Any tips on how to clean inside the reservoir. Just had a brake fluid change and the reservoir doesn't appear clear. Can one do the "ranger" method here as well? or ?

 

Perhaps you could post a picture of what you are talking about. If you bled the brakes, hopefully you first sucked out as much of the old fluid as you could, and then refilled with fresh fluid from a sealed (new) container, and kept topping up as you went along. If so, then the fluid in the system and in the reservoir should be fresh, clean and clear.

If there is a little discoloration on the plastic of the reservoir, it's not really a problem as long as the fluid is clear. If the fluid in the reservoir is dirty, that's a different story. You really can't "clean" the reservoir with it in place. You have to remove it from the master cylinder to be able to flush it out without getting any cleaner in the brake fluid in the system. If it's that dirty and you are going to remove it, just buy a new one, they are not that expensive.

More importantly, ask yourself why the reservoir is that dirty? Obviously, you are not changing fluid often enough. For a street car, consider bleeding the system with fresh fluid once a year. For a track car, you should be doing it before each event, IMHO. It's an easy job, and you don't want to be saying to yourself "Darn, I should have bled the brakes" as you are headed toward a wall with no brakes because of dirty fluid.

YMMV, but that's my take on it.

 

Unless you take the reservoir off the master cyl and flush some solvent thru it,, yea,, some crud stain will remain inside in the difficult to reach places.

BC

 

Thanks guys. The plastic is just discolored somewhat. The fluid is clear at the moment. Also, i notice that the reservoir has a bit left and right play . It moves maybe 1/8 - 3/16ths. Should it have no movement at all ?

 

They all have some play.

 

As long as it's not leaking, don't mess with it.

 

I ended up removing my reservoir and cleaning it. Here is a LINK to the photos if you would like to see.

 

As long as the fluid is nice and clear I wouldnt worry about the discoloration of the reservoir.

 

Yeah, but it looks SO MUCH better when it is clean!!

 

Take a look at Step #3 of the following Brake Fluid System Fill and Replacement procedure:


The following procedure is to be used for the initial brake fluid system fill and replacement process. Once the fluid has been installed using this procedure, Caliper fluid changes can be done after each track session to ensure that fresh fluid is in each caliper.

· Step 1 - Place the vehicle safely on jack stands and remove all four tire-wheel assemblies.

· Step 2 - Remove the master cylinder reservoir cap.

· Step 3 - Use the battery fluid removal tool, remove all of the existing brake fluid from the master cylinder reservoir.

· Step 4 - Fill the Motive power brake bleeder with at least one quart of new brake fluid.

· Step 5 - Attach the cap of the Motive brake bleeder to the top of the master cylinder reservoir, using the chain.

· Step 6 - Using the pump handle on the Motive brake bleeder, pressurize the bleeder until the gage needle is pointed upward toward 12 o’clock. Continually check pressure and pump up as necessary.

· Step 7 - Move to the right rear wheel, remove the rubber bleed screw protective boot, and place the 7/16-inch end of the deep offset box end wrench over the bleed screw.

· Step 8 - Place the tube attached to the bleeder bottle over the bleed screw.

· Step 9 - Crack the bleed screw and allow the brake fluid to flow into the bleeder bottle until the new fluid flows clean and clear from the caliper.

· Step 10 - Close the bleed screw, remove the tube from the bleed screw, and install the protective boot.

· Step 11 - Repeat the previous steps on the left-front wheel next.

· Step 12 - Repeat the previous steps on the left-rear wheel next.

· Step 13 - Repeat the previous steps on the right-front wheel next.

· Step 14 - Relieve the pressure in the Motive brake bleeder by unscrewing the pump assembly, while holding the tank below the level of the master cylinder reservoir. Allow as much brake fluid as possible to flow back into the Motive bleeder’s tank.
· Step 15 - Remove the Motive bleeder cap from the master cylinder reservoir.

· Step 16 - Using the battery fluid removal tool, remove as much brake fluid as necessary to return the fluid level to the MAX line on the reservoir. Clean up any excess brake fluid that may have spilled or leaked.

 

And looks even better when backlit with LED's, nice job!

 

Nice job. I just picked up a used C5 master and cleaned the inside using your post. It is for my 70 project. Turned out really nice.

 

To those who have bled their lines, how dirty did the fluid look, at approximately 50k miles and an older C5?

 

Im not sure about 50 and I havent had a chance to do mine yet but my dads car only had 10k on it when I flushed the brakes and it was pretty dirty, not black but not the best looking.

 

good work!