Back when I was a young buck, I flushed when it turned opaque...

Then I bought a car engineered to last more than just a couple 100K miles and was surprised to find a lot of items in the preventive maintenance list that I never thought about.

It recommended flushing every 30K or 2 years. A bit of research showed this was also recommended by several other manufacturers. Even more common with advent of ABS.

So now I try to flush at least every 2 or 3 years.

I still have not found any recommendations from Ford or GM? Either I'm blind or (cynic stepping in) they still don't expect vehicles to last that long... Or like to sell replacement parts?

 

I do mine every 2 or so years. I use DOT4 fluid ATE Super Blue it has a lower water absorption rate from what I have read vs. other DOT4 fluids. There is a lot of information regarding DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 fluids and the diffrent boil temps and water absorption rates on the internet just Google it. There is also a diffrence in viscosity ratings most high ends cars or cars with a picky ABS use a 700 or so the standard is 1400 on the rating from what I was able to research.

 

Have been doing a flush every other year now. Towing and driving the local terrain heats the brakes up quite a bit and my truck sits outside so moisture collecting in the fluid is a concern.

 

I'm ashamed. I've never flushed before. What does water in fluid do? What is signs of moisture in the fluid? What's the best way to flush?

 

Ya I still have to flush mine too, you need a brake bleeder for this right?
Thanks

 

Moisture in the brake fluid decreases the boiling temperature of the fluid. There are test strips you can get that test I think the copper content of the fluid to gauge the condition.

Understanding Brake Fluid - RPMnet.com tech articles - by AFCO racing

I use a Motive power bleeder to flush all the old fluid through the system and exchange it with new fluid. Only takes one person with the power bleeder and no pedal pumping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0h5bMoW-aw

 

I prefer MV6838 Master Vacuum Brake Bleed Kit, more universal. The Motive units use presure to push it through the system and need to be a tight seal via specific adapters for each car master cylinder or the universal kits that use a chain type system but the offset is they are about 60.00 where the Mity Vac is about 200.00 but will work on all cars and you need a air compressor to use it. Its still just a 1 man job with the above kit.

 

I got spoiled living in dry California. Never, ever catch a drop of water in diesel, never had corrosion issue and am not worry about changing brake fluid too often.
I usually change it on used car I am buying, while never changed it on new car for 7 years, than gave it to my son and he drove it up to 12 years of age on factory brake fluid.
For Mercedes I build brake pressure flush system for $2 of junk yard parts, while using spare tire for pressure.
On Superduty I tried to use suction with my MityVac and it didn't work. Finally got my son to pump the brakes.

 

every 36 months regardless of mileage

 

every time a part or line goes bad

 

Lmao. I saw some vac kits last night when I was gogglung how to flush the brake fluid. I thought they where pulling the fluid back thru the master cyclynder not pushing. Boy I feel dumb. So if I can make an adapter to fit resovor can I use my air compressor? What psi would be a good starting point?

 

Very, very little! maybe 1-5 psi? Too much (like from unregulated compressed air) could result in excess drama - like blowing the reservoir off the MC. I use a small insecticide sprayer. Dump a quart in, screw onto M/C (I put barbed fittings into factory replacement caps), give it a few pumps. Refills and pressurizes at same time.

I should clarify: I use the sprayer on vehicles where pressure bleeding is specified - like our BMW. But even then, I start by using the Mityvac to suck all the old fluid out of reservoir so I am instantly flushing nearly pure fresh fluid into system when I start bleeding calipers. So if you are going to invest in only one system, I would suggest a vacuum style. Unless, of course, you have vehicle that requires pressure bleed, in which case get a pressure bleeder and use syringe or turkey baster to empty reservoir.

I flushed my SD a couple weeks ago and used my Mityvac 6838 and it worked perfectly. I had the Mityvac out because I was servicing a bunch of the moto-toys so it was easier to use that than make an adapter cap. With the size of the reservoir on the SD, there is very little chance of sucking it dry once filled!

 

I wish I could say that I routinely flush the brake fluid on all my vehicles every two years like I should, but like another poster said, I tend to do it when I replace a caliper, cyclinder, master, or line.

When I do bleed, I use what I think is about the best bleeder I've ever used - A KD 2222. It's a pressure bleeder with about a two-gallon dome-shaped pot that has a rubber diaphragm that separates the brake fluid from the compressed air (about 20 psi) that you pressurize the pot with. It comes with adapters that attach to any style of master cylinder, and it makes brake bleeding insanely easy. Also solves the problem of contamination of opened bottles of brake fluid; once you fill this bleeder, you can leave the fluid in it forever, since it never comes in contact with air. When it finally runs low, refill it with unopened quart bottles and you're good to go again for a long time.

There are several on EBay right now, including one with a "Buy It Now" of $99. I think they go for a little over $200 new.

Far superior to vacuum in my opinion, and you never have to worry about having the MC reservoir run dry. Two thumbs up.

***

"I thought they where pulling the fluid back thru the master cyclynder not pushing. Boy I feel dumb". Don't feel dumb; I believe that's exactly what vacuum units do. The poster uses a Master Vac vacuum-type bleeder, and was also referring to the Motive pressure-type similar to the KD 2222 that I use. I prefer the KD over the Motive because it separates the brake fluid from the compressed air (and the moisture in that air).

 

we use a turkey baster to suck out the fluid out of the resivor once a year and put new in and never had a problem

 

Be careful with using pressure for brake flushing and check the manufacturer recommendation.
Never have seen the recommended pressure for Ford, but for Mercedes it is 25 psi and the reservoir is holding it just fine.
Evidently Mercedes needs that kind of pressure to push the fluid via ABS system.
Good idea is that with each pads replacement -you open the bleeder and push the dirty fluid from cylinders outside, while later sucking clean fluid from master cylinder.
Brake cylinders usually collect most of the dirt and this is not something you want to push back into ABS system.