brake system flushing
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: phila Pa
brake system flushing
Hey boys, got the brakes apart and all of that good stuff, putting my rear back together. i read somting somehwere that you sould flush ur system with denatured Alcohol to get all of the dirt out. this is all great but i dont know howto do this. there is tons of sludge in my system, that cant be healthy. what do i do to get it all out befor the caliper go back on? Thanks alot
Marc
Marc
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,668
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From: Eastern US XX
Re: brake system flushing (1971_CorVette)
I use a pressure bleeder for flushing and filling/bleeding. It works the best and fastest of all the methods. I have seen articles on building one using a nylon [compund] bottle such as used in small industrial garden sprayers.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 60
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From: phila Pa
Re: brake system flushing (pws69)
i dotn hae a pressure bleeder. i know how i can bled the brakes, but not how to flush them, is it the same thing? io dont want to do it what the calipers on, only brake lines.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,665
Likes: 1
From: Ontario
Re: brake system flushing (1971_CorVette)
From what I have heard/read most people recommend only using new brake fluid to flush your brake system.
Check out this thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=354898
This might be of some interest to you as well:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=2
[Modified by Boofers, 10:44 AM 7/22/2003]
Check out this thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=354898
This might be of some interest to you as well:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/listing.asp?group=2
[Modified by Boofers, 10:44 AM 7/22/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: brake system flushing (1971_CorVette)
It would be easier to flush the system with the calipers off especially if you have new calipers. I flushed my system with the calipers on and it took a while to finally blow out all the denatured alchol with an air compressor. I finally finsihed everything off with some DOT 5 silicone brake fluid.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
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From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Re: brake system flushing (1971_CorVette)
I just did this a little over a month ago.
You can buy a hand operated vacuum pump/brake bleeder at most any auto parts store. The one I bought (I don't remember which brand) has two nipples for attaching the hose to, the one on the front will supply vacuum, and the one on the top is for pressure.
I hooked the hose to the top one, then ran that to the sealed cup (the one that comes with the pump/bleeder that you usually use for catching brake fluid) which was filled with the denatured alcohol, then another hose from the cup to the brake line where it attaches to the master cylinder. With the old rubber hoses attached at the end of each brake line and a container (coffee can works good) you can simply operate the pump which pressurizes the sealed bottle with the alcohol in it and forces the alcohol through the brake lines into the cans at the other end. Do both fronts and both rears seperately.
Keep adding clean alcohol until it comes out clear on the other end (it took one quart to do my entire system), then use some high pressure air from a shop compressor to clear everything out of the lines.
Re-assemble with new components and rubber hoses, add new brake fluid and bleed normally.
You can buy a hand operated vacuum pump/brake bleeder at most any auto parts store. The one I bought (I don't remember which brand) has two nipples for attaching the hose to, the one on the front will supply vacuum, and the one on the top is for pressure.
I hooked the hose to the top one, then ran that to the sealed cup (the one that comes with the pump/bleeder that you usually use for catching brake fluid) which was filled with the denatured alcohol, then another hose from the cup to the brake line where it attaches to the master cylinder. With the old rubber hoses attached at the end of each brake line and a container (coffee can works good) you can simply operate the pump which pressurizes the sealed bottle with the alcohol in it and forces the alcohol through the brake lines into the cans at the other end. Do both fronts and both rears seperately.
Keep adding clean alcohol until it comes out clear on the other end (it took one quart to do my entire system), then use some high pressure air from a shop compressor to clear everything out of the lines.
Re-assemble with new components and rubber hoses, add new brake fluid and bleed normally.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,804
Likes: 4
From: Standing still with all my might Texas
Cruise-In X Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
Re: brake system flushing (simard)
If your brake lines are really full of crud, why not just replace them while the system is down anyway? Simple, not that expensive, and guaranteed results.
Since I was planning to use DOT5 fluid I wanted to make sure the lines were as free of the old stuff as possible.
[Modified by Kevin_73, 4:20 PM 7/22/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,544
Likes: 448
From: Central Pennsylvania
Re: brake system flushing (1971_CorVette)
Remove the calipers, put a coffe can or the like under each of the four rubber hoses, pump out all the brake fluid from the master cylinder and replace it with denatured alcohol. Don't pump the alcohol thru the system. Just let it bleed thru via gravity. Keep the master cylinder full (check it twice a day). This process takes a few days, but it does work. It allows the alcohol to remain in the lines longer, thus cleaning them better. If a line doesn't gravity bleed alcohol, you've got enough blockage someplace to cause uneven braking. Now's the time to trace and fix. When satisfied that your cleaned out, allow the alcohol in the master cylinder to gravity drain out. Fill with brake fluid and bleed the hell out of the system. Plan on going thru quit a bit of brake fluid to be sure that all the alcohol is gone.
[Modified by ettev, 2:36 PM 7/23/2003]
[Modified by ettev, 2:36 PM 7/23/2003]
