Thread: Brake fluid flush (NOT bleed)

If you draw all the fluid out of the reservoir with a clean syringe or oil sucker you can be sure to get a nice clean charge of oil into the system.
Make sure you use something that is spotless.
I use a large surgical syringe.
That mesh screen under the filler cap can be a bugger to get out though.
Grab your self a Repco one man bleed kit ($10 ish) or use some clear hose off the nipples it makes it real easy to see the clean fluid come through.
I put the Modulator kit through mine this time last year.
It was suprising how clean the system was inside, but i have done a flush every 2 years for the last 12 years.
Cant say that i have ever had a problem with bleeding the system.

Last night adm333 came around and we bled my 2000 4.6 from 8pm till 11pm. The entire process took two hours once we finished stuffing around and chatting. A formal huge thanks to Dave for spending his precious time to help me out. It all went smoothly and I was feeling pretty happy driving in this morning.

Interestingly I was a little dissapointed that I didnt notice much difference in the brake pedal today. My system must have been fairly free of trapped air; certainly none was released that I saw with the clear tubing. The fluid that came out definitely looked awful though, and I am glad to be rid of it.

Since we didnt let any air enter the system, by continuously topping up the reservoir throughout the procedure, the entire bleeding and flushing process used less than 2 litres of DOT4. And to be honest, we definitely over did it on every screw and every corner. On one (rear) corner, the fluid came out green when the others were all dark honey, so that corner must have been skipped last time it was bled!?

Getting to the uppermost and rearmost bleed screw on the master cylinder was a bit tricky for big hands, as the firewall insulation is thick behind and above it and almost covers it like a blanket, it was pretty much a two person job to get that one. Dave was much better at it than me.

Essential tools:
- 11mm ring/open end spanner
- a Rangey on high EAS mode (and a door or tailgate cracked so it wont level)
- easy brake bleed tube with plastic locking plate (cheap from auto store)
- a sympathetic friend who has done it before
- a torch to monitor the reservoir level
- a few rags
- follow the instructions, they aren't that tricky