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#1
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Brake flush every two years?! U'r kidding right?
What a great thread.
You should read it through. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/96852-brake-flush-every-two-years-ur-kidding-right.html .
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ASE Master Mechanic asemastermechanic@juno.com Prototype R&D/testing: Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician. Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH). Dynamometer. Heat exchanger durability. HV-A/C Climate Control. Vehicle build. Fleet Durability Technical Quality Auditor. Automotive Technical Writer 1985 300SD 1983 300D 1984 190D 2003 Volvo V70 2002 Honda Civic https://www.boldegoist.com/ Last edited by whunter; 02-25-2012 at 09:52 AM. |
#2
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Quote:
Brake fluid is cheap, replacing corroded calipers and M/C isn't.
__________________
Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche |
#3
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As an alternative, if you don't have the equipment or skills, try replacing the fluid in the reservoir every time you change the oil. Simply suck out the old with a syringe or turkey baster, clean the inside with a lint free towel and replenish with fresh stuff. It's not quite the same as a flush but it'll help.
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#4
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You don't need any equipment and you don't need any skills.
You need an 8mm wrench for the bleed screws on the calipers, that's it. If you have a helper, you can get the job done in about 1 hour. Today, I was replacing calipers and had no helper. So, after I installed the RF caliper, I opened the bleeder and let it run into a jar, while I installed the LF caliper. After about 1 hour, the m/c was down to the low mark. Not the fastest technique, but, I was working on other things in the meantime and figured that the RF wheel can bleed itself during this time. Tomorrow, I'll speed it up a bit with the easibleed. |
#5
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Dieselfan,
Not be argumentative, BUT..... I don't believe replacing the fluid only in the MC wil do anything. Its a closed-end system. the fluid does not circulate; all the lines are dead ends. Any moisture in the fluid will go to the low point and just lay there. I think actual flushing is the only way to remove this moisture. Replacing the metal lines is no fun. |
#6
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I try to flush brakes every 25K or few years, you'd be suprised how much better the vehicle stops and the pedal feel is vastly increased.
PM is always good.
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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look. '85 300SD 245k '87 300SDL 251k '90 300SEL 326k Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford. Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG] |
#7
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Ditto
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I work on to many restorations, show cars and long storage cars, replacing brake lines is a major PIA on any daily driver and H*** on a show car. Take the time to flush the acid sludge out, it is worth the effort. |
#8
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This is essential preventive maintenance. To put it bluntly, it is stupid to not do it.
Related thread here, includes how to economically build a power bleeder from a garden sprayer. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=103226&highlight=bleeder Last edited by TwitchKitty; 11-25-2004 at 05:07 PM. |
#9
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From the For What It's Worth department:
http://www.csaa.com/global/articledetail/0,1398,1004010302%257C2026,00.html What caught my eye? Taken from one paragraph, "Vehicle manufacturers are about evenly divided on whether or not the brake system should be flushed periodically and refilled with fresh fluid." "All of the manufacturers who call for brake fluid changes are import carmakers, about evenly divided between Asian and European. "None of the domestic Big-Three manufacturers calls for periodic brake fluid changes." So, I conclude that each of us can, and should decide for ourselves... :p Best Regards, Jim |
#10
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Domestic manufacturers do not specify a brake fluid change interval because it would make their models appear to require more servicing than their competitors - it's got nothing to do with safety or reliability. The reason we should not all choose for ourselves is because your poorly maintained car might kill me, so I have an interest in whether or not you choose to flush your brake fluid It's interesting to me that American drivers have bought into the 3,000 mile oil change myth wholesale, yet will avoid safety related servicing such as this. Kevin
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'85 300SD |
#11
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Quote:
Explain why brake fluid shouldn't be changed.
__________________
Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche |
#12
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Hello Jim
Thanks for the link.
The statements of AAA in regards to brake fluid change are misleading. The domestic OEM's do recommend this service under severe service. The OEM's consider any vehicle beyond 100K is scrap metal, and will not project service life recommendations past this point. Vehicle manufacturers are cognizant of the fact that under normal driving = 23K per year or less, the DOT3 brake fluid will last 100K, but at the cost of junking the system (which they want) beyond OEM service life. All OEM's have contamination warnings for brake fluid and call out flushing and replacement procedures. All OEM's want you to be cheap on this maintenance; it helps them sell more cars. All cars over 100K are severe service, by definition they have exceeded OEM service life and are on borrowed time. If you want the SAFETY of GOOD brakes, a flush every two years is cheap insurance.
__________________
ASE Master Mechanic asemastermechanic@juno.com Prototype R&D/testing: Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician. Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH). Dynamometer. Heat exchanger durability. HV-A/C Climate Control. Vehicle build. Fleet Durability Technical Quality Auditor. Automotive Technical Writer 1985 300SD 1983 300D 1984 190D 2003 Volvo V70 2002 Honda Civic https://www.boldegoist.com/ |
#13
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Quote:
Cheers, Bill |
#14
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Hi Kevin.
I was being somewhat serious, but failed to include that a significant part of the decision making process should be reading, understanding and following the Owner's Manual, usually found in the dusty shelves of a Public Library. Whunter makes the excellent point that the OMs define different types of service, and adjust recommended service intervals accordingly. As you observed that the 'average' owner understands the 3 month/3,000 mile oil change interval (one-size-fits all) without realizing that this is usually for Severe Service, because they have no knowledge that there is such a thing as Severe Service, and it's probably just the opposite of what they think. Some will rely on their indy or dealer for advice. As such, how many dealers or independent services will recommend a brake fluid change? (Show of hands?) On a side note, all of my car crashes have been due to judgement failure, not mechanical failure. Of course there was one flat tire on a motorcycle, not due to underinflation or tread depth, that left me pretty busted up laying in the median of a Detroit freeway ... I am in favor of changing the brake fluid, as well as other maintenance. Very interesting thread. Jim Last edited by Jim H; 10-10-2004 at 05:08 PM. |
#15
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Quote:
In bleeding the brakes on my airplane the other day, we back-flushed from the caliper up to the master cylinder. It worked great. A while back, I used a power bleeder on my 300E (attached to the master cylinder) and still had a soft pedal, IMHO because it's hard to flush the air in a downward direction.
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2012 E350 2006 Callaway SC560 |
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