Pressing the brake pedal fully down is a bad idea, as has been discussed already - it might ruin the master cylinder.

Well I have followed this thread with amazement at the level of knowledge known about brake fluid. Some guys have a good engineering knowledge and can put across a point convincingly and with a scientific and reasoned proof. Some others would be better preparing a large bird for thanksgiving!!

I decided to have a look on the internet and found this page which refers to a NHTSA study on the subject.

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

Hope this helps,.......
Gerard

I'm looking out at the Atlantic ocean circulating; Now I know the moon has a big pull on an awful lot of water, could this help circulate brake fluid in the car in my driveway?

This is a brilliant, if not somewhat scarey thread.

Long may it continue.

Vincent.

That article is good. I am not sure about the bit where it says when the ABS activates there is circulation in the circuit. That cannot possibly be correct for the fluid in the hoses and the calipers - it just does not make sense. There is no device I can think of that will circulate fluid when one end of the system is completely closed. You can not push the fluid further and you cannot draw it up.

Unless, unless, unless: on systems with ABS there are return hoses from the calipers. I have not observed any such return hoses on any cars I have serviced. Has anyone else?

Also, as the article says the ABS has valves etc that need to be activated in order to facilitate the fluid change. We at home, how are we going to do this? I plan to change fluids tomorrow, any help appreciated

I know nothing about ABS system design. My personal solution is to keep driving 20 year old cars so I don't have to deal with it. I hate the feeling of ABS anyway. Unfortunately, this may become one more thing that can't be done without specialized equipment.

Bleeding ABS is the same as standard. Never seen anyone do it any diferent!

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~Jamie
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2003 Pewter C230K SC C1, C4, C5, C7, heated seats, CD Changer, and 6 Speed. ContiExtremes on the C7's.

1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon.....

Please define "standard" ? Has the ABS pump and associated components got its own bleeding valves?

At the bottom of that article

http://www.findarticles.com/p/artic...123/ai_n6221217

it says that ABS needs to be activated so that its valves would open and allow draining of the fluid...

Any ideas please?

We to be winding down a bit ... soooooo, would we be talking normal brake fluid - or synthetic here ? :-)

jumping back into this because this will prob spark more dissent.

i have often mixed in silicone with standard brake fluid. when mixing in silicone at least it appears that it does work its way down to the calipers as the silicone will make a slow weeper stop. i know that mixing is specifically forbidden by the mfgrs. and if i were them i would also forbid it simply because of if there is a problem who's product is at fault?

my silicone days are over though because on a benz after a while it appears to cause the caliper pucks to become sticky and then when you make a stop enough to generate heat you get a caliper that is applying braking a little and it does all these funny things like pulling to the left one time and the right another.

i never noticed any ill effects using silicone on my early fifties caddies and pontiacs, though. great for a car that sits a lot with drum brakes. prob because the drum brake springs withdraw the pucks and no heat is generated... well with drum brakes the pistons are so removed from the braking materials that no heat would transfer, or at least not much.

oh well.

my $.02

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

i am not endoursing the turky baster method. just posting some interesting (to me ) observations.

and in summary, just because the silicone mixes downt to the calipers does not mean that ordinary brake fluid does.

and btw. i hardly ever change all my fluid. i do if it gets really black looking but not close to every year as recommended some places. and almost never any problems with sticking calipers.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.