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Anyone have any experience with brake fluid testers, either the strips or the device?
Majority of good reviews, but when you read the 1-star reviews many say they are not accurate.
Hey,, Its FREE if you already have or can get a meter.
Bill
I saw the Bing video. Great, i didnt know about that water test. How about just old worn out brake fluid. Whsts the best way to test for that? Sometimes people selling used cars lie, so this would be good.
What's wrong with "If you have doubts about the fluids viability, JUST FLUSH IT! " Its a very simple procedure.
A giant bottle of Syntec DOT 4 is $10.
Just get it DONE!
Somehow, I knew you were going to say that. I don't have lifts to take tires off to get to the bleeder points, plus im 67 with a bad back and hip im waiting to get replaced end of Jan. Im not physically abke to do it. Having it done at the shop is considerably more than $10.00.
How about just old worn out brake fluid. Whsts the best way to test for that?
Color test is good enough for most applications. If the old fluid is darker than new fluid change it.
IMO you're at the point of diminishing returns already if you spend more effort/money/time than that unless you need specific knowledge about how contaminated your fluid is for some reason.
Color test is good enough for most applications. If the old fluid is darker than new fluid change it.
IMO you're at the point of diminishing returns already if you spend more effort/money/time than that unless you need specific knowledge about how contaminated your fluid is for some reason.
Thanks on the color. Ive akways craved specific information and rarely do anything of consequence without research and evaluation. Especially if value is part of the decision. If I changed the brake fluid without knowing it was needed, that would bother me. Just the way I grew up, analytical. Now, if i had a plan to always change all the fluids in any car I purchased, that would be fine. Because I had pre determined that is a good value. Thanks again.
I use to live in South East CT. I would have invited you over to get it done if I still lived there.. I still will but West TX is a little far for a brake fluid flush.
Some things you might look into:
Jersey has TONS of C5 owners. Post up in Local & Regional and see if you can find someone in your area close who can help you get it done. Buy them Lunch and some cold Drinks.
Find the Local Corvette Club. Join it. Im sure there are members that have jack/lifts, tools and desire to help.
I agree with Dads2k. If it dark and oxidized, it more than likely more than 3-5 years old. You live in the North East. ANYONE who drives a car in humid damp climates needs to change out the brake fluid every 3-5 years at a Minimum because it is exposed to high humidity and heat and very cold cycles where the moisture contaminates the fluid..
I now live in El Paso. in the high desert.. Ive Been here for two and a half years now. Our average humidity is 10%-20% and mid 30% on a bad day. Seen it as low as 5%. I've seen cars here that are 15 years old with the OEM fluid and it still looks new. When I lived in CT, I had to change the Brake Fluid in my 02 ZO6 and other vehicles three times since I purchased it new because of Oxidation and water contamination.
I have an 2015 Durango that I purchased used in 2018. It spent all its life in CT and moved to TX in 2021. It needed a brake job last summer and HOLY CRAP, the brake fluid looked like Coke A Cola when I flushed it. For a lightly driven C5 that sees normal to spirited driving, Your brake fluid should be changed out every 3-5 years.. If you race or track your car, it can need to be changed out as much as after every HPDE event because of the very high heat the brake system is subjected to..
Please tell us more about your car; Type C5, Manual/Automatic, ownership trail, maintenance performed in past, how you drive it etc..
I use to live in South East CT. I would have invited you over to get it done if I still lived there.. I still will but West TX is a little far for a brake fluid flush.
Some things you might look into:
Jersey has TONS of C5 owners. Post up in Local & Regional and see if you can find someone in your area close who can help you get it done. Buy them Lunch and some cold Drinks.
Find the Local Corvette Club. Join it. Im sure there are members that have jack/lifts, tools and desire to help.
I agree with Dads2k. If it dark and oxidized, it more than likely more than 3-5 years old. You live in the North East. ANYONE who drives a car in humid damp climates needs to change out the brake fluid every 3-5 years at a Minimum because it is exposed to high humidity and heat and very cold cycles where the moisture contaminates the fluid..
