Brake Fluid Change

[Thrashed]

Hi all

 

After some pointers and advise on changing my brake fluid.

 

Now, the car is a Ford based Zero with drums on the rear.

 

After checking my paperwork it looks like I have never changed the brake fluid in the system since the car was built, so must be somewhere between 8-10 years old!!

 

I have a Gunson Eezibleed to help with the process.

 

I really want to get all the old fluid out first, so.....

 

1 - Do i syringe the old fluid out the master cylinder and then drain each brake in turn?

2 - Does it matter what order I drain each brake. My thinking is the furthest from the MC first to avoid any `backwashing'?

3 - Is filling just the reverse? Start at the closest and work to the furthest?

 

Any other tips would be great.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Guest James24785]

I wouldn't drain, I'd just pump fresh fluid through. Maybe syringe a bit out the reservoir and top up with new, and then push new fluid through

[Thrashed]

I wouldn't drain, I'd just pump fresh fluid through. Maybe syringe a bit out the reservoir and top up with new, and then push new fluid through

 

Thanks, my thinking was to try and not cross contaminate old with new?

 

I guess if clean fluid is coming out the bleed screw then all is good. Right?

 

Cheers

[brumster]

1 - Do i syringe the old fluid out the master cylinder and then drain each brake in turn?

2 - Does it matter what order I drain each brake. My thinking is the furthest from the MC first to avoid any `backwashing'?

3 - Is filling just the reverse? Start at the closest and work to the furthest?

 

1 - No, as said above, just pump through. You may well notice a colour change between new and old fluid so it's probably easy to spot when the new stuff is all the way through

2 - General practice is to start with the link furthest away from the master cylinder (rear left?), then rear right, then front left, then front right. It doesn't really make a massive amount of difference though.

3 - As above, don't empty then fill. Just push new fluid through system until signs of old fluid are gone.

[Thrashed]

 

1 - No, as said above, just pump through. You may well notice a colour change between new and old fluid so it's probably easy to spot when the new stuff is all the way through

2 - General practice is to start with the link furthest away from the master cylinder (rear left?), then rear right, then front left, then front right. It doesn't really make a massive amount of difference though.

3 - As above, don't empty then fill. Just push new fluid through system until signs of old fluid are gone.

Cheers Dan

 

Glad i checked. Makes the process easier for me.

 

Cheers

[brumster]

and probably rather obviously, but, be consistent with fluid type - whatever is needed for your system (Sierra?).... DOT4 presumably? Don't go for 5.1, if memory serves me correctly it doesn't mix with the other types.... (3/4/5)

 

correction: after a quick google, seems DOT 5 is the odd one (silicone-based) and doesn't mix with other types well...

Edited July 30, 2018 by brumster

[IanS]

Remember that the main thing you do replacing brake fluid is to remove the build up of water in the fluid.

Water boils and removes braking so it is a good thing to remove water.

The water is dissolved on the fluid (except DOT5) so changing the fluid dilutes the amount of water but some will always be there, the trick is to keep the amount low.