Testing brake fluid
Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:39
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Mike Harding
It's years since I've done much serious work on motor vehicles but when I use to one of the issues with brakes was that brake fluid is hygroscopic and should be routinely changed at 3 year intervals - probably still the case today I imagine.
I'm planning a trip into some fairly hilly bits of the High Country soon and would be a bit embarrassed if my brakes (or those in my son's car - who will be with me) were to boil. The vehicles are regularly maintained but it would be nice to know the current condition of the brake fluid. I'm toying with the idea of taking a sample of brake fluid from the vehicle and doing a boiling test against know good stuff (there is a possibility of process measurement inaccuracies here though) but I wonder if there are any simple testing kits available these days?
Mike Harding
mike_harding@fastmail.fm
Reply By: guzzi - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:46
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:46
Mike,
Probably less effort and cheaper to just change the fluid and bleed the brakes.
Then you'll know its OK.
My 2c less GST
Pete
AnswerID:
200902
Reply By: sdr00y - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:50
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:50
It is probably cheaper and easier to go out and buy 500ml of brake fluid and bleed your brakes. I don't think mechanics test it, they just replace it.
If you don't feel confident in doing it yourself, pay a brake place to do it. Then you will have reason to worry.
sdr00y
AnswerID:
200904
Reply By: Member - Phantom (WA) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:50
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 17:50
Mike, At work we use a test gizmo that measures the
water content and has 4 different coloured lights. You just dip it inthe brake fluid. Whilst it is probably not that expensive, it would be easier to just call in to a dealer somewhere and ask them to test it for you. Takes about 10 seconds. The current recommendation is to change it every 50,000km or 2 years.
Steve
AnswerID:
200905
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:00
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:00
Thanks Steve - I'll do that.
FollowupID:
460055
Reply By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:03
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:03
Just change the fluid then you will know that it is ok.
AnswerID:
200910
Reply By: Redeye - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:34
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 18:34
Mike,
Changed
mine in the Nissan and the XR6 last year and was amazed at the difference it made. Both are a few years old.
New fluid is an inexpensive insurance.
Garry
AnswerID:
200916
Reply By: Shaker - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:00
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:00
Most RWC testing garages will have brake fluid testers, I had
mine done before our last Outback trip & it failed miserably!
AnswerID:
200923
Reply By: Peter - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:07
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:07
Mike
I change my brake fluid, clutch fluid and power steering fluid every 40,000km regardless of usage in between. All up costs around $100. To change the brake fluid alone is around $55. That's a complete flush and fluid replacement. If I go to the public library and pick up a free bookmark they normally have a voucher on them for a complete brake fluid flush and replacement free of charge. (That's in
Brisbane at least). To be honest I couldn't be bothered with stuffing around doing it myself when for that price it is done professionally and all the components are checked in the process.
Peter
AnswerID:
200925
Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:53
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 19:53
Hi Mike,
You should know not to take any chances.
2 years or 40k especially if you live on the coast.
Change it and have a nice trip.
Regards Derek.
AnswerID:
200931
Reply By: Member - John R (NSW) - Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 20:09
Wednesday, Oct 25, 2006 at 20:09
Just do what the Ford dealers do: Slosh it around in a wine glass, look at it inquisitively and say "Looks like he's xxx months past his scheduled service......Book him in!"
Sorry for the hijack....
AnswerID:
200934
Follow Up By: Bilbo - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:45
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:45
Yes, JR, that advert is a right turn off.
Well fer me it is. What a tosser! If any of my old workshop foreman were like that, the whole workshop would be extracting the urine behind his back!
Bilbo
FollowupID:
460332
Reply By: pedro the swift - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 10:07
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 10:07
Change brake fluid etc regularly is good advice. Also important is to replace flexible brakes hoses too. That black coloured fluid that comes out of brakes when you bleed them is contamnation from the rubber hose particles.
I have had a case where the hose had been completely blocked and would not allow pressure bleed off causing brakes to seize on. Found hose completely blocked from internal collapse.
Hoses were over ten years old. So if yours are getting that age think about replacing them.
AnswerID:
200995
Reply By: Robin - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 12:12
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 12:12
Hi Mike
Don't reccomend this , but I think you like to fiddle as I do.
Put couple of ounces of fluid in a small glass and cover with glad wrap,
Microwave for about 30 secs. Oil type stuff won't boil in that time but any
water will condense on sides of glass and be visible.
Works also to see if oil/diesel contaminated.
Do a check first using
water only of same amount and check to see that
water doesn't acually boil with your microwave and amount.
Oils can rapidily overheat in a microwave and be unsafe as I pointed out to a demonstrator once who was cooking a chicken in oil whilst talking to a crowd and he was using a clear plastic dish. The dish actually melted and collapsed around the food during the demo, before she turned it off.
Robin Miller
.
AnswerID:
201020
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 13:21
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 13:21
Good idea Robin, I'll give it a go.
Thanks to all who responded but keep in mind guys it is OK to test things we don't _have_ to renew items at every possible opportunity - that is what service intervals are for but it does no harm to test long term service items in-between.
Didn't I do
well Mad Dog :)
Mike Harding
FollowupID:
460210
Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 15:24
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 15:24
Mike, having spent many years in the motor industry, I would venture to say that brake fluid would be the most neglected service item of all.
FollowupID:
460235
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 15:31
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 15:31
Which is exactly why I am checking
mine :)
FollowupID:
460238
Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:29
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:29
Mike, was a passing comment ... not a criticism!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 07:53
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 07:53
That's what I thought - hence the smiley.
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460366
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 13:04
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 13:04
like the 29048230948320489 other responses, 2 bottles of fluid $10.00 and your away... not sure why you would bother with anything else.
AnswerID:
201031
Reply By: oldmagpie2 - Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:53
Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 at 22:53
it sometimes amazes me that in fifty years of motoring i have never changed the brake fluid in the different vehicles owned, but that doesnt mean you should'nt do it.cheers
AnswerID:
201131
Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 08:14
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 08:14
There is a reason I am very aware of the issues of ageing brake fluid.
It would have been around 1987 and I was driving an automatic car from Perpignan (near the French/Spanish border) to the small country of Andorra which is located high up in the central Pyrenees). It's a winding mountain road between the two with unprotected edges and sheer drops, it regularly crosses passes of around 7000 feet in height.
Automatics, of course, have little to no engine braking thus forcing one to make more use of the brakes in this type of country. As I descended into the first town in Andorra I had slowed to about 30kph as I looked for a cafe - a set of traffic lights 50m ahead of me changed to red and I gently applied the brakes - nothing! Pedal to the floor - still nothing! Only doing about 20kph by now and easily pulled up on the handbrake.
Took me a while to figure it out but the brake fluid had boiled. Had this occurred 10 minutes earlier on the mountain road and the brakes failed as I was approaching one of the many hairpin bends I would have happily tested the flight characteristics of the car over a 7000 feet drop - I suspect they would have been limited.
Of course in a 4WD with low range one uses the brakes much less but, like the Andorra road, those steep tracks in the High Country are very unforgiving.
Mike Harding
FollowupID:
460371
Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses - Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 08:51
Friday, Oct 27, 2006 at 08:51
So you don't use engine braking Mike?
AnswerID:
201178