In 10,000 miles of driving, you reach brake estimated at 60,000 to 70,000 visits. Not yet brake fluid Considered by many to be the most overlooked fluid in your vehicle despite being vital to your safety. Changing brake fluid is a simple procedure that you can do yourself. Here are the tools you’ll need: brake fluid, one made specifically for your vehicle, brake bleed pump, catch bottle, gloves, cleaning cloth and goggles. I’m Larry Kosilla, detail expert and coach for the past fifteen years, but when it comes to what’s hidden, I’m a student. Follow me as experts teach me how to diagnose, repair and modify cars on Autoblog Wrenched.
How often should brake fluid be changed?
It depends on the type of car you drive, the way you drive and the climate you are in. The latter factor can be a really important one for your brake fluid. There are different types of brake fluid with different boiling points, so be sure to replace the old one of the same grade or the right one for your driving purposes (such as some that are better for your vehicle). rail duty). Check your owner’s manual for more information specific to your vehicle. In our case we are using DOT 4, easy to find at any auto parts store.
Two ways to make brake bleed
As I learned, there are two main types of brake bleed techniques. The two-person method, known as “bleeding the pedal,” is when one person is pumping the brakes and the other is bleeding the brake lines at the same time. But today, I’m going to learn a faster and easier one-man method called “pressure bleed”. The purpose when the brake line is bleeding is to squeeze or push the old fluid out without allowing air to return to the system. If air gets into the system, it can be a big problem.
How brakes work and why brake bleeds make a difference
Brakes are hydraulic, meaning that when you step on the brake, the brake fluid, which is not easily compressed under this pressure, transfers the force of the pedal through the brake lines, to the calipers, pressing the rotors and stopping the vehicle. If air enters the system, either through poor brake leaks or leaking brake lines, the force of the pedal compresses the air, not the liquid. That’s why sometimes the brakes can feel squeaky and won’t stop as they should.
How to get started
Before opening the brake fluid cap, clean the surrounding area to prevent dirt from accidentally entering the system. Remember that brake fluid will destroy paint on contact, so wear gloves, eye protection, and of course, cover the paint and avoid any water droplets. Now, open the lid and use a turkey beaker to remove most of the old liquid from the master cylinder. Do not remove all liquid. Leaving some liquid in the master cylinder will help prevent air bubbles from entering the system.
Next, use a tool called a power bleeder, which uses pressurized brake fluid to push stale air and fluid out of your brake lines. Simply pour your specified brake fluid into the pressure vessel, attach the screw cap to the brake reservoir, and pressurize the system with the hand pump to about 15 pounds on the meter. With brake system pressurized, now is the time to move to the corner of the vehicle furthest from the master cylinder. Attach the brake cylinder to the caliper clamp valve, located on or near the caliper.
Now you always start with the caliper furthest from the main cylinder. In our case, it was the rear passenger side. Makeshift bottles can be made at home, but for ten to twelve dollars online, these airtight, magnetized, and seatbelt bottles are well worth the price. Depending on the type of wrench you are using, it may need to be in place before connecting the hose. With the hose securely attached, open the drain valve until you see the old brake fluid being pushed out of the system and into your receiver.
Notice the clear liquid and air, and repeat
Watch the brake fluid turn from its old brown color color, changes to a new or clearer color, indicating that the line is filled with new liquid. Then close the valve, no need to screw too tight here, just snug. Make sure to check your electric discharger has enough pressure and brake fluid to continue. You’ll most likely need to supply it with a couple of pumps to add up to 15 pounds of extra pressure. Remember to check your electric exhaust after every corner, you want to avoid running out of brake fluid during the flush as this will inadvertently add air to your system. Repeat this process on the rear of the driver, then the front of the passenger, and finally the front of the driver’s side closest to the master cylinder, in that order. Remember that some high performance calipers have more than one drain valve attached, so contact the manufacturer for recommended bleeding sequence or recommended tips. Once you’ve completed all four corners, test your pedal to make sure it feels solid before driving.
If not, repeat the process until the pedal is solid again. Then, slowly release the pressure from the electric discharger, then open the exhaust cover, pour brake fluid into the master cylinder reservoir and replace the cap. And remember, brake fluid contains polyethylene glycol, which is found in some paint solvents and is extremely corrosive. Be sure to remove your gloves before getting in the car or touching the paint as there may be some old brake fluid left over, which can turn a quick brake failure into a full repaint. With the project done, we have all the used fluids that now need to be disposed of. Make sure you do it properly. Check your local auto parts store to see if they recycle or they can take you to a local collection facility. For more on how to do it repairs video, go to autoblog.com/wrenched. I’m Larry Kosilla from ammonyc.com, as always, thank you for watching.
View all of us Autoblog Wrenched video for more tips on diagnosing, fixing, and modifying cars from expert detailer Larry Kosilla. While you’re at it, check out Larry’s other auto maintenance and cleaning video series Automatic log details!
