Changing Brake Fluid

[mito]

How do I change my brake fluid? and with what kind of fluid? Ford Dot 3, 4??

this could possible go into faq

[BB1-4WS]

Ford Dot-3 fluid is the best bang for buck because it's cheap, and has a 550F boiling point (dry). You can pick it up at most automotive places including Crappy Tire.

4 or 5 (500mL) bottles should be adequate to flush out your entire system. Honda's use cross channel ABS systems, so start bleeding in this sequence:

rear passenger side
front driver side
rear driver side
front passenger side

Make sure there's always fluid in the resevoir, and have someone with strong legs help because there's a lot of pumping involved.

I think it's time for another groupbuy on speed bleeders!

[mito]

Ummmm dude I did my brakes today and I didn't even finish 1 bottle that was 500mL. I just drained all the fluid from the brake lines and there was only like 500 mL worth of old fluid... and then i added the new stuff in, pumped it to make sure no air and stuff (i almost died) and then i didn't even finish one bottle....

what's the deal??? did i miss something?

[Marsh]

Did you pump until the fluid coming out of each calliper was nice a clear?

The car ussually uses just short of a bottle.

[mito]

yeah i got to it this morning....... it's nice and clear now and i used about 1.25 bottles worth.... i bought 5 bottles on vince's advice......ERRRRRRR....... Who wants brake fluid?? :D

[Maxam]

I just bled my brakes yesterday. I used about 3-1/2 bottles.

[Jarek]

Originally posted by mito
yeah i got to it this morning....... it's nice and clear now and i used about 1.25 bottles worth.... i bought 5 bottles on vince's advice......ERRRRRRR....... Who wants brake fluid?? :D
I'll be flushing my brakes this spring too.. so if you still have the bottles I'll take them.

[mito]

Originally posted by Maxam
I just bled my brakes yesterday. I used about 3-1/2 bottles.

How did u end up using that much? I had clean containers this morning when I bled the brakes again and it was clean... i was almost thinking to pour it back into the reservoir.

Yeah Jarek you can take them off me when time comes and if i don't use it up already :P

[Marsh]

BTW brake fluid doesn't keep well in plastic bottles. Make sure you keep it in a DRY place. Like arizona dry. Moisture will actually penetrate the plastic over time and ruin the fluid.

[mito]

Ok that just means I have to steal more stuff from school than........ wooooooo magnesium sulphate!!!! Of course I can just bury it in some salt or rice. Preserve it like a chinaman sausage

[Maverick]

Hey Jen, could you possible right a few steps on how to go about bleeding the brakes? I wouldnt mind doing that myself...

[911_turbo]

Originally posted by mito
Ok that just means I have to steal more stuff from school than........ wooooooo magnesium sulphate!!!! Of course I can just bury it in some salt or rice. Preserve it like a chinaman sausage


Dont forget the parafilm

[mito]

It's really actually.... i was gonna steps in the form of an article but i'll write it here too.

1. jack car
2. wheels off
3. follow cable found going to the brake caliper
4. loosen plug/bolt for the cable
5. take the cable into some collecting container
6. pour brake fluid into reservoir (reservoir is underhood and right infront of actually steering wheel)
7. sit inside of car and pump pump pump the brakes
8. add more fluid into reservoir
9. pump the brakes
10. repeat step 8 and 9 until fluid runs clean
11. tighten cable and plug back to original location
12. do all steps in the following order (just as long as you do them in an opposing fashion, it's good. The helms actually gave me a different order to do them than vince)
rear passenger side
front driver side
rear driver side
front passenger side
13. pump brakes
14. unscrew the plugs one by one a little bit to let air out
15. tighten plug
15. make sure reservoir is at the max

voila you're ready to go.

[Maverick]

thanx jen!

I might have missed it, but whats the best brake fluid to get?

Ford DOT 3?

[mito]

yeah they're all like the same price.....kinda....within 50 cents, and Ford Dot 3 has the highest flash point, so yup yup.... what i was confused about was when i saw the abs brake fluids... i was like errrrrrr......errrrrrr no body ever told me this... it was like double the cost!! But i remembered a discussion long before so didn't get suckered into buying the abs one.