Brake Fluid?

[mogi]

Ok, so I finally started getting the symptoms everyone gets when their pads are running low... The brake light comes on under moderate-heavy braking. I was swapping on my snow tires last night and checked the pads. They don't look dead yet, so I was going to add some brake fluid to stiffen up the braking. Is there any specific brand or type that I need to use or is recommended? Any special procedure for adding it?

[falsedawn]

Just adding fluid won't "stiffen" the braking. You'll need to flush and replace with new. Any DOT4 fluid should be ok - I use valvoline synthetic from autozone. Others recommend ATE racing. Either is fine.

[cbcbd]

Any DOT 3 brake fluid. I use a DOT3/4 Valvoline fluid.

Procedure would be bleeding all four calipers while at the same time adding more fluid into the reservoir. The old stuff will be dark, the new stuff clear. Just keep bleeding all the brakes until the fluid coming out of them is clear and there are no air bubbles.
Don't let the fluid in the reservoir get low while bleeding or you'll introduce air into the system and start all over again.

[mogi]

wtf, I have to flush the fluid? I can't just add more to the resevoir? that seems to go against what has been said here in the past...

I don't have the shit to bleed brakes and all that, how much would a shop typically charge for this?

[falsedawn]

If your fluid is low and you are getting the brake light coming on, then yes, topping up your reservoir will fix that.
If you have spongy brakes (as you seemed to imply) then it won't fix that - you'll need to replace fluid.
It's probably a 10-20 minute job at any decent garage, but dead easy DIY (with a helper to pump the brake pedal!)

[cbcbd]

wtf, I have to flush the fluid? I can't just add more to the resevoir? that seems to go against what has been said here in the past...

I don't have the shit to bleed brakes and all that, how much would a shop typically charge for this?
If your brake light comes on during heavy braking it is because of one of two things:
1-Your fluid is low - check the reservoir to see if the level is good. If it's low, add more (this is rare and if it is low it might mean you have a leak in the system)
2-Your pads are low, so low that when you brake hard so much fluid leaves the reservoir that it triggers the brake light - change brake pads and might as well flush out the fluid

The only thing you really need in order to flush a brake system (with two people) is a 8mm (IIRC) open wrench, plastic tubing that can fit over the bleeding valve, and a container to pump the fluid into.
The process is really quite easy to do and I have no idea what ridiculous $$ they might charge to do this.


edit: falsedawn quick on the trigger

[falsedawn]

(gun) (lol2)
edit: falsedawn quick on the trigger

[Nomad]

Umm, whoever said on this forum that you do not have to bleed the old fluid out for best results is a moron and I would not trust anything else they said. In fact, I'd do the opposite of what they might suggest.

[mogi]

I was refering to topping off the fluid to get rid of the light, not the performance...
you don't need to bleed to top off! (I think there was a communication problem, on my part, regarding this)

anyway, I've decided to say fuck it and just slap new pads and rotors on and be done with it
I've gotten almost 50k miles on the stock brakes, which seems to be better than the trend with these cars...

[Nomad]

For the light, I agree, merely top off.

Bleed the brakes once a year though.
(thumb)

[dsr70]

50k on the stock brakes is probably not impossible, for the rears especially. The P5 is light.

Another vote for the Valvoline synthetic fluid. It has better dry and wet boiling points than Castrol LMA. Of course you could argue that LMA is not likely to get as wet in the first place, but I prefer the higher wet boiling point in case some water does get in there. Possibly LMA would be safer in a system longer as a result, but I want to do a complete flush every two years.

For auto-x where you plan to flush often, I'd use the Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3, which has a crazy high dry boiling point and is cheap.

Doug

[Diehonda]

would bleeding the brakes cure my problem? When I slow to a stop at low speed the car lunges forward and slows, lunges and slows. I guess it is the tsb about rear brake pad drag?? I have never experienced this in my nine previous cars. I am not sure if bleeding in all new fluid will fix it or if I should take the rear pads off, inspect for rust, lubricate with antiseize and see if that does it.

Any advise for a noob?? lol

[Nomad]

You have warped rotors most likely.
It is gripping and letting go as the rotor moves from left to right slightly.
Get new rotors, be careful putting your wheels on, be careful seating the lugnuts and make sure to go in the correct star pattern, tightning bit by bit.

If you ever get it worked on in a shop, go home and immediately break loose and re-torque your lugnuts correctly. Most shops are filled with idiots who just put a huge impact wrench on each lug in the wrong order and tighten them all the way down in one shot. This usually insures you'll end up with warped rotors in time.

Good luck.

[dsr70]

would bleeding the brakes cure my problem? When I slow to a stop at low speed the car lunges forward and slows, lunges and slows. I guess it is the tsb about rear brake pad drag??

Not likely fluid. You see symptoms of fluid problems when the braking system is hot. I don't know about the TSB. But it sounds like a warped rotor or pads that aren't grabbing consistently.

Doug

[GreyMan]

Oddly enough, my rear brakes pads go before my front ones do. WTF?
And no, i do not ride with my e-brake on.

[aMaff]

Are they dragging tho? Have u checked the caliper guide pins? I checked mine yesterday, and the rears were bone dry...I don't think they had ever seen grease...ever. Oh, ya, my rears were dragging a little bit, and after I greased them up they've stopped dragging entirely

[GreyMan]

Are they dragging tho? Have u checked the caliper guide pins? I checked mine yesterday, and the rears were bone dry...I don't think they had ever seen grease...ever. Oh, ya, my rears were dragging a little bit, and after I greased them up they've stopped dragging entirely

nope, no drag. even mazda couldnt figure it out.

[aMaff]

scrange