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I did the first annual brake fluid flush on the Escape yesterday. It is now a year old. Actually it is older than that if you start from the Febuary 03 build date.
Anyway, I was shocked at how black the old fluid was. I can't remember ever seeing fluid that bad that early. The car still has less than 12,000 miles on it. Although it came out pretty good, I may do it again in a month or two to get it even cleaner.
I was not able to suck more than about half of the fluid out of the master cylinder before starting due to how the resivoir is baffled, which means that the final color of the fluid is still slightly darker than the new stuff.
So what's so great about Ford's brake fluid? It may start life at a 550 degree dry boiling point, but it doesn't last, and the wet boiling point is only about half that.
When I change the Valvoline Synpower brake fluid in the SVT each year, the old fluid still looks nearly new.
On the Escape, I used BG DOT 4 fluid. I scored a complementry quart bottle sample from my BG rep. It has a dry boiling point or 506 and a wet boiling point of 311. I'll see if he will give me another quart to repeat the process.
There are two things that I do during the anniversay month every year on my cars. I change the brake fluid and the coolant. Next month I will be doing the same to the SVT for the 7th time. It now has nearly 197,000 miles on it. It is now at the age where such agressive maintenace really starts to pay off.
Jim Johnson
98 SVT
03 Escape Limited
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Originally posted by Big Jim:
I did the first annual brake fluid flush on the Escape yesterday. It is now a year old. Actually it is older than that if you start from the Febuary 03 build date.
Anyway, I was shocked at how black the old fluid was. I can't remember ever seeing fluid that bad that early. The car still has less than 12,000 miles on it. Although it came out pretty good, I may do it again in a month or two to get it even cleaner.
I was not able to suck more than about half of the fluid out of the master cylinder before starting due to how the resivoir is baffled, which means that the final color of the fluid is still slightly darker than the new stuff.
So what's so great about Ford's brake fluid? It may start life at a 550 degree dry boiling point, but it doesn't last, and the wet boiling point is only about half that.
When I change the Valvoline Synpower brake fluid in the SVT each year, the old fluid still looks nearly new.
On the Escape, I used BG DOT 4 fluid. I scored a complementry quart bottle sample from my BG rep. It has a dry boiling point or 506 and a wet boiling point of 311. I'll see if he will give me another quart to repeat the process.
There are two things that I do during the anniversay month every year on my cars. I change the brake fluid and the coolant. Next month I will be doing the same to the SVT for the 7th time. It now has nearly 197,000 miles on it. It is now at the age where such agressive maintenace really starts to pay off.
I only have about 41,000 miles on my 2000 SVT, but for about 10 years now, I've made it a practice to *suck-out* my brake fluid and my P/S fluids with every oil change, topping them off with new fluid. To this day, they're as clean as they were when I drove the car off the dealership's lot. As for the coolant, I test it each year, using test strips...if it holds up nicely for 50,000 miles, then I replace the hoses and do a complete change...then I'm good for another 50,000 miles.
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You guys have some very good preventative maintenance schedules  Thats good to see and hear.
06 GMC Sierra 2500HD Dmax/ally
06 Pontiac G6 GT
05 CRF250R
FOR SALE 06 KX65 with riding gear $2700 obo
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Originally posted by Thinkmoto:
You guys have some very good preventative maintenance schedules Thats good to see and hear.
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Originally posted by MeanGreen2:
I only have about 41,000 miles on my 2000 SVT, but for about 10 years now, I've made it a practice to *suck-out* my brake fluid and my P/S fluids with every oil change, topping them off with new fluid. To this day, they're as clean as they were when I drove the car off the dealership's lot. As for the coolant, I test it each year, using test strips...if it holds up nicely for 50,000 miles, then I replace the hoses and do a complete change...then I'm good for another 50,000 miles.
That is a reasonable practice for the power steering fluid, but since the brake fluid doesn't circulate much, you are leaving old fluid in the calipers and (if equipped) wheel cylinders where the most damage can be done. You really need to do a flush on the brake fluid. When you do, you will be surprised at how dirty the fluid down there has become.
