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jonmcclintock
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2012
Posts: 4
Location: Seattle, WA
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 Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:27 pm Post subject: How much brake fluid? |
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Doing front and rear brakes on my '85 Westfalia this weekend, including new stainless steel lines. How much brake fluid should I buy? I checked the owner's manual and the Bentley, couldn't find any volumes in either...
-Jon |
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Navy_Flyer
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2012
Posts: 474
Location: Charlottesville, VA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:42 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| jonmcclintock wrote: |
Doing front and rear brakes on my '85 Westfalia this weekend, including new stainless steel lines. How much brake fluid should I buy? I checked the owner's manual and the Bentley, couldn't find any volumes in either...
-Jon |
I bought the 1 gal jug from the local FLAPS (Dot 3). Did all four wheel rebuild including the dreaded bleeding of course, with my expectation to completely flush the system and fill with new. I was not conservative with letting it run into my drain pan on the floor during bleeding to ensure I was getting clean fluid, and still have about 1/4 jug left. So, a gallon should serve as plenty. I think Dot 4 is also now acceptable, but NOT DOT 5.
Tip: If you have a pint bottle of brake fluid (of the same type), don't throw it away when empty - refill it from the big jug and use that to pour into the brake reservoir. Keeps things more tidy, easier to handle inside the cockpit and less chance of spillage which will possibly ruin the electronics in the instrument cluster. Even better - use a turkey baster to move the fluid from bottle to brake reservior, it works doubly well for keeping the fluid where it should be during the transfer.
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1987 Westfalia, Automatic. EJ25 VANARU Conversion |
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Ahwahnee
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Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Wellsir, I would have guessed a pint would do it. I prefer the small bottles as once they are open and partially used they do not keep well as (as I understand it) DOT 3/4 absorbs water from the atmosphere. |
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Jake de Villiers
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Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Perales
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 2046
Location: Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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One quart (litre) is not enough, two is too much. Buy two.
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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jonmcclintock
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2012
Posts: 4
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Two quarts of DOT4 it is! Thanks folks.
-Jon |
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Navy_Flyer
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2012
Posts: 474
Location: Charlottesville, VA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Jake de Villiers wrote: |
| Achtung! DOT 4 is the recommended brake fluid for Vanagons. DOT 3 has a lower boiling point and is NOT recommended. |
I looked at my owners manual (the original) and it says to use DOT 3. That DOT 4 has since been developed and is now compatible with DOT 3 and is now the 'preferred' use fluid does not mean DOT 3 is NOT recommended. It is indeed recommended, as it says so in the manual.
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1987 Westfalia, Automatic. EJ25 VANARU Conversion |
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bluebus86
Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Jake de Villiers wrote: |
| Achtung! DOT 4 is the recommended brake fluid for Vanagons. DOT 3 has a lower boiling point and is NOT recommended. |
But, DOT 4 absorbs water more than DOT3, so the bioling point of DOT 4 will degrade sooner. If you ignore the regular flushing maintanance, DOT 3 would be a better choice, if you do regular maintanenmce, DOT would b superior
DOT 5 wont absorb water at all, but REQUIRES complete removal of all traces of old fluid (new metal lines or completely rinsed and dried old ones) and ALL rubber parts MUST be replaced with new, all rubber pistons cups, seals, and hoses. the rubber if used with DOT3/4 will have absorbed some, and when later exposed to DOT5, may cause swelling of the rubber and failure.
Two full quarts is usually what I use for a complete flush of the brakes, a little more for the clutch.
as pointed out by other, buy in smaller bottles, you dont want to have old "fresh " fluid that has been sitting for years in a partial full bottle that had been opened. |
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Jake de Villiers
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Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| Navy_Flyer wrote: |
| Jake de Villiers wrote: |
| Achtung! DOT 4 is the recommended brake fluid for Vanagons. DOT 3 has a lower boiling point and is NOT recommended. |
I looked at my owners manual (the original) and it says to use DOT 3. That DOT 4 has since been developed and is now compatible with DOT 3 and is now the 'preferred' use fluid does not mean DOT 3 is NOT recommended. It is indeed recommended, as it says so in the manual. |
I stand corrected. I'd swear that my owner's manual said DOT 4. I'll have to check...
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com |
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Yondermtn
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2007
Posts: 609
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 11:39 am Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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I've been throwing out unused DOT 3 brake fluid due to the possibility of water absorption, but is there much difference between a 1/2 empty bottle of brake fluid stored with the cap on vs. the brake fluid actually in the system, as far as water absorption?
Fortunately brake fluid is relatively inexpensive, but wondering if I'm being wasteful.
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1977 Westfalia 2.0FI 4spd
1990 Multivan 2.1 Auto |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:34 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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you could use it to refill the reservoir for the next 2 years, BUT then the question is WHY the level is dropping
it will absorb water vapor at about the same or worse rate as the fluid in the lines, so cannot be used for your 2 year flush & fill
never toss it out - take it to a FLAPS for recycling
or your city/county Haz waste site - usually at a landfill or transfer stn.
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pablum
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Joined: December 17, 2015
Posts: 562
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| You can also use DOT 5.1. It's compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4. But it's expensive. I think it's cheaper to use DOT 4 and regular flushes. |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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You can open a can of brake fluid and then reseal it with strong electrical tape and use it over a few years, especially in a dry climate. It will be dryer than the fluid in the brake system. It is also useful for bleeding out the junk, then finishing with freshly opened as well.
As always, some nice hard brake checks will ensure your wet boiling point does not cause a safety issue, if it does, then go get some new stuff.
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Merian
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Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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how do you know? have you tested it?
I ask because water vapor readily passes thru such a barrier, and brake fluid manf.s all say not to try and store it.
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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Abscate
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Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| Merian wrote: |
how do you know? have you tested it?
I ask because water vapor readily passes thru such a barrier, and brake fluid manf.s all say not to try and store it. |
40 years of such practice and never a corrosion nor boiling fluid problem. My barrier is better than the cardboard one in the original bottle.
Of course manufacturers encourage spoilage, but that's the Legal department talking.
Ymmv.
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Merian
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Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:59 pm Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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get back to us after you have an analytical laboratory do some actual measurements
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:13 am Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| Merian wrote: |
get back to us after you have an analytical laboratory do some actual measurements
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No need. 90 % of cars on the road are driving around with brake fluid 3x older than my 1 year old can from my stock, picking up water from the non-sealed cap. Ask your neighbors how many have changed their Toyota brake fluid semi-annually. You'll get the answer.."the dealer takes care of that" ....Which they don't.
Internet is great for amplifying myths and misinformation, but experience and data trump theory.
If people don't want to do this, that's great. I understand being careful and prudent with brake systems. I realize I'm maintaining so many cars and trailer brake systems I'm probably going through the fluid in under a year.
OTOH killing dogma from those with a vested interest in selling the stuff or the " 90% of engine wear occurs on startup" mythology makes Fora great.
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Wildthings
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Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 8:23 am Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| We live in an interesting society. We dump salt all over the roads making a three year old car a safety hazard and then we worry about whether the brake fluid if absorbing tiny amounts of water. |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 9:41 am Post subject: Re: How much brake fluid? |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| We live in an interesting society. We dump salt all over the roads making a three year old car a safety hazard and then we worry about whether the brake fluid if absorbing tiny amounts of water. |
It is, but it isnt worth worrying about. You will find glycol ethers actually absorb like mad - which is why the 'fresh fluid only' mantra is a bit silly. Your boiling point will actually drop to half in the first year of fluid use, then taper off over the next few years.
The salt removes a lot of immediate safety hazards, too.
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