I now live in El Paso. in the high desert.. Ive Been here for two and a half years now. Our average humidity is 10%-20% and mid 30% on a bad day. Seen it as low as 5%. I've seen cars here that are 15 years old with the OEM fluid and it still looks new. When I lived in CT, I had to change the Brake Fluid in my 02 ZO6 and other vehicles three times since I purchased it new because of Oxidation and water contamination.
I have an 2015 Durango that I purchased used in 2018. It spent all its life in CT and moved to TX in 2021. It needed a brake job last summer and HOLY CRAP, the brake fluid looked like Coke A Cola when I flushed it. For a lightly driven C5 that sees normal to spirited driving, Your brake fluid should be changed out every 3-5 years.. If you race or track your car, it can need to be changed out as much as after every HPDE event because of the very high heat the brake system is subjected to..
Please tell us more about your car; Type C5, Manual/Automatic, ownership trail, maintenance performed in past, how you drive it etc..
Bill
.
Hi Bill, great info and thank you. I actually live in Myrtle Beach SC. Im from the DC area but moved south in 87. This is my 5th C5. Targa not my favorite but it's Speedway White and Torch Red Interior. I looked for months. It's automatic, 63,000 miles, most every option, very well kept always and it shows. It came from Florida and I believe it lived there it's full life. I got it a year ago July and have replaced the harmonic balancer and shift cable that fell off in reverse in a large busy doctor's complex. It's stock all around and I like that. The brakes pads and rotors have been replaced and not that long ago. Everything works except the rear CD player. I have a Bluetooth adapter but I also have a million cd's and I wish it worked. One person here will fix it for about $400 but no guarantee. Yea right. Every once in a while the right headlight doesnt come up on the first try but akways goes down with the run on gear thing. I need to replace it but until I get this hip fixed I can't do much but sit and sleep. I've been offered $19,000, but not ready to sell. I've been driving it every day for about 9 days but usually I only drive it a few times a month.
If it had a brake job, Maybe, just maybe that fluid was replaced. Get a flashlight and shine it through the master Cyl reservoir. Remove the cap and see if the fluid is nice and clear or dark. If its Clear, You may be in luck.
If you are unsure about the condition of the brake fluid in your C5, flush the brake system. You do not need a lift but you do need to jack it up with a floor jack and put it on jack stands. No need to remove wheels. You should either enlist a friend to help -- OR better yet -- as you go from wheel to wheel, install speed bleeders. With speed bleeders you can flush the brake system by yourself. A thorough brake system flush takes about a liter. Have extra in case.
The EBCM and antiskid lines will be flushed if you brake hard enough several times to activate the antiskid system. After flushing the brake system the first time, then braking hard enough to activate the antiskid system you may notice some discoloration of fluid in the master cylinder-- the antiskid system is working.
I have used the method where a hand pumped air tank is used to pressurize the master cylinder for brake system flushing, but the speed bleeders are easier and quicker for me at age 79.
Beforehand, collect some copper tube, oil resistant hose and clear tube to connect to each wheel bleeder, and a solid clear container not easily knocked over to accept the used fluid from each wheel. Check the fit of the hose to the bleeder--you do not want the hose connected to the bleeder to pop off. The copper tube is bent to go from the hose on the bleeder to the clear tube going into the solid clear used brake fluid container. I have a copper tube for front and a different one for rear.
DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluid is corrosive to C5 body paint! Don't get brake fluid on the paint.
I use test strips to check the chemistry of engine coolant, but not brake fluid. I track my car and because of that, I flush the brake fluid after every other March. After March 2024 will be brake fluid flush No. 7.
If you do not track your car, DOT 3 brake fluid is fine. If you track your car, a relatively inexpensive high wet boiling point brake fluid I use is ATE TYP 200.
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Brake Fluid Tester?
