What brake fluid do you use..

the motorcraft brake fluid used to be one of hte best on the market. they changed the formula about a year ago adn the dry boiling point dropped.

i use the Valvoline Syntech ABS brake fluid. works really good for the price, about $7 a quart. Castrol GT-LMA is also good fluid and is reasonably priced as well. ATE red or blue is also another good choice as well as Motul.

when i ran my last open track event earlier this month, i was one of the only cars in my run group to not have to pull off during hot lap sessions due to brake fade. the other cars were a track prepped 03 cobra with Willwood road race brakes and a 00 Cobra R that was driving like a granny (blew past him after the esses).

i used about a quart, but if i were you i would buy 2 quarts just to make sure eveything gets flushed. also if you do it right, you wont lose a lot of fluid.

Yes the Valvoline Synthetic is good stuff, not too expensive and easy to find.

For long hydraulic component life, you should keep clean brake fluid in the system always. You should take this opportunity to flush the entire system and see that it is properly bled after replacing these components.

Brake fluid in ANY car should not go longer than about 24 months without flushing the system thoroughly leaving nothing but clean fluid in place.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning that it absorbs moisture. The moisture will corrode the hydraulic components. Brake fluid is cheap and it takes very little time to flush the system. If you do so, you will probably never have to replace failed hydraulic components which are not cheap and not quick to replace.

You are wise to change your brake fluid a lot of people never do...

The Bullitt Archive has a good article on brake fluids.

I use Valvoline Synthetic in my GT. No complaints here.

GeorgiaTech said:

how many quarts would i need to fill up the system - i'd most likely be draining it all out.

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please dont just drain it out, you will get a massive amount of air in your system that will be a major pain to get out properly. save yourself the aggrivation and do it right.

its super easy if you have a 2nd person to help you and just pump the brakes while you open and close the bleeder valve on the calipers.

Brake Bleeding Methods

There are three methods of bleeding that can be done without prohibitively expensive equipment: manual brake bleeding, vacuum brake bleeding, and gravity brake bleeding. Whether bleeding a master cylinder on a bench, or a brake caliper or wheel cylinder on the car or truck, the principle is the same. You want to force air and fluid out and add new fluid, all while preventing fresh air from entering the system. Regardless of the method you choose, you'll quickly realize the trick is to keep the brake fluid moving in only one direction; from the master cylinder through to the brake calipers or wheel cylinders. Be sure to keep topping up the master cylinder with brake fluid as you bleed each wheel and after you are finished to prevent it from running low and pulling fresh air into the system. When the system is full of clean brake fluid and there is no air trapped inside, the brake pedal should be high and firm.


Method 1: Manual Bleeding

Manual brake bleeding is the most common method of bleeding brakes; however, you will need to enlist the help of an assistant. With your assistant sitting in the driver's seat, repeat the following six steps a number of times on each brake until you are sure there is no air trapped in the system. Use a narrow block of wood behind the pedal to prevent it from travelling all the way to the floor. Lastly, place a three foot piece of vinyl hose on the end of the bleeder screw to direct old fluid into a plastic container.


1) Instruct your assistant to pump the brake pedal for thirty seconds

2)Instruct your assistant to press and hold the brake pedal firmly

3)Open a bleeder screw and let the air and old fluid escape

4)Close the bleeder screw

5)Instruct your assistant to release the brake pedal

6)Wait fifteen seconds


Method 2: Vacuum Bleeding

Vacuum bleeding has the advantage of being a one-person job, but requires a special tool known as a vacuum tester or brake bleeding kit. The tool is fairly inexpensive and can be ordered online by clicking on the link above. Whereas manual brake bleeding requires you to "push" brake fluid out; the object of vacuum bleeding is to "pull" brake fluid out. Repeat the following three steps on each brake.


1)Connect the hose from the vacuum tool to the bleeder screw and then open the bleeder screw

2)Pump the tool until the fluid leaving the bleeder screw runs clean and is free of bubbles

3)Close the bleeder screw and disconnect the vacuum tool hose

Method 3: Gravity Bleeding

Gravity bleeding is the easiest method of bleeding brakes. Simply, repeat the following two steps on each brake. Unfortunately, leaving the screw open for any length of time will allow it to absorb moisture. Additionally, air bubbles may be trapped in the system and need to be worked out using a vacuum or pressure bleeding method. The gravity bleeding method can be used when only a brake caliper or wheel cylinder was replaced.


1)Open one bleeder screw at a time and wait until the air works its way out of the system

2)Close the bleeder screw when clean brake fluid runs from the bleeder screw



Lastly check the fluid level, top off if needed then close the hood. Replace the wheels and lower the car.

manual bleeding FTW

is it really 3/8"? cause i seem to remember most mustangs having 11mm bleeders.

I am pretty sure the bleeder is 3/8" and is not metric...

intersting cause every mustang i have done ive had to use a 11mm wrench, as none of the 3/8" ones fit correctly on the bleeder.

If I had to guess, I would guess that you are right and I am wrong

bdcardinal said:

intersting cause every mustang i have done ive had to use a 11mm wrench, as none of the 3/8" ones fit correctly on the bleeder.

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ya i thought i remember using a lil metric one


are you only changing fluid? if its only a fluid change the only tool you need is a 11mm wrench and a piece of tube and an empty water bottle or something to catch the used fluid in

*edit, nm.. i see your going to the cobra stuff. its a pretty easy swap. no need for a flaring tool (i didnt need one atleast) also a tip so you dont get air sucked back up into the lines is remove the fluid cap on the resivror whenever a line is open.

also a good idea is to hang the stock caliper/line off to the side while you get the new stuff all installed, then you just disconnect the stock line and screw in the new one.

MBDiagMan said:

Yes the Valvoline Synthetic is good stuff, not too expensive and easy to find.

For long hydraulic component life, you should keep clean brake fluid in the system always. You should take this opportunity to flush the entire system and see that it is properly bled after replacing these components.

Brake fluid in ANY car should not go longer than about 24 months without flushing the system thoroughly leaving nothing but clean fluid in place.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic meaning that it absorbs moisture. The moisture will corrode the hydraulic components. Brake fluid is cheap and it takes very little time to flush the system. If you do so, you will probably never have to replace failed hydraulic components which are not cheap and not quick to replace.

Click to expand...

Good Info up there.. I also flush the whole system to remove all of the old brake fluid. I have a larger spray bottle that I take the sprayer out of and put the pickup tube down in the master cylinder reservoir. The pickup tube has a split up the side so you can not suck all of the fluid out. I pump as much of the old fluid out first, with the sprayer, top it off and then start to bleed the system. This helps stir up settlement in the master cylinder reservoir and then easier to flush it out. It saves a lot of time doing it this way. The larger the sprayer the better. I use a 9 Qt trash can to empty all of the old fluid into and attach a 2 ft length of rubber hose on the bleeder and let it hang into the trash can.
Valvoline Syn has the same dry boiling point as the new formula from Ford. 500 deg. These are the two I look for. I still have some of the old Ford fluid on the shelf. Minimum wet boiling point is 401 deg.. Good stuff

if the ABS block runs dry you will need to have the dealer flush it out $$$

i forget where it is on the 4.6 . basically just dont let all of your fluid run out . its not like doing an oil change where you have to drain it all and then replace it. just keep bleeding and adding more untill your fluid starts coming out looking clean