tucker

I've seen lots of posts about brakes but nothing about flushing brake fluid. I know a guy who is an Infinity mechanic and he gave me this tip about a year ago and I thought I'd pass it along. His dealership recommends flushing brake fluid every 40K miles. Incidently, they charge a pretty hefty fee for this. He also mentioned that most master cyl., caliber, and wheel cyl. problems can be attributed to old, dirty brake fluid. Brake fluid gets very hot in the caliber and over time the additives brake down and dirt accumulates in the calibers or wheel cyl. and makes its way up to the master cyl. In extreme cases the fluid can actually boil and cease the caliber. I've flushed the fluid in all my cars and it does make a difference in terms of a firmer pedal. Most everyone reading this forum has a Max with 100K on it should be interested in this. But if in doubt; go check your fluid in the reservoir. I betcha it's black. Now check a bottle of new fluid...nice amber color. It's a cheap maintenance chore and it's not hard to do so listen up:

Needed:
- New bottle of DOT 3 brake fluid
- 8mm box end wrench (don't use open end. You'll round off the bleeder nipple)
- Brake bleeder kit. Small 2-oz bottle with a magnet and hose about $4 from Auto Zone.
- Turkey baster (Or anything that sucks)

- Clean around the reservoir cap and remove. Empty the reservoir using the turkey baster. Get all of it out right down to the master cyl. You don't have to worry about getting air in the system.
- Fill the resevoir with fresh DOT 3
- Starting from the wheel furthest from the master cyl (psgr side rear) attach the bleeder bottle (using magnet) to some point higher than the wheel cyl or caliber. This will keep air from getting into the system.
- Put the wrench on the bleeder nipple and install the bleeder hose on the nipple.
- Now crack the bleeder nipple. You should see some really ugly looking black brake fluid starting to come through the hose.
- Go inside the car and pump the brake pedal. The car doesn't have to be running.
- Usually about 8-pumps should fill up the bleeder bottle.
- Empty the bottle being sure to keep the hose above the caliber to make sure air doesn't get into the system.
- Position the empty bleeder bottle. Again make sure it's higher than the caliber. Find something metal for the magnet to stick to.
- Add some more fresh brake fluid to the reservoir and repeat until the fluid comming from the bleeder nipple is a clean as the new brake fluid.
- Repeat the whole procedure for the next wheel furthest away from the master cyl. (should be driver's side rear). Next the front psgr. and last front drivers side.

The procedure takes about 1-hour by yourself. It goes much quicker with someone pumping the brake and refilling the reservoir. It is a pain in the a!@ to jack up the car and take of the wheels; but it's worth the effort MAKE SURE YOU FILL THE RESERVOIR EACH TIME YOU EMPTY THE BLEEDER BOTTLE! WHEN EMPTYING THE BLEEDER BOTTLE KEEP THE HOSE ABOVE THE WHEEL TO KEEP AIR OUT OF THE SYSTEM!

Now get to it. We need to keep these old Max's running smooth. Now if I could only find some decent rubber floor mats. These stupid carpeted floor mats pick up everything but money and women! Who the hell every thought up carpeted floor mats??!!

Good Luck!

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Or you can use a pressure bleeder and not worry about keeping the reservoir filled
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....219#post503219

94M@X

Costco has some really good rubber matts. I purchased a set for $20. Good stuff

93teg44444

And for a few bucks more you can go to a dot 4 or 5 synthetic fluid. Much more resistant to heat fade and water contamination. Water contamination is part of the reason why brake fluid turns brown. Also remember to never let the pedal go all the way to the floor when pumping the brakes. Since if you let the fluid turn brown, then there was water in it; then that water tends to corrode the inside of the steel brake components. The inside of your master cylinder can get quite rough. if you let the pedal go farther then it has gone during normal use the fragile rubber seals on the master cylinder plunger can be damaged even little nicks and cuts will cause leaks past the plunger. This causes very bad brake performance and requires you to replace the master cylinder. I know because I learned this the hard way after bleeding my system when painting my calipers.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

DO NOT USE DOT 5 BRAKE FLUID
http://www.team.net/sol/tech/dot5.html
http://www.shotimes.com/SHO3brakefluid.html

haysdb

It's not specifically mentioned, but the "brake bleeder kit" must include a "check valve" (one-way valve) in order for this to be a one-man job. Without the check valve, and without someone to open and close the bleeder valve, this wouldn't work.

