Green Goop
15 March 2014, 05:25 PM
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Green Goop
Was tinkering in my engine bay this afternoon and noticed what looked to be algae type stuff on the inside of my brake fluid reservoir. Took the cap off, and found a load of green slime in the filter 
Fluid was last changed about 10 months ago, I've done a track day with it and was planning on flushing and changing before my next track day in a couple of weeks.
Fluid was last changed about 10 months ago, I've done a track day with it and was planning on flushing and changing before my next track day in a couple of weeks.
16 March 2014, 10:05 AM
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I thought this was interesting enough to google but no one seemed to have a definitive answer.
The educated suggestions ranged from different fluids not mixing and reacting with each other to copper oxide from a reaction with the brake lines.
It most definitively NOT mould/algae.
The educated suggestions ranged from different fluids not mixing and reacting with each other to copper oxide from a reaction with the brake lines.
It most definitively NOT mould/algae.
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16 March 2014, 10:20 AM
#8
Possible, but fluid doesn't tend to recirculate back to the reservoir - if it did air would self purge from the system, and we all know it doesn't.
Most cars..including scoobies have steel brake lines. Unless someone has replace the lines with copper ones - as they are easier to form and cheaper. There should be little or no copper or brass in the system. I don't like using pure copper. Steel or Nickel Alloy for me.
Contamination and/or incompatible fluids is probably the most likely. As it look like the fluid has seperated out and congealed.
I once checked over a 6month old Fiat 500 with sludge on the brake fluid reservoir cap. This was whitish creamy sludge though, but it was humdrum brown fluid. In that case it was water, proven by my water tester, I can only think the engine bay was washed off with a loose cap or the fluid was checked in the pouring rain
I have a tester like one of these - great little tool.
Most cars..including scoobies have steel brake lines. Unless someone has replace the lines with copper ones - as they are easier to form and cheaper. There should be little or no copper or brass in the system. I don't like using pure copper. Steel or Nickel Alloy for me.
Contamination and/or incompatible fluids is probably the most likely. As it look like the fluid has seperated out and congealed.
I once checked over a 6month old Fiat 500 with sludge on the brake fluid reservoir cap. This was whitish creamy sludge though, but it was humdrum brown fluid. In that case it was water, proven by my water tester, I can only think the engine bay was washed off with a loose cap or the fluid was checked in the pouring rain
I have a tester like one of these - great little tool.
Last edited by ALi-B; 16 March 2014 at 10:22 AM.
16 March 2014, 11:26 AM
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I shall flush the fluid out good and proper, maybe even use double quantity to be sure the system is well and truly flushed.
How easily removable is the resevoir? It's got some traces in it where I cant' reach from the cap - so think it might be wise to clean that out properly too.
How easily removable is the resevoir? It's got some traces in it where I cant' reach from the cap - so think it might be wise to clean that out properly too.
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