Definitive on changing brake fluid

[Shmed]

So I've used the search and can't find the answer.

I want to upgrade my fluid to dot 5.1 and I need to know:

a) How much do I need (bearing in mind I have removed all of my calipers and replaced all of the flexi brake lines with braided ones)
b) Should I drain all the old fluid first?
c) What is the milk bottle way of doing things?
d) Are all one-man kits cr@p?

Thanks

[JohnnyC]

a) 500ml will do you (just), so best off with 750ml or 1 litre.
b) No, you'll get air in the system, top up the reservoir as you pump the old stuff out.
c) Dunno, see d)
d) That's what I use, never had any problems.

Have a proper Google on the subject, it's the same procedure on 99% of cars anyway. And if you're still unsure get a professional

[Ian Geary]

there are 2 types of one man bleed systems:

those which use pressure (from say a spare tyre) and those with just a 1 way valve


the pressure kits are tricky, as the MR2 doesn't have a screw cap on its master cylinder - it's push fit. the UK kits are made to fit a screw cap master cylinder. buying one is therefore likely to dissapoint.

So I went for a gunson ezebleed one way valve - which is just that, on the bottom of a tube.

the most useful bit however was the easy connector onto the bleed nipple.


you'll need some sort of container under this tube - be it a milk bottle, a jam jar or a ming vase.

but the one way valve theoretically stops air being sucked back up the tube, allowing you to just keep pumping the pedal with the nipple open.

Mine didn't work so well, so I went back to the old way: with one person pumping the pedal down and letting go, as the other opens and closes the bleed nipple.

hth

Ian

[RST]

I've been into brakes quite allot recently -bleeding them on a few cars etc. I went out and bought an eazi-bleed kit (can get it from Halfrauds or the likes for a fiver). I get on much better with this than anything else, much much better than the "two person" way anyway with one opening and closing the nipple.

Description as above . I couldn't get the first pressurised kit I got onto the fluid reservoir so have used this tube ever since. Just pump the pedal -look at the tube for signs of air bubbles coming back-up, top-up and repeat etc etc. Just don't loosen the bleed nipple too much.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165469

..Sorry not too sure about the MR2's capacity. I thought I remember reading my Gt4 needed 2l for a complete flush if that's any use (sounds a little high).

[RyanRs]

You could just get a BIGGG syringe,bit of clear tube, and suck the fluid through at the calliper end. This is how i bled my clutch -which took 5 minutes! Just get someone to keep a check on the reservoir level and top it up as you go.

[b2hbm]

All that I ever do is;

Put the car on axle stands with the wheels off. Ok, not necessary but it makes the access much easier.

Get a long length of clear tubing, at least a foot long. Push onto the nipple & arrange it so that it goes upwards before dropping down into your catch tin/can/whatever. Around 6" or so height above the nipple.

Top off the m/c, open the nipple & push the fluid out until the m/c is almost empty to minimise cross contamination, top up with fresh & continue until it starts coming through the tubing.

Note - I've not touched the nipple since starting the bleed process, it's just left open. Usually there aren't any air bubbles present if it's a simple fluid swop, but even if they are they end up trapped at the top of the tubing loop and they aren't going to get sucked back in no matter how you release the brake pedal.

The only problem with this way is you spend more time messing around with axle stands than you do bleeding the brakes so as I said, it's optional.

As an aside, I've used the spare-tyre-pressurised system and found it more trouble than it's worth. The non-return valves are good though, cheap & simple.