Brake Fluid Changing To A Different Type

[Craigo 0]

good evening!

 

i wish to change my brake fluid, my car is solely for track, so im thinking of using this fluid:

 

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-892-motul-dot-...tems-dot-4.aspx

 

heard decent things about it, not as good as Castrol SRF, but the price is nowhere near it either so im not expecting the same! anyone here use it for track?

 

also going to fit 1.9 calipers and braided front lines at the same time, to my 1.6 gti.

 

now regardless of which fluid i do actually get, i do not want to mix whichever fluid is in the system at the minute with the new stuff, so if i followed this process would this be any good:

 

1. open all 4 bleed valves at the same time

 

2. pump the brake pedal without topping any more fluid in, until the system is dry.

 

3. pour new fluid into reservoir, with all 4 bleed valves open, pump brake pedal until fluid starts to appear out of each valve. as fluid appears close each valve in turn.

 

4. bleed system starting back nearside, back offside, front nearside, front offside as the car is right hand drive.

 

5. take for a drive to see how it feels!!

 

 

i have heard in the past that you shouldnt let the reservoir empty as this would get air in the system obviously, but if im changing the fluid and bleeding the system through, would this be ok?

 

thanks in advance, i tried to search for this but could not find the relevant topic.

 

thank you

 

craig

[Craigo 0]

also if i wanted to 'flush' the system, what would i use/do to achieve this?

 

thank you

 

craig

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

Don't pump the pedal whilst the nipples are open otherwise it will just pump some out then suck air back in (unless it's just the way you've worded it!). Bleed order isn't really that important IMO.

 

I don't like the pedal pump method though and never have success with this, however a Gunson's Easibleed using a pressurised system is a nice easy way to do it IMO.

 

To flush just make sure you bleed out an decent amount from each caliper. It'll run clean if the old fluid was very old. Some fluid is coloured though so easier to see when it comes out different.

[RonnieG 0]

Previous post on possible Brake Fluids to use on 205's on track ;

 

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?s...76&hl=fluid

[jonnie205 1]

i have always just pumped perdal method, you need to lock the nipple before pedal comes up

[Rom 0]

To bleed you need to close the nipple before you left the pedal up as said, or you forever suck air back in.

But to empty the system it wont matter.

 

If im flushing, ill just put 2-3 resevoirs of fluid through the system. But i dont pay for fluid

The more air you get in the system, the harder it will be to bleed. It will work, just takes longer. Pedal method is old school, but proven. I have had to resort to it when pressure bleeders dont quite achieve a good result. Its just a lot more labour instensive than pressure bleeding.

 

I cant comment on fluid choice, as i dont track mine. I stick to 5.1 on the road.

[hengti 2]

i've always used Castrol Response and haven't had any problems with it - although the Motul is actually a little cheaper than what i've been paying for the Castrol locally. i'd recommend getting a couple of litres, just in case you have any bother whilst bleeding it - it's easy to pump loads of fluid through and it's annoying if you run out of new fluid before you're happy with the pedal - especially if you've mail ordered it.

 

to drain the system, you could simply disconnect each hose and (with the cap off the resrvoir), simply allow gravity to do it - although - after doing this myself i did experience m/c failure. it was the original m/c and there's a possibility that pump-bleeding the system through (with the m/c seals 'dry') might not have done the seals any good. also, installing new hoses may expose any weakness in the m/c seals as you're effectively increasing the pressure that they're subjected to.

 

if your m/c is original, it's a v good idea to renew that as well (they're only about £40 for an OE Bendix one - GSF/ECP) - that way you can be as sure as poss. that you're not going to be driving into any nasty surprises at any following stage.

 

 

ed. using an Easibleed will avoid any potential problem with the m/c seals as it pushes the fluid through (and you can always pedal-pump afterwards if needs be) and it'll also help minimise the amount of fluid you get through.

Edited November 20, 2008 by hengti

[Craigo 0]

brilliant thank you! will get the use of a easibleed systme to do this then!

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

brilliant thank you! will get the use of a easibleed systme to do this then!

 

I've got an easi-bleed and for general flushing of the system it's great, however I found it doesn't get all the air out.

For the final round of bleeding the normal way is best.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

I find the opposite - I just run the tyre at normal pressure (30ish psi) and it seems to work fine.

 

Fluid I use is always 5.1 (any make) and get no problems at trackdays (Castrol Response Super Dot 4 is not as good - I had spongey brakes after trackdays with this).

[Craigo 0]

I find the opposite - I just run the tyre at normal pressure (30ish psi) and it seems to work fine.

 

Fluid I use is always 5.1 (any make) and get no problems at trackdays (Castrol Response Super Dot 4 is not as good - I had spongey brakes after trackdays with this).

 

just ordered some ATE blue racing fluid from comp brake on reccomendation from the guy who runs compbrake and a few on here, going to just bleed the system through with this, as i will know when the new fluid is coming through, as it is blue!!

 

 

thanks guys

 

crai