How to change brake fluid

[namba209]

I've always been taught since day one to bleed the farthes from the MC and work your way forward. The reason being, you get the air out of the longest run first, then each one after won't have as much air in them. But that was when there was only one chamber in the MC and only one fitting on the MC as well, the lines to each brake was "T"d off the main line.

[jvandyke]

Originally Posted by West Coast GT Technical writer probably scribbled his notes in some sort of short-hand. Later, he just typed in what he thought his notes said. Got it backwards and didn't think about it. Just shooting to make his deadline. Or, there's a damn good reason and a lot of us are wrong. I've always gone for the rear passenger, rear driver, front passenger, then front driver's wheel.

Keith said this in the above referenced thread:
"But the FINAL authority (short of RallyBob) is the official Opel Factory Service Manual. Both of mine ('71 and '72) as well as my Autobooks Opel Manual agree: Bleeding should start at the wheel closest to the MC, and then progress outwards (no matter if it has dual circuits or not). And do only one wheel at a time, ensuring that the MC reservoir never depletes, and filling it after each wheel is bled."

Lot of concurrence out there between manuals. Probably doesn't matter much. Probably sequence doesn't matter much so long as you bleed long enough, you'll get the air out in the end. Academic.

[jtb]

Originally Posted by jvandyke Lot of concurrence out there between manuals.

You don't believe that everybody writes their own manual, do you? It's been my experience that things in different manuals (Mitchell, All-data, Haynes, etc.), especially diagrams, are all from the factory manuals. In other words, IF an error is made in the factory manual, it permeates through the others.

But, as you've said, as long as all the air gets out, what does the order matter?

jtb

[madhatterpdc]

I am a huge advocate of flushing brake lines with fresh fluid as often as feasable. Fresh fluid prolongs the life of parts and seals, and can even help with bad pedal feel if the old fluid is funky.

I actually like working on brakes, as long as I have the available finances to do it right. By that I mean, noticing that a bleeder is rounded off, then buy a new wheel cylinder, and since you have to disassemble the hardware, get new hardware and shoes, and since drums are only a few dollars more, get those too. And since the bleeder is rounded off by rust, it's a safe bet that the lines are about rust through too. The rubber lines are notorious for collapsing on themselves, now is certainly a good time to upgrade to braided.

And for #$@%& sake, if the master cylinder is working, DO NOT replace it. The master cylinder market is crap right now, and this is one part that you do not want to have to replace, so if the one on the car working *leave it*.

Also, brake fluid is the most vile substance on the planet. I ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl surgical type gloves when working with brake fluid or brake parts. Avoid letting brake fluid touch your lips at all costs, I think I would rather eat steel wool.

[namba209]

[quote=madhatterpdc;123394 Also, brake fluid is the most vile substance on the planet. I ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl surgical type gloves when working with brake fluid or brake parts. Avoid letting brake fluid touch your lips at all costs, I think I would rather eat steel wool.[/QUOTE]

You haven't had pain until you get some brake fluid in your eyes. I almost lifted a car off the ground getting out from under it, when a busted hose sprayed me down.

[baz]

ron have a sip of the stuff then wait 5 min if you can
fastest laxative i ever seen goes through you like that stuff through a goose

jvandyke my books almost all say front disc farthest away then nearest then shortest to rear and then longest to rear , and not just opel books , guess its who writes them

the idea is to push air away from the M/C which would make you think to work closest first like a ford book will say , but every opel one i have read said it as i wrote that way you get less chance of air pulling back round a "Tee" as with the "all drum method",i wonder if its something to do with the way the pipes hook up to the M/C , been that long since i had opel brakes (about 1985) i cant remember