Brake fluid flush

[rjacket]

So having felt that the brakes on the 60k 2004 Taurus have been poor (squishy) since 40k and every 6 months or so asking for them to be checked, only for the answer to come back they are fine, I finally did my own car 101 and discovered that the brake fluid probably needs to be changed.

Ford don't have any recommended interval for brake fluid changes and nobody ever mentioned this as a potential cause for the symptom including 3 different Ford dealers!

So the question I have is: What brake fluid to use? Since it is quite cheap, I am thinking of buying and supplying it myself to the shop that I give the job to.

 

[cchase]

Super Blue.

Edit to mention that the Super Blue is great because you can alternate colors to be sure you swap all the fluid over.

 

[daman]

Any DOT 3 or 4 will work in a stock application, the key it to change it on a regular bases, most don't think of it.

 

[380SLbenz]

I own an auto repair facility and we test the brake fluid with what is like a pool type test strip, only it tests for copper in the fluid. When brake fluid has more that 200 ppm of copper in it's composition, it needs to be flushed. It's amazing how different your brake pedal will feel.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: 380SLbenz
I own an auto repair facility and we test the brake fluid with what is like a pool type test strip, only it tests for copper in the fluid. When brake fluid has more that 200 ppm of copper in it's composition, it needs to be flushed. It's amazing how different your brake pedal will feel.


Yeah I saw those. They should sell them to the general public more openly. I think I saw them for $10 for 2.

 

[RnR]

I've had my eye on Castrol GT LMA - but it sure is a bugger to obtain around here.

Anyway - I wonder if 380slbenz's shop (and others) automatically cycle the ABS solenoids? This is one reason why I may have to give up and go to a dealer as most shops don't seem to consider this step during a flush.

 

[rjacket]

Yeah I heard that once upon a time you could do this yourself but with ABS, you may want it done by a knowledgeable mechanic

 

[daman]

cycling the the ABS is not needed IF...service is done at regular intervals,there's not that much in there.

 

[RnR]

Ummm... well, that would have been the factory fill 208k miles ago.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: RnR
Ummm... well, that would have been the factory fill 208k miles ago.

lol, yea i guess so then.

 

[kart17]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Super Blue.

Edit to mention that the Super Blue is great because you can alternate colors to be sure you swap all the fluid over.


The blue dye is so strong that it will color the next few flush's with clear.

 

[lairdwd]

I don't even bother with brake flushes anymore on my beater 93 altima. I whip out the turkey baster and pull as much as I can out of the resevoir and then refill with new fluid once every year or so.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: lairdwd
I don't even bother with brake flushes anymore on my beater 93 altima. I whip out the turkey baster and pull as much as I can out of the resevoir and then refill with new fluid once every year or so.


Yeah but you will have air in the system which is another point of failure.

 

[sw99]

Get a turkey baster...

Suck out all the fluid you can. Fill with new fluid and drive for a week or so and repeat. If it's the first time it's been done in a while, I would do it 4-5 times to get out a large majority of the old fluid.

Made a huge improvement on my Subaru that has had the old fluid in there for several years. The first treatment resulted in noticeably firmer braking.

After your satisfied that most of the old fluid is removed, do it at least once a year, or better yet every six months.

 

[Martin1974]

Originally Posted By: rjacket
Originally Posted By: lairdwd
I don't even bother with brake flushes anymore on my beater 93 altima. I whip out the turkey baster and pull as much as I can out of the resevoir and then refill with new fluid once every year or so.


Yeah but you will have air in the system which is another point of failure.


Just don't take all of it out and no air will get into it then.

 

[rjacket]

Originally Posted By: sw99
Get a turkey baster...

Suck out all the fluid you can. Fill with new fluid and drive for a week or so and repeat. If it's the first time it's been done in a while, I would do it 4-5 times to get out a large majority of the old fluid.

Made a huge improvement on my Subaru that has had the old fluid in there for several years. The first treatment resulted in noticeably firmer braking.

After your satisfied that most of the old fluid is removed, do it at least once a year, or better yet every six months.


For that much time and expense, it sounds like it's better to give someone $80 to do a complete flush and be sure it's all out and there is no air whatsoever. Or actually buy the mityvac kit to do it completely at home.

 

[JakeR22]

I don't know why gravity bleeding is not more recommended.

Crack the bleeders, let the fluid drain out, keep an eye on the master cylinder, and fill as needed.

I put a couple of Pig mats down to collect the fluid, so clean up is a breeze. So easy a caveman can do it,

.

I have a mityvac, and by the time I get it out and set up, put it on the bleeder, etc. it's not really any quicker.

Also, there's seems to be a ongoing debate on here that the turky baster doesn't actually work, as fluid doesn't circulate. I'm not sure either way, but the fluid in my 140k mile Vibe's master cylinder looks as clean as the day I bought it, and it's yet to be serviced, waiting for 150k,

.

 

[bigmike]

I've had good success doing brake flushes on my own. Lately I've been using Prestone Dot 3 for $4.77 at my local walmart. 2 quarts should be plenty, but you might want 3 just in case. I flush alot of fluid through mine to make sure it's clean and clear. I typically do it twice using a 2man operation. Never had a problem.

I'm sure any dot 3 would work fine.

 

[Kestas]

The poor man's way to flush the ABS unit is by activating it on the road after a 4-corner flush. It doesn't remove that fluid, but it will dilute it.

 

[racecougar]

As JakeR22 already stated, the "turkey baster method" is only going to change the fluid in your reservoir. That method will work on a power steering system since it circulates, but in this case you need to bleed the lines to get new fluid into them.

-Rod