Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Brakes Brake fluid and bleeding

I'm about to bleed the brakes on my Mondeo. Going by searching the FAQ the correct sequence for an ABS equipped car is LF,RR,RF,LR- is this correct?

Also, I noticed a few guys highly recommending Valvoline Synpower Dot 4- is this the same stuff as pictured below? sometimes we seem to get different fluids over here from the same manufacturers..

Valvoline SynPower High Performance Dot 4 Brake Fluid

* A low moisture absorption, and high temperature resistant brake fluid.
* Provides excellent performance under extreme and heavy duty operations.
* Suitable for all ABS, Disc and Drum Brakes.
* Exceeds DOT 3 and DOT 4 specifications.
* Will not cause rubber parts to swell.

Has anyone tried Castrol Response Super Dot 4? That's another option I'm looking at.
http://www.castrol.com.au/products/pdf/Response%20Super%20DOT%204.pdf

The packaging is different. Here the plastic bottle is round, or perhaps more correctly it is cylindrical. The bottle I have in my hand says the dry boiling point is 502 degrees F and the wet boiling point is 343 degrees F. You will need to do the conversion math to degrees C. I suspect it is the same fluid.

I am familiar with Castrol LMA but not with Castrol Response. LMA is a very stable DOT 4 fluid, but the boiling specs are not as high as Valvoline SynPower. Valvoline Synpower is my first choice and Castrol LMA is my second choice.

Even using brake fluid of the very highest quality, I still change mine once a year. It is much less expensive than replacing brake and clutch components after a few years because they have become damaged from old mucky fluid.

Hi,

Something I experienced while bleeding...if you don't bleed the clutch line first, it will "regurgitate" a lot of filthy black crap back into your fresh clean fluid in the reservoir!

...Ed

http://www.shotimes.com/SHO3brakefluid.html

ATE Super Blue is the best for the price. Here are some post I've collected while being here some are Jims!
-Andy
Ford does not have a maintenance interval for changing the brake fluid. The European automakers specify changing the fluid every two years regardless of milage, but they use DOT 4 fluid that is
more prone to absorbing moisture.
I change mine every year. I also use DOT 4 fluid (usually Valvoline synthetic).

I personally believe that DOT 3 fluid should be changed at least every four years.

The reason for changing the fluid is that all brake fluid, even in a sealed system, will take on moisture. Changes in pressure as the system is used as well as changes in temperature will ever so
slightly compromise the ability to keep atmospheric moisture and air out. The miosture will degrade the fluid. The boiling point of the fluid drops as it becomes "wet" (that is that the fluid has taken
on moisture). The specs on the brake fluid container usually give the boiling points for both dry (new) and wet (fluid with moisture in it). Also the moisture will react with the metal in the system and
start to cause corosion and pitting. The fluid eventually becomes gunky and caustic. This contaminated fluid will contaminate and plug up the small holes in the ABS controller as well as cause
calipers, wheel cylinders, and master cylinders to stick and bind.

It does save time to remove whatever fluid you can easily suck out of the master cylinder resivioir. In doing so, you will not get air into the working parts so there is no danger of causing problems
from introducing air into the system. When you have sucked out as much as you can, top off the resivoir with fresh fluid and proceed with bleeding the system at each of the four wheels.

There are at least four methods of bleeding; pressure, gravity, vacuum, and pedal pumping.

Pressure bleeding requires the use of a system to pressurize the resivoir and then opening the bleed port on each wheel individually until there is no air bubbles coming out with the fluid and the fluid
is as pristine as the new fluid. This is not done much any more and the pressure tools are not as common as they were in years past.

Gravity bleeding is to open the bleed port on the caliper or wheel cylinder and allowing it to just drip for a half hour or so. Often all four ports are left open at the same time. Care must be taken to
not allow the resivoir to run dry. This method sometimes works when all other methods still seem to have left some air behind. Some technicians use this method frequently, and others use it only on
hard cases.

Vacuum bleeding requirs the use of some sort of vacuum source and a catch bottle. There is a shop tool that uses compressed air to create a high vacuum to draw the fluid into a catch bottle and it has
become very popular today. A home mechanic can use a MityVac pump with the brake bleeding attachments and accomplish the same thing. I use one of these at home. With the vacuum system, you
attach a hose to the bleed port, apply vacuum, and open the bleed port. There will always be some air in the hose because the vacuum will pull air past the bleeder screw threads. Basically you suck
out fluid until the fluid coming out is as pristine as the new fluid. Repeat for each wheel.

The pumping the pedal method has stood the test of time. It is best done with an assistant who will pump the pedal for you as you open the bleed port. Have the assistant pump the pedal until it is firm,
then hold it steady. While they are holding the pedal steady, open the bleed port. Close the bleed port when the pedal drops to the end of it's stroke and repeat the process until the fluid is as pristine
as the new fluid and there is no air coming out with the fluid. Repeat for each wheel.

With any of these methods, take care not to let the resivoir run out of fluid. Usually check and add fluid after two wheels have been completed.

If you have a car with hydraulic clutch linkage (like out MTX cars), you should also bleed the clutch using the same techniques.

I hope this helps.

--------------------

Jim Johnson
98 SVT

Member Rated:

posted March 08, 2001 04:16 PM
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The first time I did it I used one full large can of Valvoline synthetic (I think that is one quart). Last time it only took about 2/3 of a bottle. That was enough for brakes and clutch the first time, but only
the brakes the second time. I tend to use a lot on the first time to flush everything out thoroughly.

When we do a brake flush at work using a very powerful vacuum system, most cars take a little more than one 12 oz bottle of Ford fluid, I would say about a bottle and a quarter or about 16 oz. Some
of the dirtier ones take two bottles or more.


Jim Johnson
98 SVT

You should change both the clutch fluid and the brake fluid at the same time. They both use the same resivoir on top of the brake master cylinder.

For home use, I like to use the Mity Vac vacuum pump with the brake bleeder attachement. You can also do it with a turkey baster to pull as much of the old fluid out of the master cylinder as you can
instead of the vacuum pump. Fill the master with new fluid and then bleed each individual wheel and then the clutch. If you use the Mity Vac, bleed the individual calipers with the pump until the
fluid coming out is as pristine as the new fluid. If you don't use a vacuum pump, have an assistant press the brake pedal while you open each individual brake bleeder port on the calipers. Always
close the bleeder port before the brake pedal is released. Again, keep pumping the fluid out until you have clean fluid coming out.


Bleeding the clutch is similar. Find the bleed port on the clutch slave cylinder on top of the trans bell housing. Open the port and apply vacuum or have someone pump the clutch pedal. You won't get
much flow from just stroking the pedal down but you will eventually get enough fluid through to have fresh fluid.


Make sure that you do not allow the master cylinder to run dry while doing this. Until you are familiar with the process, check it after each wheel.


Good luck with it.


Jim Johnson
98 SVT

Bleeding Sequence
ABS

Start LF-RR-RF-LR

Non-ABS

Start RR-LR-RF-LF

Paul

Thanks for the info guys.

I wouldn't have even thought about doing the clutch first!