I was getting my new rear tires on a few weeks ago, when the mechanic calls me and tells me that they did their standard 10 point inspection blah blah blah. He insisted that I have my brake fluid changed. He said that they tested my brake fluid and it had gone bad. Supposedly they have this test strip that they dip into the resorvior and if it changes a certain color then the fluid must be changed and the system must be flushed.
Being suspicious, I just told him to put the tires on and get the car back to me, but now I am a bit curious. I've never heard of brake fluid "going bad" (especially when it visibily it looks like new). Has anyone else heard of this?

 

This should answer all your questions:

http://www.acustrip.com/specs/specsbc3.html

http://www.acustrip.com/specs/specs8000.html

 

Very interesting concept and it could be a good way to monitor fluid, or just a good way to sell services.

I did not see exactly what pass / fail means, but this whole fluid change issue can be summarized pretty easily.. and I think it was in another thread. On a street car the fluid should be changed about every two years although more often in a high humidity area is appropriate. On a car that is tracked it is reasonable to change the fluid every few events, or just bleed enough that it gets swapped out that often.

Brake fluid does not 'go bad' but just absorbs water. Many cars get away with a full life without ever changing it.. although the brake system will not be as effective as it should be.

 

You can always use a turkey baster to remove much of the old fluid from the master cylinder, and replace it with fresh. After a while, this "dryer" fluid will work it's way toward the brake calipers. However, if you've gone a long time without a bleed-thru (flush) you really need to do it.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Destiny2002
You can always use a turkey baster to remove much of the old fluid from the master cylinder, and replace it with fresh.

 

Agitation and Entropy occurs, meaning the drier fluid mixes with the wetter fluid and the average effect is an overall drier mixture.

Also, you can clean out the filter cup on the master cylinder resovoir, removing some contamination as well. However, there are "heavy" contaminants that will never work its way up the line.

A friend of mine had a 82 civic, he had to use both feet to stop the car the first few stops of the morning. I suggested changing the brake fluid, he didn't know how. So we did it together, and the stuff coming out near the calipers looked like a mixture of oil and sand. After the fluid change, the brakes worked wonderfully. Unfortunately a couple weeks later somebody nailed him from behind and totalled his car

So in summary, the right thing to do is completely get out all the old fluid, which requires you to bleed the new fluid all the way down to the calipers. If you temporarily do not have the expertise or money to do it, you can cheaply change the resovoir fluid, clean and dry the catch filter, and refill with fresh fluid for the cost of the fluid. This might hold you over an extra year or so.

 

Doing a brake bleed is actually VERY easily. Just get a friend to sit in the car jack up the car take a tire off at a time. Hookup a clear hose to the bleeder and run it into a 20 oz or if your doing a lot a 1 liter bottle and run the fluid in there.

There are walk thoughts of this whole process but it is frighteningly easy. I just do a quick 3-4 pump bleed of my brakes before hitting the track or really HARD drive if I haven't done one in a couple months.

 

Pinky... what tire pattern should we use in bleeding our brakes? Also what tips do you have to keep air from getting in the lines? Should I put more brake fluid in after each tire?

Thanks

 

Pinky... what tire pattern should we use in bleeding our brakes? Also what tips do you have to keep air from getting in the lines? Should I put more brake fluid in after each tire?

Thanks

 

Am I so slow you need to post it a second time?

I think the pattern is.........below..........I suck!

Though if your just doing a bleed(3-4 pumps to move the fluid that is in the caliper) your pattern can be what ever you want!