Brake Fluid Flush ?'s

[Steve_N]

I will be installing some new SS lines this weekend & I want to completly flush out the stock fluid & replace with a Synthitic DOT 4. I know how to bled the brakes & how to replace the lines. What is the best way to completly flush the fluid? Also what brake fluid is recomended by everyone & how much will I need to do the complete flush. I was planning on using speed bleeders but I can't find any that I can get my hands on by Sat. I was niave & thought I could easily pick up a set. :nono: Any info on sourcing those would be helpful also.

TIA

 

[souprat]

i wouldnt run the dot 4. i recomend using dot 3 like the resivour cap and owners manual says. now there are synthetic blends of dot 3 like what i'm running. i cant remember the brand name but it comes in a silver bottle. maybe you have a reason for wanting dot 4, i dunno, but i would just do what toyota says on stuff like this.

 

[drjonez]

easiest way to bleed is speed bleeders.

don't waste your $$ on big dollar brake fluid- the better the fluid, the more water it absorbs, so you'll be bleeding more often. i run valvo synpower, higher boiling point, less water absorbsion, cheaper than motul, etc.

 

[dbsupra90]

steve-

street and strip had speed bleeders last time i was down there.

 

[Steve_N]

Thanks guys- Reason for stating DOT 4 was I thought that all Syn. brake fluid was DOT 4. Otherwords Syn. = DOT 4. looks like Valvo Synpower is what I will go with. Now to find a set of speed bleeders. Any extra step(s) I need to take or add to the normal bleeding to flush out the entire system or just bleed normaly & I'll be good using the Synpower?

 

[supra90turbo]

Just keep on running new fluid through until it comes out as clear as you're pouring it in.

 

[drjonez]

Just keep on running new fluid through until it comes out as clear as you're pouring it in.

yessir!

 

[Steve_N]

Thanks abunch guys :drink1:

 

[black91turbo]

hey man!!!! you do not need to buy bleeders...... you can take a glass jar, make 2 holes about the size of vacuum hose in the lid. You take two decent size vacuum hoses and put each of them through the holes..... Now to bleed the brakes, just connect one of the vacuum hoses to the bleeder valve and the other to the boost gauge T fitting. Make sure that the bleeder valve is open and you drain the fluid that is currently in the system before connecting the vaccum hose to the bleeder valve. From there just start the car and watch it work. Make sure you top off the brake master cylinder as it will get low on fluid quick.... also make sure you are looking after the jar to make sure that the fluid level does not touch the vacuum hose in the jar. My buddy showed ma about 6 months ago. It takes me about 2 minutes to bleed my clutch and brakes now. hope this helps!!!! :icon_bigg

 

[YoNkErS87t]

would there be a problem running synthetic if you have abs in the car?

 

[drjonez]

would there be a problem running synthetic if you have abs in the car?

nope.

though have fun bleeding all the air out of an ABS car....it tends to sit up in the actuator...

 

[IJ.]

Motul 5.1 is a synthetic for ABS cars.

I always flush with a litre of methylated spirit aka denatured alcohol consisting of a mixture of ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol.

It works by surrounding any moisture (ie:water) and carries it out of the system, I then run 1/2 a litre of fresh brake fluid through before filling and bleeding with a MityVac.

 

[drjonez]

good plan, but motul is hyper-overkill for 99% of those here....

 

[IJ.]

I'm a bit fussy about stopping
(trust me dying hurts!)

 

[supra90turbo]

Nah, dying doesn't hurt. It's the process that sucks :icon_razz

 

[drjonez]

I'm a bit fussy about stopping ...

me too, but if you're tracking your car you'll be bleeding the brakes frequently....why blow tons of $$?

 

[williamb82]

idk, i used the castrol gt-lma stuff when i flushed my system in the mkii and installed the mkiii power booster, master cyl, line lock, risidual valves, ss lines and front bbk. worked great so far and not very exspensive. brakes work good too. lol. locked the fronts up a couple times the first day i drove it. lol. need better front tires i guess to fully enjoy all the added stopping power.

 

[mkIIIman089]

don't waste your $$ on big dollar brake fluid- the better the fluid, the more water it absorbs, so you'll be bleeding more often. i run valvo synpower, higher boiling point, less water absorbsion, cheaper than motul, etc.

The more water it absorbs the less you should have to bleed/flush, because the water will not be pooling and causing corrosion.

hey man!!!! you do not need to buy bleeders...... you can take a glass jar, make 2 holes about the size of vacuum hose in the lid. You take two decent size vacuum hoses and put each of them through the holes..... Now to bleed the brakes, just connect one of the vacuum hoses to the bleeder valve and the other to the boost gauge T fitting. Make sure that the bleeder valve is open and you drain the fluid that is currently in the system before connecting the vaccum hose to the bleeder valve. From there just start the car and watch it work. Make sure you top off the brake master cylinder as it will get low on fluid quick.... also make sure you are looking after the jar to make sure that the fluid level does not touch the vacuum hose in the jar. My buddy showed ma about 6 months ago. It takes me about 2 minutes to bleed my clutch and brakes now. hope this helps!!!!

Vacuum bleeders are not a very good method as you can introduce air into the system and may never get it all out with one.

 

[drjonez]

The more water it absorbs the less you should have to bleed/flush, because the water will not be pooling and causing corrosion...

heh. no.

the more water the fluid absorbs, the lower it's boiling point becomes. you DO NOT want water in the fluid (or in your lines i suppose...).

 

[mkIIIman089]

I didn't say water didn't lower the boiling point. If the brake fluid absorbs less of the water that gets its way into the system, there are "puddles" of water. Water boils at 212* regardless of what the brake fluid's boiling point is, on top of providing no corrosion resistance or lubrication. This is more detremental then "wet" brake fluid, so you need to flush it more often to make sure you do not allow water to puddle inside the system.

Why do you think DOT 5 fluid needs to be flushed 4X as often as most DOT 3 or 4 systems? Because it absorbs NO water.