Posted by Frank H on February 26, 2003 at 16:42:44 from 209.216.165.25
In Reply to: how do u properly replace brake fluid? posted by Ryan Bryan on February 26, 2003 at 11:53:51:
There is a specific procedure spelled out in various manuals....but I'd recomend you go and buy one of the new pressure bleeders like BMP is currently selling on sale... only about $40 and it works extremly well. You can bleed an entire car in 20 minutes and you won't have to stop to top up the master cylinder being the pressure bleeder does this for you..... This is much better than having a partner pump the brake pedal and hold while you tighten and loosen the appropriate bleed nipples.
Normally I start at the bleed nipple furthest from the master cylinder (on the E12 I think this is the rear right). Then do the rear left and goto the front right caliper. Bleed the nipples in this sequence (upper, inner, outer). Then onto the front left and do the same. Always end the bleeding process on the shortest line from the master.
I like switching between ATE blue and Castrol GT 5 fluids (so you can tell when you have new fluid in the lines)... mostly because the ATE Gold isn't available here locally. I will use sometimes over a quart of fluid if doing a complete system change. Oh, and I'd bleed the clutch as well... as it's often negleged and never is changed for sometimes years on end.
Many time if you have clogged nipples or lines... pumping on the brake pedal and forcing fluid out of the nipples BEFORE you use a pressure bleeder will free up alot of debris in the lines and the system when properly bled will work MUCH better. I just did this to a Bavaria last weekend that hasn't been on the road for over 10 years. I actually forced so much gunk out of the lines it freed up the complete brake system without having to completely rebuild it.... being I didn't want to put $100 worth of rubber lines into a $100 car that a friend is getting for nothing.
Now the brakes in the car are SO good, I'm actually pretty impressed with them. The car will stop right NOW!
Frank