extreme overkill. You'll do a brake job every few years or so. This is when you should do it.

 

[Scali62]

thanks for the input, I doubt my truck's brake fluid was ever flushed going on 70k now, well @ least I know it's got to be done, something i wasnt aware of.. Alan

 

[Steve S]

during the bleeding DO NOT PUSH THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR IF YOU ARE DOING THE BLEEDING WITHOUT A POWER BLEEDER all the crud in the master cylinder will cause a rapid failure as the seal runs into the crud at the end of the stroke ,sometimes a 2by 4 piece of wood under the brake pedal helps as a safty.

 

[DavoNF]

What is the easiest way of doing this (replacing the entire fluid), as a one-man operation at home?

Thanks
Dave

[ September 05, 2003, 05:16 AM: Message edited by: DavoNF ]

 

[Rick]

I actualy have speed bleeders. They replace the factory ones. They have a ball and spring in it so when the bleeder is open nothing comes out. You just push the pedal and the fluid comes out, once you have released the pedal the bleeder closes on it one.

 

[Bogatyr]

The easiest way I've found is by using a pressure bleeder. The one I use now is made my Motive Products. The whole setup shouldn't cost more than $60 and, IMO, is much better than a MityVac as you don't have to keep running back to the MC to check the fluid level if you put enough into the bleeder's reservoir.
Bogatyr

Oh, and I try to do this every two years...sometimes it slips to three...that's ok. My newest vehicle is a 2001 and it's calling to me now for a brake fluid change...

[ September 05, 2003, 08:22 AM: Message edited by: Bogatyr ]

 

[DavoNF]

Thanks guys, this is one job that I seem to overlook.

 

[frank2009]

i too use speed bleeders; easy to use and not expensive to buy. on my '97 dodge neon the whole process takes less than a half hour. oh FWIW i flush the system every year also. yeah i know it's overkill.

 

[SHOZ]

Get some ~4' of 1/4" ID clear tubing. Put this in a bowl with the end submerged in fluid. Then open the bleeder valve a 1/3-1/2 turn. Start the car, let it idle and pump the old fluid out. Be sure to keep the master cylinder topped off.

You should find out if you car has a diagonal brake system or a standard. Ford use the diagonal and with this you do RR,LF then LR,RF .

Non-diagonal you do RR,LR,RF,LF.

 

[Scali62]

SHOZ, I like, seems like it's a 2 man job method but a simple one as well

 

[SHOZ]

As long as you do not open the bleeder too much or allow the tube to suck up old fluid (unlikely with 4' of hose) it is a one man job. I do it every year.

On my Taurus I do 15 pumps for the rear and 10 for the front.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Pablo:
On a new purchase every 2 years might be a bit of an overkill - 5 years - 50K is probably OK...I go about 4 on new and with a used purchase right away then every 2 years or so.

I mean how many people with cars 4-5 years old have actually FLUSHED the brake fluid...?

---

When I bought a used 97 GTP in Nov 2000 one of the first things I did was flush the brake fluid.

 

[dickwells]

Since I mostly drove old junkers in the last century I got sick of replacing wheel cylinders due to broken nipples and came up with and alternative system that has worked well for me. Annually, usually in the spring, I open up the master cylinder and use a syringe to suck out all the fluid, I then wipe it out with a clean cloth, etc. and fill it up with fresh fluid. In a drum system there is enough flow back and forth to mix it up. In the disc system I am not so sure but I do the same thing, of course when I put new pads on. Works for me.

 

[labman]

quote:

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Originally posted by RavenTai:
brake fluid is desighned to absorb water so that there will be no free watter in the system to freeze or ....Snip

---

Brake fluid is designed not to swell rubber. In the early days, that meant highly polar materials including hydroscopic stuff like glycerin and glycols. The modern poly glycols are still hydroscopic. Brake systems are sealed well enough that they usually don't pick up enough moisture to cause problems. Water that does get in, goes to the bottom and pits the bore there. Flushing the system won't help.

Leave the fluid alone until the rubber parts are worn enough they need replaced. Enough of the fluid will be lost on a rebuild not to require more changes. Unnecessary messing with the bleed screws leads to frozen ones. Wait for the rebuild, and then clean it up good and give it a generous coat of silicone grease, Silglide, tune up grease, whatever. After the brakes are bled, let somebody besides King Kong tighten it up.

Do not let him help with removing them either. If a bleed screw doesn't yield to a box wrench with reasonable torque, use heat or impact rather than twist it off. You, but not KK, can pound right on the end of the nipple. After you twist it off, you are still going to need heat, impact, or a drill to get it out, or replace the caliper. Why not reach for the hammer or torch first?


Never say never. You can buy 1/8 pipe plugs tapped for a bleed screw. Drill everything out big enough and use that 1/8 pipe tap you never had out of your tap and die set.

[ September 15, 2003, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: labman ]