Originally Posted by Billman250

Wanted to revise my Brake Fluid Gravity Bleed procedure, to prevent ingest if air, and speed process. Gravity bleeding has added benefits over conventional methods, and prevents unwanted mixing of the new and old fluids. Also allows one-man operation. No pumping of the brake pedal will be needed. you won't even need to touch it.

Brake fluid should be changed every 2-3 years for normal drivers, more often for track and autox. Brake fluid that is left untouched will eventually concentrate with enough moisture to cause major rusting of the braking components internally. This can cause hundreds if not thousands of dollar in damage over the years. I have already seen S2000 calipers PACKED with rust and sludge. One was a 2004, 90k miles, original brake fluid.

This job is best performed while the brake fluid is warm/hot. A good spirited drive with lots of braking will warm the fluid and help it drip twice as fast.

The procedure should also be done on a very dry day. No rain or moisture around.

Return from your drive, safely get the car on stands and pull the wheels.

I recommend ATE Super Blue Fluid for all applications. 1 quart bottle of ATE Super Blue is surely enough to do the entire car. You'll use 3/4 -7/8 of the container.

1- Empty the master with a turkey baster. You will get all of the rear of the master empty, and some of the front brake fluid will be trapped. If there is any residue in the bottom of the master, use as piece of paper towel on the end of needle nose pliers to clean out the sludge/dark stuff.

2- If possible, adapt a smaller tiny line to the turkey baster. Use it to sneak in to the front part of the master cylinder res, and empty that last part that you could not reach.

3- Fill the master to the very top with ATE blue. Keep it full as the gravity process runs. Fluid is weight, the fuller you keep it the quicker you will be finished. Leave the cap off for the duration of the process.

4- By trial, I've found the best sequence is RF, LF, LR, RR. Start with the right front bleeder. Attach a 12" clear hose to the bleeder screw (10mm), running DOWN to a container below the level of the brake caliper and let it gravity bleed till it turns blue (no need to sumbmerge the line in brake fluid)
5- . This allows independent scavenging of that LAST BIT of fluid that remained in the front of the master. If you do the LF first, old fluid will move front the front part of the master to the rear, causing unwanted old/new mixing. THIS is why starting with the RF is key

5- gravity bleed the left front wheel until it turns blue. This wheel will go fast.

6- Do the rear wheels, both these can be done at the same time with two clear hoses and two containers. let them drip until they turn deep blue. At this point, let the master cylinder drip down to the full level, and close the last bleeder. Re-cap the master.

You'll have such a great brake pedal from the gravity bleed it will feel like the pedal is welded to the car

I have used this procedure on countless s2ks.

Originally Posted by tkeyyy

i've recently tried gravity bleed with furthest to closest to the reservoir and there's nothing wrong with that

Originally Posted by madmaxblaster

I was taught this process as well, but looking at online data, I'm just surprised to see this procedure. I was just wondering if it was a Honda only procedure.

Originally Posted by 623baller

anyone have a smart way to suck out the dirty fluids from the front part of the resvoir?

Originally Posted by tkeyyy