Why should I flush my brake fluid every year, you ask? - Page 5 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

leathermang · #61 06-26-2006, 01:52 PM

Mr.Online,
The statement you refer to "But it also says i should change AC fluid every 4th year..." may sound crazy on the surface.... but depending on the type of compressor you have this is not out of line... they may only be referring to the special cold flowing oil INSIDE your compressor sump... it does get some contamination over time and should be changed... same principle as changing the oil inside the vacuum pump which is used to evacuate your system.
I suspect you do NOT have the Delco compressor most of us have.. but either the York or a Nippon , or GM .... those have sumps which contain oil..

Hatterasguy · #62 06-26-2006, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueranger

well this is amazing.
My car is 24 years old and its brake fluid has never been touched or changed.

right now there are poor guys who are reading this thread and believing it and they are breaking off nipples as we speak....and there are other guys who are reading this thread who took your advise and changed the fluid.. now there pulling up to red lights and hitting the pedal and instead of the old trusty brake fluid being down there at the caliper there is a nice fat air bubble.

In the last 40 years I have learned a few things about brakes.
1. Use a large C clamp when you change your brakes....

2. Use a chicken baister and suck some fluid out....making room for your new fluid.

Well lets not do anything that would actualy be called maintaince. Maybe we should all run 20k mile oil changes on used oil, not fix anything, and drive our W126's into the ground.

If you snap the bleeders off trying to bleed the brakes they were shot anyway. Hmm I have no problem bleeding ABS systems and not getting any air in, don't see where the trick is its simple as can be.

aklim · #63 06-26-2006, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Well lets not do anything that would actualy be called maintaince. Maybe we should all run 20k mile oil changes on used oil, not fix anything, and drive our W126's into the ground.

If you snap the bleeders off trying to bleed the brakes they were shot anyway. Hmm I have no problem bleeding ABS systems and not getting any air in, don't see where the trick is its simple as can be.

Hey now. A friend of mine resembles that remark. She never changes oil for the 3 years she owns a car. Just add more to it now and then.

You shouldn't snap off the bleeders. If you get stuck, spray them with PB Blaster and try it. Next try heat wrench. Then melt some candle wax into the threads and retry.

blueranger · #64 06-26-2006, 08:24 PM

here is a scientific article supporting your guys arguement for changing
the brake fluid. It also says that fluid circulates in a system with abs. So my turkey baister idea would be good for abs since they say it circulates. I still think its dangerous to tell someone to change there brake fluid...

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3102/is_9_123/ai_n6221217

TwitchKitty · #65 06-27-2006, 12:23 AM

As a safety precaution, never open the hydraulics on an ABS system with the key on. ABS systems have a pump and sometimes the system is under high pressure.

ABS systems have a reservoir (accumulator) that you can't see and can't access. To flush the system, bleed as normal then take the car out on a dirt road and lock up the brakes a few times to circulate the fluid. Go home and bleed again. Repeat as necessary.

Peter Fearing · #66 06-27-2006, 08:51 PM

These are very good cars. We pay a lot for them. They work well and it just might be possible that they really don't require that much caring. My experience is that for the first 150k miles there's not too much that needs tending. Maybe the next 100 you may have a few issues. But over kill (extreme maintenance) is not really the nature of owning this particular make. However if you like to tinker, and it makes you feel good, go for it. But to worry about checking the muffler bearing and the voltage feed to the auto coast relay delay may not be necessary.

Hatterasguy · #67 06-27-2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Fearing

These are very good cars. We pay a lot for them. They work well and it just might be possible that they really don't require that much caring. My experience is that for the first 150k miles there's not too much that needs tending. Maybe the next 100 you may have a few issues. But over kill (extreme maintenance) is not really the nature of owning this particular make. However if you like to tinker, and it makes you feel good, go for it. But to worry about checking the muffler bearing and the voltage feed to the auto coast relay delay may not be necessary.

