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How to change brake fluid type?

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Old May 2, 2003 | 09:23 PM
  #1  
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Richard Curtis
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Hi,

As part of a brake upgrade I'm switching to dot5.1 fluid.

The question is do you:

1. Have to completely drain the old fluid before introducing the new stuff?
or
2. Just bleed off the old stuff from each of the wheels while topping up the resevoir with the new stuff?

If 1. how do get all the fluid out of the pipes when the master cylinder is empty? do you just pump through air?

If 2. any problems with the different grades of fluid mixing in the system?

Cheers

Rich
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Old May 2, 2003 | 10:25 PM
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From: Deepest Darkest Dorset!!
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get as much of the old fluid out of the reservoir b4 you put fresh in, don't let air into the system, and bleed until you see a colour change in the fluid coming out of your bleed pipe, you should be able to tell when it starts to come through!
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Old May 2, 2003 | 10:34 PM
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Richard Curtis
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Thanks Ron,

With 10 views and only 1 reply I'm glad I wasn't the only one who didn't know.

Cheers

Rich



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Old May 2, 2003 | 11:02 PM
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From: Deepest Darkest Dorset!!
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I don't know how old your car is, but you'd be amazed at how even just putting new fluid in changes the feel of the pedal, let alone uprated fluid!!!!
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Old May 3, 2003 | 12:23 AM
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Richard Curtis
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RON
Its a 97 with FSH but I'm not sure when it was last changed (if ever).

Fitting braided hoses too, should hopefully be stiffer than a stiff thing when done,

Cheers

Rich
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Old May 3, 2003 | 08:40 AM
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stockcar
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a quick tip is to "syphon" the old fluid from the resevoir (we use a large syringe!!), fill with fresh and then bleed thro' each caliper until you get nice, fresh fluid!!
dot5.1 will mix no probs with your old fluid if its regular road type....only some of the more specialist synthetic types that don't!!
alyn - as performance

p.s. sorry to dampen your post but dot5.1 is NOT a performance fluid, merely an ABS specific application......most "competition" spec fluids will 'only' be dot4!!
the "dot" number is merely an expression of water resistance and not as most "specialists??" seem to infer an indication of performance!!
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