Brake fluid flush, how can I tell all the old stuff is gone? It's all clear to me...

I just flushed my system with a sacrificial bottle of Dot3 fluid (Pep boys special).

I'm now looking to put in Bosch fluid, but it seems as if it's also clear in color. How can I tell the old stuff is completely pushed out?

Should I go out and get some other sacrificial fluid that is tinted another color?

 

Hmmm...I've never considered offering a brake fluid sacrifice before. Will it guarantee a firm pedal after bleeding? Only kidding.

I am unaware of any "tinted" brake fluid. But...if it exists...that may be the only solution if you want to sacrifice more brake fluid. (I'm always happy when I can't see my brake fluid in the reservoir anymore.) Personally, I would just let the Pep Boys sacrificial fluid ride. It has to meet DOT3 standards just like the Bosch, and irony would have it being made in the same plant with a different label on the bottle. I would save the Bosch for next time, assuming you haven't punctured the seal, and have enough of it to sacrifice liberally.

 

I agree with John. Once it’s clear, you’re golden.

 

You’ll probably never get 100% out due to the abs actuator holding some fluid, but do it til it’s clear like others said. I pumped probably 3 bottles through mine to be more sure I got the old stuff out. Obviously your rears will take more than the fronts.

 

I used ATE "Super Blue" Type 200 Dot 4 Racing Motorsport Brake Fluid on a motorcycle I own with a complex linked brake system, the blue fluid made it easy to know when the old fluid was purged from the lines. In doing a web search for a link I've learned the the "blue" fluid can no longer be supplied to the US due to not being compliant with our federal standards. So while I was going to say, "Yeah, there's some blue stuff you can use, here's a link" apparently we cant get the blue stuff here anymore.

http://www.brrperformance.com/blog/...ntal will be,Safety Standards for brake fluid.

 

I think it has a darker golden color to it.... I've been bleeding my brakes, and it almost looks like your first piss in the morning vs a semi dehydrated piss in the afternoon... I'll take a picture of a coke bottle I have in the garage which I'm dumping with the gear oil I'm doing later, and I'll post it..

 

Darker golden? Ah, geez, your truck is over-maintained. I don't change my brake fluid until it's opaque brown. You wouldn't ever want your piss to look like my brake fluid.

 

Maybe the op is changing to this?, there are a few of us that upgrade brake fluid, and this Bosch brake fluid is way better than DOT3.

https://www.boschautoparts.com/documents/101512/0/0/7c8c2217-78dd-0adc-c840-91edb62866a3

 

There are blue, yellow, and clear brake fluids, maybe more but I have used those three. The blue one turns yellow over time.

In normal circumstances I don't see a point to colored brake fluid because the used fluid tends to be dark. It does come in handy in cases like this where maybe you bled brakes, then changed brake lines and had to bleed them again.

 

i dont believe you can legally buy blue brake fluid anymore in america. typically brake fluid is a very light almost clear yellow. when its bad, it goes black

 

I've bought it in California in the last 2 years so I'm sure its available everywhere. I have 2 cans of dot 4 super blue pentosin left in my garage.

 

hmm that stuffs been gone since 2008 out here

 

As of late 2013 'Blue' tinted brake fluid is no longer DOT approved or legal for use or sale in the USA

 

I'm looking online and see a lot of that, but my local Autozone and Napa both carry it.

I haven't been able to find any reasoning why it illegal other than it's blue. Pretty dumb law when no other fluid is blue(aside from Honda coolant).

 

subaru coolant is too. i honestly dont know what the deal is. i prefer the blue shit

 

Wonder if the law has been reversed. I don't even like the blue, I just grabbed it to bleed my lines when I had to drop the rear beam on my GTI. It made my life easier that day.

 

lol, actually I'm gonna have to take it back, it just dawned on me... thought my fluid was about 12 years old, but in reality its probably 2, my passenger rear caliper ensured a clean and thorough drain and refill, accompanied with loss of pressure and thorough bleed on all 4 corners, lol...

 

Since blue fluid is no longer available (and it may have turned yellow already if old stock has been sitting super long on shelf), perhaps the better way to gauge a full flush is to account for the volume dispensed into the brake refill reservoir.

How much fluid would it take to perform a full flush?

 

You FurstGen guys take this one...I staggered in here by accident.

 

I'd have 2 on hand JIC. Especially if you can't see when the new stuff is coming out.

 

No worries, your input is very much appreciated, even if you have a turdgen.

 

Easy. Don't feed them niceties or they'll keep coming around.

 

Just to be clear...Unless FurstGen junk is really tiny compared to TurdGens, I think @bmf4069 meant two quarts. Ok, ok, I'm outta' here.

 

The Prestone DOT3 is a clear with slight yellow tint. The Bosch 5.1 ‘El Supremo Fluido’ has an Olive Oil Greenish Tint (slight but definitely noticeable). I believe there are pics of the two next to each other on my build page. Just got back from a Himalayan Sea Salt Conference as the reason for my delayed response.

 

Are you saying @bmf4069 meant 2 PINTS! Sheesh...Even my old Gen1 4Runner would take one quart for a good flush.

Ah, man, I have stumbled off into a FurstGen brake fluid cult, but I have learned DOT5.1 looks like olive oil. Now, I am definitely outta' here.

 

We use gallons!


Not because of capacity but to torture our wives when they have to push the pedal and we're under the truck pretending it's a long process. Thats payback for making us stand around while they shop.

 

Would you care for some Olive Oil on your Arugula Salad sir?

 

Dude, you had a perfect opportunity. Shoulda said worst gen since it rhymes with first.