Did you blow up that engine in your E320/350 yet? We are taking bets when the original oil gives up and she lets go. I am betting sometime in the 30k mile range.

Mismost · #68 06-28-2006, 01:00 AM

Frankly, I had never heard of flushing and replacing the brake fluid until I read it here on this forum. So, I put on my list of to-do's on this MB. My Dad came down and we had a great time tinkering with the car. When we got to the "flush/replace old brake fluid", he said are you nuts? I said nope, you drive her to the auto parts store, he did. We inspected, tinkered, and flushed out and replaced the fluid....the old fashion way like when I was a kid...DOWN!...UP!...brought back a lot of old memories of working with Dad out in the shop. Finally, it dawned on me, I ain't a kid anymore! Made Dad work the brake and I got to do the yelling for a change...we got a kick outta that!!

Sorry, little trip down memory lane there...anyway we flush/replaced/bled the snot outta the brakes. We take her back out for a little spin. IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. No question about it.

We got back to the shop and Dad parked on the side, walks over and gets in his little truck, pulls it in shop, and we flushed his brakes too! IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Dad is a "if ain't broke, don't fix it", but adament about preventive maintance.....it is now on his list too!

It works. I still wanna replace the soft lines and then do it again.

aklim · #69 06-28-2006, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mismost

We inspected, tinkered, and flushed out and replaced the fluid....the old fashion way like when I was a kid...DOWN!...UP!...brought back a lot of old memories of working with Dad out in the shop. Finally, it dawned on me, I ain't a kid anymore! Made Dad work the brake and I got to do the yelling for a change...we got a kick outta that!!

I think the sequence is Open, Down (when almost fully down), Close, Up.

Mismost · #70 06-28-2006, 04:04 PM

Hey...I'm 51 the Old Man is 79...if he wants to say DOWN!...UP! that is just fine with me....I still do what he says to do! I'm just glad he's still around, I enjoy his company.

As he put it...old dogs can learn new tricks! This one does work wonders.

OMEGAMAN · #71 06-28-2006, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaDave

Is this string about Sponge Bob changing his brake fluid ?

Dont be silly! SpongeBob is a worthless boat driver and will never get his boating license. Therefore he will never need brakes. So there.

Eurocar · #72 03-11-2007, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MVK

do you folks think this will work for bleeding. It sounds good. any other suggestion on flushing/bleeding the brake system. I have to do that on my MB and my wife's Accord.

http://www.mityvac.com/techindex.html

MVK

Vacuum generally works just fine for brake bleeding, but for overall use plus a terrific way to flush brake fluid, a good pressure tool is hard to beat. I use a product called the Speedi-Bleed brake bleeder and change brake fluid evey 2 years, it takes me 20-25 minutes, plus I get a great pedal.

http://www.speedibleed.com

Jadavis · #73 03-11-2007, 03:33 AM

I was travelling 1000+ miles a week when I first bought my MB last summer. I paid an Indy shop to flush the brakes, among other things, as part of my long held belief that you should change all of the fluids on a car that is new to you. I simply did not have time to take care of it myself, but knew it needed to be done.

Maybe the reason I was so sure it needed to be done was the condition of the brake fluid that came out of the system on a 10 year old Audi 5000 I once had. It came out like catsup.

-Jim

redbaronph123 · #74 03-11-2007, 11:36 AM

sorry for being ignorant.. but this thread repeated at leasat twice (as far as i could remember) not using DOT3. It explains the difference in boiling point of the DOT3 and DOT4. It shows on my Brake fluid reservoir to only use DOT3. So what now?? I use ATE brake fluid.. the Blue colored one.

I've never had problems with my braking, but i do change it once a year... so far no brake fades, (except when i reach the point where i have to change my brake pads.. duh!!)..

vstech · #75 03-11-2007, 11:55 AM

I wonder why german/import and most new cars use vented master cylinders? The old ford and chevy's all used sealed MC's and had a balloon that expanded as the pads got used up. perhaps the pistons in modern braking systems have too much travel for a balloon to account for?
John