Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid.
| [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid. [message #296277] |
Fri, 26 February 2016 22:41  |
BobDunahugh
Messages: 2465
Registered: October 2010
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Karma: 11
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It's not at all as hard as bleeding your brakes to get the air out after a complete brake job. First. Remove the fluid in the master brake cyl reservoir. This can be done with paper towels. Don't let brake fluid get on any painted surface. You must use water to remove instantly. Then put a little brake fluid into the reservoir to use as a cleaner. More paper towels to clean the reservoir. 2. Power your new brake fluid into the reservoir. If the fluid you remove at the start was very dark. Forget doing the next step. 3 If the fluid was fairly clean. Put some food coloring in the first fill of the reservoir. Use a vacuum pump, or a helper to work the brake pedal. Start at the right rear, rear brake bleeder. Drain till cleaner fluid appears. Or the colored fluid first shows up. 4 next do the right rear front. then left rear rear, then left rear front. Next the right front, then left front. At this point. If you used coloring. Clean reservoir of all colored fluid. 5 Start at the right rear rear. And repeat as before till all points show clear, and clean fluid. A clear bleeder tube works best. And never let the reservoir run dry. When I take any one of my 4 Yenko's to a track event. I change my brake fluid after every track event. So I have to use the food coloring. In our GMC's. The fluids will more then likely have some discoloration to it. So the food coloring probably will not be needed. Bob DunahughMember GMCMI
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| Re: [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid. [message #296296 is a reply to message #296277] |
Sat, 27 February 2016 08:27  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Well, I just have to sit back and either cry or laugh and am unsure which is more appropriate.
The state nannies work so hard a making rules to keep things from changing that so many improvements just get left behind.
Yes, DOT does call for brake fluid to be amber.
I did once have four different kinds on my shelf. DOT3, DOT4, DOT5 and the first two have finally left to be replaced by DOT3&4. While I was doing work for others, I had to keep the 3&4 in stock. I no longer do either.
But one thing I can tell you is that you can't tell the difference by color and if you put DOT5 in a system that was DOT3, be real ready for problems. It would seem to me that changing colors would be a great thing.
But, who am I that I dare argue with the smartest people in the world (by their own account).
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid. [message #296303 is a reply to message #296296] |
Sat, 27 February 2016 12:10 |
GMC.LES
Messages: 505
Registered: April 2014
Karma: -2
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Senior Member |
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Matt,
My personal experience with the DOT 5 silicone brake fluid differs from yours.
As a test on my father's 1980 Audi 5000 TD, I did a simple fluid flush by removing the dirty DOT 4 from the reservoir and simply filling with new DOT 5. We then bled all 4 corners till we got blue fluid.
That car ran for several years with no abnormal brake system issues.
With all the other vehicles I have converted to DOT 5, I did a full system tear down, cleaning and rebuild. Those vehicles have also functioned exceptionally well for their remaining lifespans. A few of those vehicles were also ABS equipped.
I have seen one vehicle that did not like DOT 5. It leaked (weeped) at the wheel cylinders. Converting it back to DOT 4 "appeared" to have solved the leaks. That was a 1957 Unimog. The wheel cylinders had been honed at least once and new cups installed. The cylinder bores were tiny (5/8") and I suspect that contributed to the leakage issue.
I wouldn't blame my one failure with DOT 5 on the fluid, even though DOT 4 worked welling the sand system.
Les Burt
Montreal
'75 Eleganza 26'
The EWIP (Eternal Work In Progress)
> On Feb 27, 2016, at 9:27 AM, Matt Colie wrote:
>
> Well, I just have to sit back and either cry or laugh and am unsure which is more appropriate.
> The state nannies work so hard a making rules to keep things from changing that so many improvements just get left behind.
> Yes, DOT does call for brake fluid to be amber.
>
> I did once have four different kinds on my shelf. DOT3, DOT4, DOT5 and the first two have finally left to be replaced by DOT3&4. While I was doing
> work for others, I had to keep the 3&4 in stock. I no longer do either.
>
> But one thing I can tell you is that you can't tell the difference by color and if you put DOT5 in a system that was DOT3, be real ready for problems.
> It would seem to me that changing colors would be a great thing.
>
> But, who am I that I dare argue with the smartest people in the world (by their own account).
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCES
> '73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
> Now with Keyless entry and remote both.
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid. [message #296341 is a reply to message #296303] |
Sun, 28 February 2016 10:01 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Les Burt[1 wrote on Sat, 27 February 2016 13:10]Matt,
My personal experience with the DOT 5 silicone brake fluid differs from yours.
<snip>
Les Burt
Montreal
Les,
I am glad your experience was better than mine.
I have three and only those three experiences to go with:
A '73 Honda 350/4 that I had for years, I changed just by flushing and refilling and a short time later everything leaked.
A boat trailer of unknown age that the owner requested I change and shortly after that change master cylinder seals turned to mush.
A friends late 70s BMW, we flushed and changed and within the next six months the system had to be completely rebuilt.
At that time is was believed that the DOT3 fluid was breaking down and causing the problems. It was widely accepted that DOT5 was a cure. As we now know, that was not the actual case, and it has since been demonstrated that moisture can actually migrate into the wheel cylinders through the seals of both drum and disk systems.
I have done complete builds with DOT5 that had no issues that I have heard of years later.
So, I have no problem with a new system with DOT5, but those three were enough.
I think I am going to search up the moisture meter pen.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Restoration. Changing your brake fluid. [message #296391 is a reply to message #296277] |
Mon, 29 February 2016 01:39 |
BobDunahugh
Messages: 2465
Registered: October 2010
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Karma: 11
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Senior Member |
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The point that I thought needed to be brought up was mostly for new owners. And the importance of keeping your brakes in good working condition. As I think that brakes, as a system are way too often overlooked. It's the case of. If they work. They're fine. And I was trying to make the topic as a non threatening, and a simple topic. The list, and charts were interesting. And good info. Glade they were shown. I considered including more data. But I limited the topic to what I've found has worked for me. As there aren't many owners that run to the limits that I do. Our 78 403 GMC always has the job of pulling something behind it. It's minimum GVW to handle is about 17,000 lbs, to a max of 21,000 lbs. The Ford brake fluid has done the job that I needed done. And is the simplest to fine. Are there fluids that have higher temps. Absolutely. But the problem with most. Is the ability to find them at the time you need them. We're on the road with our GMC's. We just can't go back home to the store we bought that brand we got locally. And as to the wet temps. Just don't let your fluid get to that point. As now you know of this hazard. That's my bottom line point here.
Bob DunahughMember GMCMI
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