On Thu, 27 Apr 2000, Isaacsons asked:
> How often should the brakes be bled and fluid replaced? Thanks, Steve
The fewer miles you drive, the more frequently you should change it.
Brake fluid doesn't wear out; it gets contaminated. Everything on a
car seems to corrode faster when the car is sitting idle.
I'd recommend every two years at the outside, much preferred to
do it every year - part of the spring startup routine.
Word of warning: if you don't have good caps on the front caliper
bleeders, water gets in and rusts the BB valve. Then after you
crack the bleeder, the BB rotates slightly and the corroded surface
doesn't seal tightly. So be prepared to unscrewB the bleeder and clean
or replace the BB if the bleeder hasn't been capped tightly.
Use Castrol GT/LMA for normal use (Silicone is too 'slippery' and
tends to leak unless the internal seals are really good. Hard to
bleed, too). Castrol is DOT4, I believe - higher boiling point.
-- John
John F Sandhoff sandhoff@csus.edu Sacramento, CA
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