Brake Fluid

[Foxy 4,302]

Some months ago I was browsing on our favourite river site and came across an electronic hydraulic fluid tester (see picture) sold out of China. The price was less than £2 including delivery so I splashed out and purchased two. It was so long ago I had completely forgotten about them but yesterday they arrived.

 

Simplest thing to use  you just dip it in and press the button on the top, the lights then show you the condition of the fluid, I think it must measure conductivity which I think increases as the water contamination increases.

 

No doubt one of our electrical experts will explain that fully but  I have now tested most of my bikes, the car and my eldest sons race bike, the result was that most passed but both of my Benelli's and the Yamaha race bike failed, guess what I am doing next week? 

[michael 324]

Interesting bit of kit - although i'm still the of the old school brand of brake/clutch fluid replacement.  "This is an even numbered year? Gotta do the brake fluid in the bikes."

[Tex 36,816]

A useful bit of kit for those lucky enough to have several bikes. And so cheap it’s hard to see why such an owner doesn’t get one.  

[Spindizzy 7,109]

Not being an expert on such things, is what is in the reservoir always indicative of the rest of the system? 

 

Changing fluid is quick and easy so I will probably just do that. On the NC took longer to buy the bottle than change the fluid.

[Tex 36,816]

How did you change the fluid in the ABS pump? It’s an arse of a job on many modern bikes (Triumph, Harley and BMW certainly - maybe the Japs do it differently?).

 

if you just leave the old fluid in the pump and bleed the rest of the system it’s a long way from perfect. HD are having to replace thousands of ABS pumps because old fluid contributed to their demise.

 

Hopefully Andy M will chime in and explain..  

[ste7ios 469]

There’s nothing special to do on our brakes & ABS pump. It’s very simple. You only need a hand vacuum pump, like Mityvac MV8020.

[Andy m 23,463]

4 hours ago, Tex said:

 

Hopefully Andy M will chime in and explain..  

 

Stelios has it. You cycle the ignition a few times to stir the pump then bleed like any other system. It goes pear shaped when you let anything empty, so watch the reservoir. You will be diluting old fluid with new in the nooks and crannies, but given non-ABS systems with 7 year old fluid only ever stank, if you get 90% out it works. 

 

The water content device is indeed reading at a bad point, the worse bit will be under any good fluid. The aeroplane boys I believe take what they've drained, leave it to stand then take a sample from the bottom third. They are confirming a fluid change is all that is required. The stupidly named DOT5 floats on water. If the device is looking for absorbed water rather than water only, it could be set to trigger soon enough on the assumption you test at the best point while the worst is still OK.

 

The Harley recall if I understand correctly is because the dealers did brake fluid by teleporter to avoid the hassle and the ABS unit wasn't robust enough to stand this treatment. Bad practice and bad design rather than poor technique IMHO.

 

I'm glad I work with air, its easier to dispose of. Roll on the leccy brake though.

 

Andy

[Tex 36,816]

50 minutes ago, Andy m said:

 

Stelios has it. You cycle the ignition a few times to stir the pump then bleed like any other system. It goes pear shaped when you let anything empty, so watch the reservoir. 

 

Andy

 

Thanks. Over on the Triumph forum someone suggests invoking the ABS on a wet road as a method of mixing the old fluid in the pump with the new.. I like your idea better!  

 

But the Dealertool only cost me £50 so I will carry on with that.  

[Andy m 23,463]

The Dealer tool is verging on cheating! It will get more out quicker though.

 

Do the Triumph riders break the bead on tyre change day by letting the air out and doing a few miles to loosen it off too? 🤔😣😣

 

Andy

[embee 7,288]

I use a Mityvac and do it as often as I think of it

It takes around 15mins typically.

Ok I'm sure it doesn't purge all the ABS but I work on the principle that if the system is full of clean stuff it'll work its way round.