New brake fluid, how important is it??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,293
Likes: 79
From: Jackson MI
New brake fluid, how important is it??
Hey guys, I've been doing some random reading in the tech section and it dawned on me, I've never changed my brake fluid. And from the way I got the car I'm guessing that it has never been done. So that's 13 year old brake fluid.
I purchased a set of speed bleeders this morning, but I'm wondering is there any performance benofit to doing this? Will my braking improve with newer fluid? And is there any special kind of fluid that you would recommend other than the basic DOT3?
I purchased a set of speed bleeders this morning, but I'm wondering is there any performance benofit to doing this? Will my braking improve with newer fluid? And is there any special kind of fluid that you would recommend other than the basic DOT3?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,293
Likes: 79
From: Jackson MI
Pete, I think you missed the questions above, obviously it has to be done and is way over due
I purchased a set of speed bleeders this morning, but I'm wondering is there any performance benofit to doing this? Will my braking improve with newer fluid? And is there any special kind of fluid that you would recommend other than the basic DOT3?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,253
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley CA
Not to mention with speedbleeders, it is very, very easy to get a real good bleed with a very hard brake pedal. Personally, before speedbleeders, every time I bled the brakes it was worse than before. DOT 4 with the highest wet boiling point would be a good fluid to use. I use Motul 600.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Originally Posted by DonF
That is what I use, after I bleed the fluid out & it is good & clean I keep it that way. At least once a year I do this. That might be a little much but it is cheap enough.
BTW, that kinda goes for other things, too, like the trans, the diff, the radiator, the PS. That old saying, it can't hurt, really applies. I figure it this way: if you do everything you can to prolong the equipment, and it still goes out, it's not as if you didn't try.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
I recommend Valvoline Synpower Brake Fluid. Great stuff. Works great in the clutch hydraulics, too.
As for the effects... oh, yes. The pedal will feel better, and you won't get anymore soft pedals from repeated hard stops.
As for the effects... oh, yes. The pedal will feel better, and you won't get anymore soft pedals from repeated hard stops.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
From: Lake Lure NC
Valvoline Synpower Brake Fluid is the way to go for street driven applications. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water like desiccant in an air conditioning receiver-drier. This moisture can attack calipers, wheel cylinders, and more importantly, expensive ABS components. Brake fluid can be tested by means of electronic instruments or simple dip-type test strips. If your brake job doesn't require any hydraulic component replacement, you may want to test and/or replace the brake fluid. If any hydraulic component is being replaced, it would behoove you to flush and bleed the entire system.
Follow the link to StopTech's website
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...edbrakes.shtml
Follow the link to StopTech's website
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp...edbrakes.shtml
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Last saterday I set out to visit my daughter 150 miles away in the middle of NH and at the first stop not far away my brake pedal went almost to the floor, not a good thing. So back home, up on jacks, off with wheels and found brake fluid on the inside of both rear wheel rims and weeping out of the bleeder nipples. Hardly any fluid left in the master cylinder, big time air suck. Despite the fact that there is extensive procedure outlined in the owners manual reguarding removing air form the master cylinder I purchased a mityvac and sucked 2 containers of motul 600 through the system. Starting at the wheel close to the master cylinder and ending with the farthest away. Found lots of air which the mityvac sucked out. The thing was a God send and you can work alone. The pedal is now solid, put teflon tape on bleeder screws will see if this works. Have new calipers on way from VP. Just have to try and figure out that handbrake system Though I did upgrade the brake system last year with new rotors and pads and fluid, the brake fluid did look old, so once a year fluid change is not a bad idea
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Try Valvoline synthetic, and buy a quart, its not expensive. Should be changed (complete flush) once a year if you drive alot. With your speed bleeders its a simple job and you will see a difference.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Originally Posted by Sidney004
Not to mention with speedbleeders, it is very, very easy to get a real good bleed with a very hard brake pedal. Personally, before speedbleeders, every time I bled the brakes it was worse than before. DOT 4 with the highest wet boiling point would be a good fluid to use. I use Motul 600.
Larry
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
contary to popular belief, Ford fluid sucks. It sucks water real fast. look at the specs. It's not for a street car. it's for a maintained race car.
and if your doing this in a street car, get DOT3, as it will last longer. not as hydroscorpic.
and if your doing this in a street car, get DOT3, as it will last longer. not as hydroscorpic.