How often brake fluid change?
Pszemol
I am talking about a 1995 camry LE, 4-cyl, if it matters...
ransley
> How often should I change my brake fluid in No-ABS brakes?
> I am talking about a 1995 camry LE, 4-cyl, if it matters...
You are overdue, ive read every few years is a good idea but few ever
do it, the last time I did it they cheated me, and only did one wheel,
luckily a freind caught it, that the 3 other bleaders were never
touched.
ACAR
Yeah, every 2 or 3 years.
Dealers cheat by refilling the reservoir with clean fluid and not
doing the complete flush (bleeding at all 4 wheels).
Next time make the service order read "Brake fluid flush, bleed at all
4 wheels and replace reservoir fluid." Often, if you get very
specific, they'll do all the work.
If they ask why you are being so pedantic, tell them *other* dealers
have cheated you on this same service.
john...@hotmail.com
john...@hotmail.com
obvious. The other three had light coat of oxidation. And the dealer
can get away by claiming they did "flush brake fluid" -- just through
one bleeder.
Two-year change interval is the common practice. In dry areas 3 years
is probably ok too. I do them about every 1-2 years with the power
bleeder. It makes it so much quicker:
I use Valvoline SynPower synthetic (DOT 3/4) and Castrol GT LMA (DOT
3/4). Valvoline Pyroil DOT3 less often now since the price is about
the same as the DOT 3/4 synthetics. I think the dealer still uses CCI,
which has excellent dry boiling point but becomes crap quickly with
moisture. The Valvoline and Castrol fluids mentioned are all low
moisture activity fluids (read the MSDS sheets) that absorb less
moisture than standard fluids.
For those with ABS brakes make sure it's on the 2-year (or less)
interval. The ABS module is expensive.
Pszemol
> Like ransley said, when there was only one bleeder touched it's
> obvious. The other three had light coat of oxidation. And the dealer
> can get away by claiming they did "flush brake fluid" -- just through
> one bleeder.
>
> Two-year change interval is the common practice. In dry areas 3 years
> is probably ok too. I do them about every 1-2 years with the power
> bleeder. It makes it so much quicker:
>
> I use Valvoline SynPower synthetic (DOT 3/4) and Castrol GT LMA (DOT
> 3/4). Valvoline Pyroil DOT3 less often now since the price is about
> the same as the DOT 3/4 synthetics. I think the dealer still uses CCI,
> which has excellent dry boiling point but becomes crap quickly with
> moisture. The Valvoline and Castrol fluids mentioned are all low
> moisture activity fluids (read the MSDS sheets) that absorb less
> moisture than standard fluids.
Other than prevention against boiling over, is there any visible
benefit of flushing the brake fluid? Can you tell somehow by just
using the brakes how old the fluid is? What are the symptoms of
old fluid?
mjc13<REMOVETHIS>
Brake fluid accumulates water, and the water will eventually cause
rust in parts that come in contact with the fluid. That is the reason to
replace it in non-perfomance applications. In normal use, every 5 years
should be fine.
mack
<john...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:0b4570d9-09e6-4083...@b40g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
I'll likely be flamed for this, but to me, flushing and replenishing brake
fluid is on my priority list of "to do" items just below checking for navel
lint and reading the boilerplate ads in the newspaper of people filing for
"dba". I've never done it in any car I've ever owned (and that's quite a
few over several decades) and up until a few years ago, a motorist who
wanted a shop to do this would have been given a blank stare, like someone
who wanted the air in his tires to be drained and replenished. It's (to me
at least) just another way to allow a shop to generate a little income for
doing something completely unnecessary.
C. E. White
"mack" <mack...@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:13mdfpp...@corp.supernews.com...
Some manufacturers, mostly non-domestic and particularly European, specify
brake fluid replacement intervals. I've seen articles quoting domestic
automakers claiming it was unnecessary. Toyota doesn't list routine brake
fluid replacement intervals in the US, so I guess they don't claim it is
necessary. Pre-ABS I never changed brake fluid. With my more recent vehicles
with far more complex braking systems (ABS, ESC, Traction Control, etc.) I
have decided routine fluid replacement is a good idea. I do it every 3
years. I also try to stay away from opening up the brake fluid reservoir.
