Aug 14, 2015, 02:25 PM
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Dirty Brake Fluid
Banned
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,770
Likes: 1
Ever wonder why people get "stuck calipers" or leaking seals on their calipers, or their brake lines rusted from the inside out. It's because they never flush out their old brake fluid. It's corrosive!
I find it funny how guys will change to drilled/slotted rotors an pay $100 for specialized pads and then never flush out their old brake fluid that probably has 10% moisture by volume and causes the brakes to be spongy and even more spongy when they get hot....doh..
When a shop flushes your brakes, they hook up a vacuum canister to your master cylinder. I wouldn't allow them to do the old pump flush by cracking your bleeders to do a manual pump. Your master cylinder rod only gets a small portion of it used. There is generally a light rust mark where it doesn't get fully pumped(pressure keeps the pedal from going to the floor) so when you pump the pedal to the floor, your surpasssing the point of normalcy and entering light rust territory. The rust will wear on your seal and cause internal leaking. Gotta be very careful to not pump to the floor when you do a manual flush! 70%max! I do the manual pump, but I know what I'm doing and take care because it's my car, and not just another car that comes through a place I work at. I like to put a 2x4 under the pedal to prevent overpumping.
I find it funny how guys will change to drilled/slotted rotors an pay $100 for specialized pads and then never flush out their old brake fluid that probably has 10% moisture by volume and causes the brakes to be spongy and even more spongy when they get hot....doh..
When a shop flushes your brakes, they hook up a vacuum canister to your master cylinder. I wouldn't allow them to do the old pump flush by cracking your bleeders to do a manual pump. Your master cylinder rod only gets a small portion of it used. There is generally a light rust mark where it doesn't get fully pumped(pressure keeps the pedal from going to the floor) so when you pump the pedal to the floor, your surpasssing the point of normalcy and entering light rust territory. The rust will wear on your seal and cause internal leaking. Gotta be very careful to not pump to the floor when you do a manual flush! 70%max! I do the manual pump, but I know what I'm doing and take care because it's my car, and not just another car that comes through a place I work at. I like to put a 2x4 under the pedal to prevent overpumping.
Banned
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,770
Likes: 1
My bad, sorry, i should have said DOT5.1 (brain fade, i forgot to add the .1 to it)
The DOT5.1 is the one that is compatable with ABS brake systems, plain ole DOT5 is not.
For those that need to see written proof rather than take my word for it:
http://www.federalmogul.com/en/After...ngBrakeFluids/
The DOT5.1 is the one that is compatable with ABS brake systems, plain ole DOT5 is not.
For those that need to see written proof rather than take my word for it:
http://www.federalmogul.com/en/After...ngBrakeFluids/
Champion
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,497
Likes: 1
From: MN
OK, but 5 (Silicone) is the only one that does not absorb water. 5.1 is very similiar to DOT 4. The only real advantage that 5.1 has is that its boiling point is similiar to DOT 5 - really only a big deal in race cars and motor cycles.
Banned
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,770
Likes: 1
Just a side note...
If you are using DOT 5 (silicone) it will be a purple color.
The color of it tells you if you have DOT 5 or DOT 5.1
Champion
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,497
Likes: 1
From: MN
The mushy pedal feel is also a good indication you are running DOT 5. One of the reasons that it never really caught on is that DOT 5 is somewhat compressable.
Banned
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,770
Likes: 1
I agree...! I think it may be due to the reason that DOT 5 is thicker (???)
Thread Starter
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Champion
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,563
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
I am not doing this job at all, first going tomorrow to brake shop to get moisture tested and then if it is bad get their price, dealer wants a hundred bucks including fluid so they might just get the job depending on what the brake shop says.