*** FLUSH BRAKES/CLUTCH question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 359
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From: Weston FL
*** FLUSH BRAKES/CLUTCH question
I was quoted $450 from Chevrolet to do the job. Then from Good Year around $130ish. Does this sound about right? I heard this is good to do every three years? I live in FL and have 45K on the odomoter - thanks.
TonyP.
TonyP.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 1
From: Littleton Colorado
Well, to do a real full flush of the clutch it is a PIA and would be a lot of work. The bleed screw is on the side of the bell housing. Real hard to reach.
Most around here do a differnt flush on the clutch, called the "Ranger method". Search on it, a lot of people swear by it. And if you do not have any issues it could be all you need. Basically what they do is empty the clutch master cylinder, refil with fluid and pump the clutch pedal 20-30 times, then repeat. Most find the first a couple of times they go through the cycle the fluid does not look new any more. They usually do it until the fluid is clear after pumping the pedal 20-30 times.
Brakes, real easy to flush. They should hook it up to a computer to work the ABS valves, but that is not so hard either.
So, hard to say, the dealer is most likely doing it by the book and doing a full flush of the clutch. Goodyear may not be doing a full flush, or they may not have experience or the right info on your Vette. Ask them what they do exactly to the clutch, see if they know how to get to the bleed screw or if they just do the ranger method...
Most around here do a differnt flush on the clutch, called the "Ranger method". Search on it, a lot of people swear by it. And if you do not have any issues it could be all you need. Basically what they do is empty the clutch master cylinder, refil with fluid and pump the clutch pedal 20-30 times, then repeat. Most find the first a couple of times they go through the cycle the fluid does not look new any more. They usually do it until the fluid is clear after pumping the pedal 20-30 times.
Brakes, real easy to flush. They should hook it up to a computer to work the ABS valves, but that is not so hard either.
So, hard to say, the dealer is most likely doing it by the book and doing a full flush of the clutch. Goodyear may not be doing a full flush, or they may not have experience or the right info on your Vette. Ask them what they do exactly to the clutch, see if they know how to get to the bleed screw or if they just do the ranger method...
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Ok
IMO
Yes, unless you have gotten moisture in your brake fluid. You can empty your master, refill and bleed at each wheel to get a fresh amount of fluid in the brake lines, refill master. You will need to activate the ABS however to move that fluid out. A wet road, a little speed and a lot of brake will get em activated. (Make sure no one is behind you). I can not comment on how many times it would take.
good luck
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 16
From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
IMO
Yes, unless you have gotten moisture in your brake fluid. You can empty your master, refill and bleed at each wheel to get a fresh amount of fluid in the brake lines, refill master. You will need to activate the ABS however to move that fluid out. A wet road, a little speed and a lot of brake will get em activated. (Make sure no one is behind you). I can not comment on how many times it would take.
good luck
Yes, unless you have gotten moisture in your brake fluid. You can empty your master, refill and bleed at each wheel to get a fresh amount of fluid in the brake lines, refill master. You will need to activate the ABS however to move that fluid out. A wet road, a little speed and a lot of brake will get em activated. (Make sure no one is behind you). I can not comment on how many times it would take.
good luck
You got me thinking with your post. If I bleed the brake system at each wheel until it flows clear, are you saying that some of the fluid in the ABS unit doesn't get changed out? If yes, how much?
I flushed my brakes and clutch system this past weekend from DOT 3 to DOT 4.
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
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From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Here are a few phptos showing the before and after cleaning of my brake system. Sorry for the size.
Before cleaning..
After cleaning...
After flush and ready to go. Back lit..
Before cleaning..
After cleaning...
After flush and ready to go. Back lit..
Last edited by Eric D; Apr 6, 2009 at 11:28 PM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Ok
David,
You got me thinking with your post. If I bleed the brake system at each wheel until it flows clear, are you saying that some of the fluid in the ABS unit doesn't get changed out? If yes, how much?
I flushed my brakes and clutch system this past weekend from DOT 3 to DOT 4.
You got me thinking with your post. If I bleed the brake system at each wheel until it flows clear, are you saying that some of the fluid in the ABS unit doesn't get changed out? If yes, how much?
I flushed my brakes and clutch system this past weekend from DOT 3 to DOT 4.
Looking at the service manual the TCS and ABS system is made up of accumulators, valves and a pump. The way I am looking at the schematic, flow through the system is only established when the TCS/ABS is activated. There is a procedure in the manual that after bleeding the brake system a scan tool is used to activate the ABS/TCS system. I can not find any volumes in the manual. Also I am far from knowing much on the ABS system, someone else can chime in.
David
Oh and BTW, damn nice looking Vette you have there.
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Brett Foote
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From: Longview Texas
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
The Goodyear boys probably didn't understand what it would take to bleed the clutch in the C5. They probably thought it was like the C4 Corvette and other cars. To do the job properly in the C5 you have to drop the exhaust system and pull the tunnel plate off the car before getting access to the clutch bleeder screw. Bleeding is a two person job with one person under the car and the other in the car pumping the clutch pedal.
The brake flushing procedure doesn't force fluid through the ABS modulator valve as the valves aren't being excercised. Not sure how much value activating the ABS would be since the fluid doesn't go anywhere as the valves cycle. Even if it does work you would have to bring the car back and rebleed the lines to get the stuff from the module flushed to the outside world. Using the Tech 2 method to activate the module while bleeding the brakes works as the fluid and air in the module are flushed into the downstream brake line and then out through the bleeder valve.
As long as you don't get air in the ABS module when bleeding the brakes you should be OK if you don't flush the module.
Bill
The brake flushing procedure doesn't force fluid through the ABS modulator valve as the valves aren't being excercised. Not sure how much value activating the ABS would be since the fluid doesn't go anywhere as the valves cycle. Even if it does work you would have to bring the car back and rebleed the lines to get the stuff from the module flushed to the outside world. Using the Tech 2 method to activate the module while bleeding the brakes works as the fluid and air in the module are flushed into the downstream brake line and then out through the bleeder valve.
As long as you don't get air in the ABS module when bleeding the brakes you should be OK if you don't flush the module.
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,843
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From: Howell Michigan
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
I removed the reservoir from the master cylinder and washed it out with laundry detergent, letting it set for a few minutes before rinsing it out. Shop air was then used with a blow gun with a thin tube allowing me to dry it out completely.