Changing brake fluid

[Jim]

After chatting with Frenchy today, he mentioned he always uses a full bottle of brake fluid when replacing the fluid.

He says like 1- 1 1/2 reservoir cups full per line.

I used about 1/2 my bottle and did 2 reservoir fills. I pushed new fluid through the master, then bled through my calipers with speed bleeders. Then have a few cracks again on the master and zip tied the lever till tomorrow.

The problem is the new fluid is the same color as the old stuff, do I really wouldn't be able to tell which is new or old fluid.

So how much fluid do you guys push through on a change ?

[Billy]

Typically when I've done flushes it's because the brake fluid is old and is that dark amber color. In that situation you can tell when fresh fluid starts coming threw the brake bleeder.

[csmutty]

I can't tell you how much, but in your case I would probably just drain the lines and then put in fresh fluid.

[tropicoz]

I tend to go through 2-3 reservoirs per caliper. I've heard of ziptying the lever, what does that do?

[FriskyDingo]

The problem is the new fluid is the same color as the old stuff, do I really wouldn't be able to tell which is new or old fluid.

can't help with the volume question, but I switch between ATE super blue(BLUE) & ATE type 200(AMBER), same DOT4 fluid just different colors for just this purpose. May be available local, I usually order from Turner : http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-38...d-1-liter.aspx

[csmutty]

I tend to go through 2-3 reservoirs per caliper. I've heard of ziptying the lever, what does that do?

Pressurizes the system to help air bubbles in the lines rise to the top if you can't get all the air out.

[ecd2004]

i just went through this with my bike, couldnt get the lines to pressurize no matter what i tried so I caved and bought a mityvac and had it done in 10 minutes

[Jim]

Rather not drain them refill it's a PITA and takes forever. I'm using Galfer 5.1 fluid this time. I was using Maxima DOT 3 or 4.

Fluid needed to be flushed. My pads were down to 1mm and I believe I was boiling the fluid. I was getting bad brake fade each season out there. Plus it's recommended to replace the brake fluid 2 a race season.

[csmutty]

Rather not drain them refill it's a PITA and takes forever. I'm using Galfer 5.1 fluid this time. I was using Maxima DOT 3 or 4.

Fluid needed to be flushed. My pads were down to 1mm and I believe I was boiling the fluid. I was getting bad brake fade each season out there. Plus it's recommended to replace the brake fluid 2 a race season.

If you are going from 3 or 4 to 5 I believe you have to clean out the lines before you can put that stuff in there. 3 and 4 can mix....but they can not mix with 5. Best bet is to drain and clean inside before putting in 5.

[OreoGaborio]

I haven't changed my fluid since I put my accossato master cylinder on 2 years ago Generic DOT 3/4 for the win



I don't always change my brake fluid... But when I do...

[csmutty]

I haven't changed my fluid since I put my accossato master cylinder on 2 years ago Generic DOT 3/4 for the win

Jim uses his brakes a lot more than you do Pete.

[OreoGaborio]

Maybe

[tropicoz]

If you are going from 3 or 4 to 5 I believe you have to clean out the lines before you can put that stuff in there. 3 and 4 can mix....but they can not mix with 5. Best bet is to drain and clean inside before putting in 5.

He's using 5.1 so it's compatible. 5 is the silicone stuff that does play well with 3 and 4.

[carsick]

3 and 4 can mix....but they can not mix with 5. Best bet is to drain and clean inside before putting in 5.

Jim states he is using 5.1 fluid. DOT5 is silicone, not compatible with DOT3 or 4 glycol based fluids. Regular 3 and 4 can mix with 5.1, but you really want to get all that old shit out to get the higher boiling point benefit of the 5.1.

Or what he said above this.

[csmutty]

Ahhh. Didn't know about 5.1. I stand corrected.

[CBR929RE]

I changed mine last week before 3 track days. I think I went through 2 cup fulls on each caliper, that was half a bottle or so of Motul 5.1. wasn't the newest bottle either, I think I bought it last year. Started getting some brake fade on the third day but they bike also saw a ton of track time between me and some other friends taking it for back to back to back rides. I'll do it again before the next round then I think I'm gonna switch to RBF600, heard that stuff is awesome.

[OreoGaborio]

Did you OPEN it last year or was it sealed all that time?

I rarely use a bottle of old fluid that's been opened in the race bike. Once the bottle has been opened it's relegated to car or street bike use. I like minimal exposure to open air.

I'm surprised some of you guys are having heat issues. I'm running stock SV calipers which aren't terribly good at shedding heat and I rarely have issues with brake fade.

[CBR929RE]

Did you OPEN it last year or was it sealed all that time?

I rarely use a bottle of old fluid that's been opened in the race bike. Once the bottle has been opened it's relegated to car or street bike use. I like minimal exposure to open air.

I'm surprised some of you guys are having heat issues. I'm running stock SV calipers which aren't terribly good at shedding heat and I rarely have issues with brake fade.

yes it was opened last year. I didn't really wanna use it but I figured it would be better than leaving the shitty stuff in there. I also figured it was just track days so no big deal, I'd just hop on someone else's bike if it became a big problem. I should really order up a new bottle sooner rather than later before the next round.

and when I say mine were fading I don't mean it was really bad. but I did notice it. not sure if its the Brembo RCS cause I know Jim has that same master. I'm not very happy with it really, The lever never gets as hard as other bikes with regular since ratio Brembos or even some stock masters

[Slyder]

RBF600 is awesome. Expensive, like most anything from Motul, but that's a given. I've had absolutely no fade on the street with that oil and Spiegler stainless lines. I have had fade, really really bad, in deals gap on a previous gixxer.

I zip tied my lever and even after torquing the banjo bolt on the master, was really glad I left a rag under it and above the fairing, as the banjo had about half a drop of oil on it. However my bike has the stock Nissin radial master, which sucks. I liked the older masters better, they had an on or off feeling in the lever. These masters I can pull the lever straight to the bar. Same with the 2012 GSX-R. They at least come with Brembo calipers, but still have the same shitty Nissin masters. I'd really really love a sit down with Suzuki's engineers and ask them WTF they're thinking.

But yea, great oil

[OreoGaborio]

Oil, huh? Like keepin yer brake lines lubed?

[Jim]

brett, talk to me before ordering RBF600

[nt650hawk]

RBF600, heard that stuff is awesome.

I have had zero issues with this. there is some new stuff RBF 650 out there now.

[JettaJayGLS]

I drained my Beringer 6 pot system over the weekend but decided against using an open bottle of dot 4 I had to re-fill them. Also waiting for my pads to come in to do it all at once.

The Beringer master states to use dot 4 brake fluid, but I like what I'm hearing about the 5.1 especially with a one-sided caliper/rotor system. Any reason this wouldn't this be interchangeable?

Don't mean to thread jack, but there is a lot of useful info in this thread, figure I could help add to it.

[Pigman]

Dot 5 is BAD........................4 only FTW

[Jim]

piggy, there's a difference between DOT 5 and DOT 5.1

from what everyone is saying, i'm going to do another 2 reservior cups to bleed through the system to ensure i have everything flushed.