Brake Fluid Change

[James Scott]

I want to change the brake fluid in my brake system when I change the rotors (slightly warped) and pads later today (I hope). When changing the fluid should I pump all the fluid out first....until dry as possible in the system, before adding and bleeding the new brake fluid? [having to bleed alot of air out of the system] OR, should I bleed out the old fluid only until at the bottom of the master brake fluid reservoir....then adding the new brake fluid..to keep continuity of fluid, preventing air in the system?

THANKS! for your help...

[immortal_suby]

Use your mom's turkey baster to get all the old fluid out of the reservoir. Clean the inside of the reservoir with paper towels to remove the stains and gunk from you old brake fluid if needed.

Fill with fresh fluid and bleed the brakes until clean fluid comes out.

[michael]

Isn't there an order for bleeding? ex. drivers front, pass front etc.. I need to change my fluid, it's way overdue.

[Beav]

No particular order is required but generally things will go quicker if you begin with the farthest wheel first, progressing towards the closest, i.e. RR, LR, RF, LF.

[michael]

Do you have to bleed the ABS pump?

[SVXRide]

The shop manual states that you should start with the two bleeder valves on the ABS box and then move to the back wheels, then the front (i.e. like Beav said...)
-Bill

[Beav]

Uh uh. Don't mess with the ABS bleeders, you could cause youself some grief. Just keep the master filled and bleed at the wheels. The only time you need to use the ABS bleeders is when you replace the ABS HCU. Trust me, FSMs don't always give you the best advice, especially when working on cars a few years out.

[Earthworm]

Chris, our admin, may disagree with you there. He was having brake issues when I visited with him last month.

[Beav]

Obviously if you introduce air into the system it will have to be bled. However if you keep the master filled there would be no reason to do so. I've seen too many people create problems for themselves with ABS bleeding - introducing garbage from other parts of the system, etc. Usually keeping to the simple side of a process is the easiest way to avoid complications.

[James Scott]

SOOOOOooooo, bleeding all the old fluid out first...is not the best way..or just bad cuz it might end up causing air trapped...??? Seems like just adding fluid would do a poor job of cleaning out OLD fluid...?

THANKS guys!

[Beav]

Just don't let the master cylinder go empty while bleeding and you'll be just fine. There is no 'flushing' per se, just replacing the old fluid, which is a good thing.

[svx_commuter]

I have bled the SVX brakes a couple of times and a few other cars as well as described above. As the new fluid moves into the lines it forces the old brake fluid out of the lines. The color of the fluid coming out will change from dark to new when the old fluid has been forced out. I have noticed that on cars where the brake fluid has not been changed in many years, as in maybe 10 or more, the fluid coming out never really looks like new. Flush all day and it never gets to the new state, especially on that rear right brake with the really long lines. I don't know why for sure but I gues some of the oil fluid sticks to the walls of the lines.

Draining out all the brake fluid and allowing air to enter the lines is not a good way to go. To much air will have to be forced out of the lines and it may never get out. I hope this helps

[ensteele]

This is a product that may help you do it by yourself, or make it easier with help. Speed Bleeder is the name of the product and they work great.

[Beav]

The downside to products like that is there is a certain amount of air that is sucked back in past the threads of the bleeder. They may put a coating on the threads to thwart it but it still isn't as good as manual or power bleeding.

[ensteele]

Thanks for mentioning that Beav. I didn't realize that air would be sucked into the live that way.