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OK guys. I've had my 2000 C5 with 44 k miles since December now and it's been mostly garage kept. Looking over the maintenance schedule I see where mileage wise I'm in good shape but at 23 years am way past the time for many things. I'm thinking of having my brake system, rear axle and coolant systems flushed. My brake fluid is rather dark but no issue stopping. I've done my own clutch fluid flush but the rest are outside my wheelhouse now. Would you agree with flushing all the fluids or am I over cautious................?
Yes, it's time to change those fluids. If you've bled the clutch system you're certainly capable of doing the brakes. Rear diff is just a drain and refill. So is the transmission (if manual). You can flush the rad with chemicals or just drain, fill with distilled water and drive a day or two then drain and fill with proper 50/50 coolant. Plenty of videos out there and great folks on this forum to help. Driving/maintenance season is here, maybe do one system a week.
$ years ago I changed the tranny fluid on my C7. Not a fun job and required a transfer pump and jacking the rear of the car way higher than I was comfortable with. Fast forward and I'm no longer comfortable nor inclined to do my own maintenance anymore. The clutch fluid was just a matter of remove fluid, refill, pump pedal a bunch of times and repeat. My clutch fluid is clear now.
I just did my brakes last weekend and it was easy peasy with a Motive Power bleeder. Took about an hour and there was alot of junk in the old stuff. You will feel a definite difference in pedal feel after a good flush!
What sounds odd to me is that you have flushed your clutch fluid. IMO thats about the hardest one to flush w/o a bleeder kit installed.
btw, if your careful to not get any air into the brake system you don't have to cycle the ABS.
I did the poor mans flush. Removed brake fluid, refill reservoir, pump clutch pedal 20 times and repeat until fluid is all clear...........which I'm happy to report it is now....