You might want to read:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/bfluid.htm
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf50412.htm
Ed
john...@hotmail.com
copper from the pipes leaches into the fluid, starts the copper
corrosion process, and blah blah blah. I heard it's baaaad. Again, I
flush every year or two so I dont know how bad.
The shade of the fluid is not a good indicator of fluid age some said.
You really should use the moisture test strip but will never be able
to find. For me, if it's dark and about a year past then it's a flush.
The Valvoline and Castrol LMA DOT 3/4 synthetics are more like two
years in my experience than the Pyroil DOT 3. I didn't like the
lubricity change in the Toyota CCI fluids so I don't use them. And I
never wait until dark coffee.
john...@hotmail.com
quart and about an hour of my time leisurely. However, in some Fords
because of the barrier hoses they used they do not recommend brake
fluid flushes. Toyota must be using cheap hoses then ;)
Actually, Toyota specifies 2-year flush intervals. I'm sure they
check navel lint too. ;) $5-8 every year or two? Cheap enough. Also
an ABS module is quite expensive btw. Even if you don't have ABS
Toyota still spec 2-year in the manual.
john...@hotmail.com
> Some manufacturers, mostly non-domestic and particularly European, specify
> brake fluid replacement intervals. I've seen articles quoting domestic
> automakers claiming it was unnecessary.
Ford's one of them. Maybe GM too, I don't know. But they use expensive
barrier hoses. I guess Toyota doesn't.
> Toyota doesn't list routine brake
> fluid replacement intervals in the US, so I guess they don't claim it is
> necessary.
I'm sure it's there in the service schedules book if not the manual.
(I'll check again when the books get back.)
Ed White
<john...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:458938a5-1372-4a2d...@e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>> Toyota doesn't list routine brake
>> fluid replacement intervals in the US, so I guess they don't claim it is
>> necessary.
>
> I'm sure it's there in the service schedules book if not the manual.
> (I'll check again when the books get back.)
I just looked at the Toyota Service Schedule for my SO's 2007 RAV4 - there
is no mention of changing brake fluid. I also looked at the online Toyota
Scheduled Maintenance Guide for a couple of vehicles
(http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/index.php) and don't see changing
brake fluid listed as a required service.
Ed
Pszemol
> I do my own easily with the PowerBleeder. So it's about $5-8 for a
> quart and about an hour of my time leisurely. However, in some Fords
> because of the barrier hoses they used they do not recommend brake
> fluid flushes. Toyota must be using cheap hoses then ;)
>
> Actually, Toyota specifies 2-year flush intervals. I'm sure they
> check navel lint too. ;) $5-8 every year or two? Cheap enough. Also
> an ABS module is quite expensive btw. Even if you don't have ABS
> Toyota still spec 2-year in the manual.
So I guess I am due for a one in my 1995 after 13 years of not doing it ;-)
john...@hotmail.com
incorrectly. The UK seems to be the place where people discussed the
recommended 2-year interval, but not in the US where a schedule wasn't
specified. However, I'll still keep my brake flush schedule.
john...@hotmail.com
incorrectly, looks like the UK version may be different. But can use
some verification there.
C. E. White
<john...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:96881b72-69ac-4d46...@i29g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> You're right. Just checked and it wasn't in the manual so I did recall
> incorrectly. The UK seems to be the place where people discussed the
> recommended 2-year interval, but not in the US where a schedule wasn't
> specified. However, I'll still keep my brake flush schedule.
I am not surprised changing brake fluid is recommended in the UK and not the
US. I think it is considered routine service in Europe. I think even Ford
and GM receommend changing brake fluid in Europe. On the other hand, oil
change intervals in Europe are 10,000 miles for Toyota, while they are only
5,000 miles in the US (for current Toyotas).
Ed