Flush??

67GTA-FB429 · Apr 2, 2004

Has anyone FLUSHED their brakes? I know how to bleed them. Just not sure what a brake flush is.

Thanks.

1320stang · Apr 2, 2004

Where you replace all the fluid in the system with new fluid.

I think in Europe they sell different colored brake fluid, so when you have a completely different color, you know you're done there. This is more for the guys that change their fluid as often as recommended, or even more often. If you're like most people, and don't change it very often, it's easy to tell when you're to the new fluid.

2nd Mustang · Apr 2, 2004

A few months after I bought my Stang, the power booster failed, so I took the oppurtunity to replace the booster, MC and took apart all the brake components and found the rear cylinders had some bad rust spots on the inside, luckily honing the cylinder took care of that along with the rebuild kits. I even changed both front calipers. I blew out the lines with compressed air to get as much crud out of them as possible. Whoa power it just as important as go power.

Edbert · Apr 2, 2004

2nd Mustang said:
Whoa power it just as important as go power.

Words to live by...literally

I replaced all lines and anything contacted by fluid, then replaced all fluid with silocone based fluid.

67GTA-FB429 · Apr 2, 2004

I understand the "replace all fluid" part. But how?? Do I open all of the bleeder valves and pump the pedal a few times??

2nd Mustang · Apr 2, 2004

1320stang said:
Where you replace all the fluid in the system with new fluid.

I think in Europe they sell different colored brake fluid, so when you have a completely different color, you know you're done there. This is more for the guys that change their fluid as often as recommended, or even more often. If you're like most people, and don't change it very often, it's easy to tell when you're to the new fluid.

As stated above, just look for clear fluid out of the bleeder screws. It might take more than "a few pumps", depending on how contaminated the lines, MC, etc. are.

pabear89 · Apr 3, 2004

67GTA-FB429 said:
I understand the "replace all fluid" part. But how?? Do I open all of the bleeder valves and pump the pedal a few times??

Use a Vac pump.
When I replace the brake fluid, I start by emptying the M/c and replace with new.
Then go to closest wheel and draw fluid to it and so on.

Afterwards a quick helper pressure bleed.

PB

1320stang · Apr 3, 2004

2nd Mustang said:
As stated above, just look for clear fluid out of the bleeder screws. It might take more than "a few pumps", depending on how contaminated the lines, MC, etc. are.

Yeah, and actually, it's best to go around twice if you really want to make sure you've got it all right. Really don't have to do as much the second time, just enough to make sure you've cleared out the calipers/wheel cylinders good. As far as wheel cylinders go, it's not a bad time to disassemble them and check them out, but if the boots are cracked, it's just about as cheap to get new ones as opposed to putting kits in the old ones.

Now as to the order, I was taught the opposite of pabear. I was told to goto the furthest away and work your way to the closest (ie. pass. rear, dr. rear, pass. front, dr. front). I never considered doing it the other way, and can't think of a good reason why it wouldn't work just as well. Maybe at one time there was a reason for it. Now I could possibly see doing it that way to a new system that hadn't had fluid in it yet, less air pockets maybe?

Is one way right and the other wrong? Is a poll in order? am I looney because it's 1:21am and I've been up since 6:30 am?

67GTA-FB429 · Apr 3, 2004

OK. Basically, I am going to bleed the brakes today, but I figured I would go ahead and flush the old stuff. This is just a stop gap bleed so I can get the car re-aligned. Since I put the new suspension/steering on everything is out of whack...including the brakes.

Thanks for the help.

2nd Mustang · Apr 3, 2004

67GTA-FB429 said:
This is just a stop gap bleed so I can get the car re-aligned. Since I put the new suspension/steering on everything is out of whack...including the brakes.

Thanks for the help.

My rebuilding the brakes was because the loss of brakes coming down a steep hill in a 50 mph zone! Brakes are really, really important, more than speed IMHO. Another example is my company van. I reported the power booster dead many times and the company mechanic said this is common in Ford vans. They repeatedly ignored my complaints until the van failed to stop in time and rear ended a Toyota pickup. They installed a new power booster the next day and there was never an investigation into the matter by the company.

pabear89 · Apr 3, 2004

1320stang said:
Yeah, and actually, it's best to go around twice

Now as to the order, I was taught the opposite of pabear. I was told to goto the furthest away and work your way to the closest (ie. pass. rear, dr. rear, pass. front, dr. front). I never considered doing it the other way, and can't think of a good reason why it wouldn't work just as well. Maybe at one time there was a reason for it. Now I could possibly see doing it that way to a new system that hadn't had fluid in it yet, less air pockets maybe?

Is one way right and the other wrong? Is a poll in order? am I looney because it's 1:21am and I've been up since 6:30 am?

When it comes to pressure bleeding the system, I still do it the Old school way. Farthest Wheel First to closest.

But when changing the Fluid, I start at the closest to the farthest.
I have found that it helps keep the the Cross contamnation of old and new to a min. using less new fluid to complete the change.

PB

gp001 · Apr 3, 2004

Here at the Fab Shop we use a high tech pressure system to remove/replace the fluid. It consists of a pressure sprayer (like for pesticides) and a modified master cylinder cap. Cost some where around $25 to build it.

The modified master cylinder cap has a barb fitting on it to accept a hose. The hose from the pressure sprayer attches to the barb. Put fluid in the pressure sprayer, open the bleeders, and pump the new fluid in and old fluid out

MustangPaul · Apr 3, 2004

That's a sweet set up! I have a tried and true Mighty-Vac that I use to suck all of the old crap out. The stuff I originally pulled out looked to be the color of Coke or Tea. I completely flushed them out and then went to DOT 5. The trick is to keep the MC full once you start bleeding. Nothing like sucking air into an almost completely bled system.

-P

PS I, too, was taught by my father to start at the farthest wheel and work back. Never reallly gave it any thought. One of those universal truths that I just bought into, I guess.

2nd Mustang · Apr 4, 2004

gp001 said:
Here at the Fab Shop we use a high tech pressure system to remove/replace the fluid. It consists of a pressure sprayer (like for pesticides) and a modified master cylinder cap. Cost some where around $25 to build it.

The modified master cylinder cap has a barb fitting on it to accept a hose. The hose from the pressure sprayer attches to the barb. Put fluid in the pressure sprayer, open the bleeders, and pump the new fluid in and old fluid out

There was a link to a pressure system like you're describing. I made mine out of a piece of aluminum stock 1/4" thick with a male air hose connection to hook up to my compressor. I think the aluminum was $5 and the connection was a spare one I had. I bought some gasket material at the hardware store for about $3. I also made one out of the pump sprayer, but got tired of pumping, why work hard when the compressor can do the same thing.

HistoricMustang · Apr 4, 2004

One word of caution if you are going to do it "the old fashion way". Check the fluid level OFTEN. Nothing worse that getting half way done and realize that the master cylinder has no fluid and you now have air in the lines.

I just picked up a '65 coupe and this project is first on the list of things to do.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

2nd Mustang · Apr 4, 2004

gp001 said:
Put fluid in the pressure sprayer, open the bleeders, and pump the new fluid in and old fluid out

Oops, sorry, didn't read your post closely enough. I used my pump pressure sprayer just to put air pressure into the MC reservoir and open up the bleeders to avoid pumping the brake pedal. Using the compressor in place of the pump was a little more helpful, but I did have to turn the pressure way down. The only draw back is making sure the reservoir is full during the bleeding process.

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