I am going to try it "the old fashioned way" (which requires two people) because (1) I'm cheap, and (2) because it seems to be "the right way". Speed Bleeders would be nice, but not worth it (to ME) for a job that'll only need to be done every couple of years. A MityVac is an option, but I have read convincing arguments why the pump-the-brake method is more effective at removing air bubbles attached to the linings of the brake system hoses. Most other options are more expensive than these two. I think the simple $5 or $10 "brake bleeder kit" could work very well, IF there are no air leaks in the hoses or in the check valve, but these are potentially big ifs. I don't KNOW, I'm just going by what I have gleaned from lots and lots of READING along with a dose of logic. Those with good experience DOING could well chip in with your input.

Before anyone says this subject has been beaten to death, no, it really hasn't. And no, there isn't anything in the "Stickies" about how to change break fluid, as least not without Speed Bleeders, not that *I* have been able to find, and I HAVE been looking.

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

I bought the one-man bleeder kit from NAPA w/ the check valve, and it worked great.

haysdb

I wonder if the ones from NAPA and Auto Zone are effectively the same thing? The later is more convenient. I also read a thread which talked about making your own using an aquarium check valve.

The most "damning" comments about the 1-man kits relate to (1) the possibility of the hose coming off and the 1-man not knowing it until a good amount of (paint eating) brake fluid had squirted all over things, and (2) the wasting of a good amount of brake fluid because the 1-man wouldn't know when to stop pumping. Even if I try the "kit", I'll probably have someone else pump the brake while I monitor the fluid coming out, and make sure the reservoir isn't allowed to go dry.

mtcookson

iTrader: (2)

hey, a wichita member! i live about an hour away from wichita. do you go to the car meets/track very much?

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

I just erred on the side of caution.....pump 6 times, check to see a fluid color change, repeat. The tube fit very snugly on the bleeder, and the other end was in a coffee can, so the odds of the first scenario are pretty low. As for the reservoir going dry, it takes much more than 5 pumps to let it go dry, so I just topped it off after each pumping sequence. A bit tedious, but with one person it worked out fine. The most fluid you could waste is 5 "pumps", which isn't that much IMHO.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

I've never had a problem using any of them without a check valve, and I've bled brakes hundreds of times.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

If you want to do a one man bleed then yes, a check valve is probably needed as one person can't be on the pedal and be at the caliper. Then again, this is pretty common knowledge. But most 1 man types already have a check valve and there isn't an option NOT to have a check valve.

And brake bleeding IS in the stickies:http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...3d801f5944.jsp

«§»Craig B«§»

iTrader: (5)

CALIPER, not caliber

MrGone

iTrader: (30)

Or a Vaccum one


Old Fashioned way > * though


Also do not mix synthetic and regular brake fluids.

haysdb

Never been, but I'd be willing to give it a try.

Could you elaborate on that statement? You obviously have vast experience, but I don't understand what you mean. Do you flush brake systems by yourself without the use of a check valve? Please describe your process.

Thanks for the link. I hadn't run across that HowTo. A few comments/questions:

• It's interesting that the bleed order of LR->RR->LF->RF is the THIRD bleed order I have seen recommended. Makes me wonder how much it matters.
• The artricle recommends DOT 3. Everywhere else recommends DOT 4.
• Why fill the bleed jar "half full" of brake fluid? Seems like a waste of brake fluid to put that much in the jar, at least at the beginning. Must this be NEW fluid? Wouldn't make sense that it would have to be since it would only be "new" until the first bit of used brake fluid enters the jar, and it's hard to see how any fluid from the jar could be sucked back into the system.
• Should the brake pedal simply be "depressed" or should it be "pumped" a few times prior to the bleed valve being opened each time? Other articles refer to "pumping up" the brakes prior to opening the valve.
• What is meant by "pressurize the system" at the end of the article? The only way I would have would be to simply press the brake pedal.

doomtoo

I'm looking to try this - for some reason lately my brake fluid has actually been noticably declining.. And it's also pretty dark black Never had it changed, and doubt it has been before... but big question - for NON ABS GXE - what dot should I use? I see dot 3 and dot 4 reccomended, but I'd rather use whatever would work best, even if it was a couple dollars more.

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

DOT 4 is just a more stringent version of DOT 3. Higher boiling temp, and (maybe) more impervious to moisture absorption. DOT 4 is compatible with DOT 3, but not the other way around. Kind of like Windows 98 and Windows 2000 (DOT 5.1 would be Windows XP Pro).

haysdb

I splurged for the ATE Super Blue, but can't imagine that I will actually notice any difference between that and regular old off-the-shelf Auto Zone stuff. I figure if I'm going to go to the trouble to replace the brake fluid, and figuring it's not something that needs to be done very often, I might as well put the best available stuff in there. Hopefully two liters will be enough for the Maxima and a BMW, but we'll see how much I waste on the first car.