Jim Johnson
98 SVT
03 Escape Limited
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Originally posted by Big Jim:
Originally posted by MeanGreen2:
I only have about 41,000 miles on my 2000 SVT, but for about 10 years now, I've made it a practice to *suck-out* my brake fluid and my P/S fluids with every oil change, topping them off with new fluid. To this day, they're as clean as they were when I drove the car off the dealership's lot. As for the coolant, I test it each year, using test strips...if it holds up nicely for 50,000 miles, then I replace the hoses and do a complete change...then I'm good for another 50,000 miles.
That is a reasonable practice for the power steering fluid, but since the brake fluid doesn't circulate much, you are leaving old fluid in the calipers and (if equipped) wheel cylinders where the most damage can be done. You really need to do a flush on the brake fluid. When you do, you will be surprised at how dirty the fluid down there has become.
Sounds great, but when my fluid looks like water in the M/C, I doubt that it looks like tar at the other end.
Funny that I see so many sludged up systems, it's sludged up goo, everywhere, not just isolated to the far reaching corners and crannies...guess it circulates, enough.
b.t.w. I'm a little surprised that you mentioned your routine on coolant and brake fluid, but said nothing about your P/S fluid.
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Originally posted by MeanGreen2:
I only have about 41,000 miles on my 2000 SVT, but for about 10 years now, I've made it a practice to *suck-out* my brake fluid and my P/S fluids with every oil change, topping them off with new fluid.
Not as good a practice as you may think.
Everytime you open the brake system you allow moisture in. That is VERY bad. You are much better off flushing it 100% once a year and leaving it Sealed for the entire year in between.
Also everytime you add fluid it should be from an new unopened container. No matter hard tightly you seal up old fluid it still absorbs moisture (both from initial opening and from sitting) and ruins the fluid.
New fluid is always a must!
2000 SVT #674
13.47 @ 102 - All Motor!
It was not broke; Yet I fixed it anyway.
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Originally posted by DemonSVT:
Originally posted by MeanGreen2:
I only have about 41,000 miles on my 2000 SVT, but for about 10 years now, I've made it a practice to *suck-out* my brake fluid and my P/S fluids with every oil change, topping them off with new fluid.
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Not as good a practice as you may think.
Clear as water, brakes don't fade, no brake warning light, no ABS codes.
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Everytime you open the brake system you allow moisture in. That is VERY bad.
Yes, during a rain storm...or w/ 25% humidity...our shop has central heating and air...and the process takes just a few moments.
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You are much better off flushing it 100% once a year and leaving it Sealed for the entire year in between.
My method works for me...done it about 14 times, so far...looks sweet.
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Also everytime you add fluid it should be from an new unopened container. No matter hard tightly you seal up old fluid it still absorbs moisture (both from initial opening and from sitting) and ruins the fluid.
New fluid is always a must!
Don't assume that I don't open up a brand new bottle, for myself, every single time.
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MeanGreen2, if you are going to go that far, why not do it right and actually bleed the system? Blake fluid doesn't circulate and you are doing nothing to remove the inevitable gas bubbles and very little to remove moisture.
Sucking the crappy fluid out of the reservoir and pouring some clean fluid in sounds more like a used car salesman trick than a legitimate maintenance practice.
Of course I can see the value of handeling the power steering fluid this way.
99 Tropic Green SVT, Tan Leather, 20K miles, "Nice Twin" (factory stock).
99 Tropic Green SVT, Tan Leather, 28K miles, "Evil Twin" (Turbo AER 3L and more in progress)
96 Red LX, Opal Grey Leather 2.5L, ATX, 22K miles
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I have no life
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Some people skimp on the time (even though it's hardly/if any added time) they spend on maintaining their cars. Bleeding the brakes is definitely better than just replacing some of the fluid with a turkey baster or whatever.
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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