Secluded Maintenance: Brake Fluid Change

[ecasazza]

Hello all,

The service schedule recommends changing the brake fluid after 3 years.
I am approaching the 3-year mark. I would appreciate any thoughts experiences and costs.

Thank you

Everett

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[ChrisB351]

Brake fluid is hydroscopic and will build moisture in the lines. It also loses its viscosity over time with heat. Most manufactures recommend changing it every 2-3yrs.

 

[NC_Pinz]

I used to dismiss brake fluid changes, but I've come around over the years. I have no idea the cost but will be doing it for mine and typically do it for my other vehicles.

 

[ChrisB351]

Cost shouldnt be more than $200

 

[adam1991]

Hello all,

The service schedule recommends changing the brake fluid after 3 years.
I am approaching the 3-year mark. I would appreciate any thoughts experiences and costs.

Thank you

Everett

DOT 3/4 brake fluid is hygroscopic. Do it.

 

[lmarchetti]

I just did the 3 year flush this past weekend.

Took 3 bottles of Motorcraft PM20 brake fluid. I will buy 4 bottles next time, just to have extra on hand. About $15 each.

You will need a pressure bleeder, 20 PSI worked well for me. I have Motive Power Bleeder with 1100 adapter for the bronco.

Procedure for me in the 2.7 was,

Remove debris filter & drain master reservoir.
Reinstall debris filter & refill master with fresh fluid.
Hook up pressure bleeder with 2-3 16 oz bottles of fresh fluid.
Enable brake maintenance mode.
Flush both rear brakes.
Disable brake maintenance mode.
Cycle emergency parking brake 5x.
Enable brake maintenance mode.
Bleed rear brakes again.
Bleed front brakes.
Disable brake maintenance mode.
Disconnect power bleeder & install cap to master.

Unfortunately for the 2.7 the service manual says follow on screen prompts on the diagnosis tool. So I had to use my best judgement.

If you have a 2.3 it gives you exact instructions.

Hope it helps! If anyone has screenshots of the diag tool instructions that would be killer.

 

[23_Badlands]

For what it's worth, Broncos use LV (low viscosity) DOT4 brake fluid, not the standard, off-the-shelf DOT4. The brake reservoir cap says use DOT4. However, there's small imprinted text on the brake reservoir itself that specifies LV DOT4 fluid.

 

[timhood]

Hello all,

The service schedule recommends changing the brake fluid after 3 years.
I am approaching the 3-year mark. I would appreciate any thoughts experiences and costs.

Thank you

Everett

In NJ, you probably should follow the 3-year time interval. This recommendation is conservative, so it's not the end of the world if you go past it. DOT 4, particularly the low-viscosity kind in the Bronco, is much more resistant to water absorption than DOT 3. Out here in this dry climate, brake fluid can last much longer than 3 years. Test kits are cheap and are worth getting so that you can be aware of the condition of your brake fluid.

 

[Kevfra]

Hello all,

The service schedule recommends changing the brake fluid after 3 years.
I am approaching the 3-year mark. I would appreciate any thoughts experiences and costs.

Thank you

Everett

Do it. Tell you what, if you don't want to believe me, go to Amazon and buy a $5 moisture tester for brake fluid. After three years you have water which means you are already starting on corrosion. On my motorcycles (hard braking) I flush every year, and on my cars every three years.

 

[timhood]

I've been waiting a day for someone to explain to me the difference between secluded maintenance and scheduled maintenance. When do I choose one over the other?

 

[Bschurr]

Do it. Tell you what, if you don't want to believe me, go to Amazon and buy a $5 moisture tester for brake fluid. After three years you have water which means you are already starting on corrosion. On my motorcycles (hard braking) I flush every year, and on my cars every three years.

+1

FYI - Porsche standard is annual brake fluid flush. Regardless of manufacturer’s schedules/interval, flushing your fluid is inexpensive and good preventative maintenance.

 

[timhood]

+1

FYI - Porsche standard is annual brake fluid flush. Regardless of manufacturer’s schedules/interval, flushing your fluid is inexpensive and good preventative maintenance.

Well, it's actually two years for Porsche, but there's also a reason why they recommend two years for their high-performance sports cars that are frequently taken on the track.

I'm not sure what you consider inexpensive, but unless you are doing a brake fluid flush DIY, I wouldn't call it inexpensive. (And I wouldn't recommend DIY for someone not comfortable with bleeding a brake system.) It'll probably cost nearly $200 at a dealership, and surely over $100 even at an independent shop. And the most expensive kind of maintenance is the unnecessary kind. A brake fluid tester costs a tiny fraction of that price and pays for itself immediately.

 

[timbits588]

Do it. Tell you what, if you don't want to believe me, go to Amazon and buy a $5 moisture tester for brake fluid. After three years you have water which means you are already starting on corrosion. On my motorcycles (hard braking) I flush every year, and on my cars every three years.

Not to derail the thread, but do you have anti-lock brakes on your motorcycles? Curious if you need a device to activate the system to get a full flush?

 

[Kevfra]

Not to derail the thread, but do you have anti-lock brakes on your motorcycles? Curious if you need a device to activate the system to get a full flush?

I do, but no device is needed if you know the procedure.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

Appreciate the procedure attachment @lmarchetti . Does anyone know if the 7MT procedure would be different, with the clutch being plumbed into the MC?

My first manual transmission, but have plenty of seat time DIY bleeding my older vehicles.

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