Where to get Brake Fluid Changed?

kluivert

Hi guys

Where would you recommend I could get my brake fluid changed.

Hasnt been changed since I got the car 4 years ago.

I checked the website for Advanced Pit Stop etc, no indication of Brake Fluid Changes just pads and disks.

Can you one recommend where to go please.

ZiabR

What kind of car mate?

kluivert

The clue is in the sig.

Its a 1999 1.4 Opel Astra 122k miles on the clock.

conmack

Why would you want to change the brake fluid?

hi_im_fil

conmack wrote: »

Why would you want to change the brake fluid?

Isn'y it meant to be changed every few years?? It absorbs water or something i think

kluivert

Hydraulic Fluid absorbs moisture from the air over time and thus makes the fluid less efffective.

It also causes air bubbles to appear in the system and thus bleeding the brakes or changing fluids helps maintain your braking system in tip top order.

So does anyone who where is a suitable place to get this done.

Henry Ford III

Any place could do that. Including Advance pitstop.

I changed it myself the last time on the RS2000. Used an "Easybleed" which cleverly utilises air pressure from your spare wheel to both firstly force out the old fluid, secondly to suck in the new stuff, and simultaneously bleed the entire system.

If you are even half way handy using one is a doddle.

Bobo78

You can go Advanced Pit Stop. They can change your brake fluid for sure.
Just in January this year i went to Pit Stop to get power steering and brake fluid replaced. They charged me around 90 euros the labor and fluids.

kluivert

Thanks guys.

I actually checked the car last night for power steering fluid and there doesnt seem to be any.

Might explain why the steering is heavy.

Although I forgot to clocking the wheels left and right a few times before checking so I must check again this evening.

90e doesnt seem to be to be honest.

I would normally like to watch them do it first and then have a go myself.

mick-skyline

kluivert change it yourself its pretty easy to do but you will need someone to press the pedal for you.

1. remove the cap from the brake res
2, start from the furthest caliper from the brake res.
3. undo the nipple on the caliper and press the pedal till the fluid stops coming out.
4. tighten back up and go to the next.
5. repeat on the next futhest till all are done.
6. now top up the res and leave the cap off.
7. go loosen the nipple again starting with the furthest and get someone to press the pedal as you watch for a constant flow of fluid from the nipple,
8. when you get the constant flow get the person to hold the pedal in while you tighten the nipple back up.
9. refill the res and continue to repeat for each caliper, when all are done top up the res to the max line and replace cap.
10. go drive and check they work proplerly.

Henry Ford III

mick-skyline wrote: »

kluivert change it yourself its pretty easy to do but you will need someone to press the pedal for you.

1. remove the cap from the brake res
2, start from the furthest caliper from the brake res.
3. undo the nipple on the caliper and press the pedal till the fluid stops coming out.
4. tighten back up and go to the next.
5. repeat on the next futhest till all are done.
6. now top up the res and leave the cap off.
7. go loosen the nipple again starting with the furthest and get someone to press the pedal as you watch for a constant flow of fluid from the nipple,
8. when you get the constant flow get the person to hold the pedal in while you tighten the nipple back up.
9. refill the res and continue to repeat for each caliper, when all are done top up the res to the max line and replace cap.
10. go drive and check they work proplerly.

Yes, but 3. above can (and will) damage the hydraulic seals on the master cylinder. The pedal will move beyond it's normal range. That's exactly why I used an Easybleed gadget.

mick-skyline

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Yes, but 3. above can (and will) damage the hydraulic seals on the master cylinder. The pedal will move beyond it's normal range. That's exactly why I used an Easybleed gadget.

only if you go mad on the pedal when the fluid has stopped.

kluivert

Yeah Mick read that the pedal method isnt idea.

Thanks for the How To I have printed out now and will study it over the weekend.

Good to see some good mechanical DIY advice.

Cheers lads.

Lewe

The way we were told in FAS:
1)Get a lenght of tube.
2)Get the correct size spanner for the bleed nipple.
3)Place one end of the tube into a bottle about half full of brake fluid.
4)Get someone to pump the pedal a few times.
5)get them to hold it in place.
6)open the nipple and let the fluid out.
7)When the pedal starts to move down close the nipple.
do this eith the resivor cap open...

Thats how we were told and thats how i do them.Always works for me
Very low chance of flipping the seals this way

Run_to_da_hills

Lewe wrote: »

The way we were told in FAS:

:eek:

Lewe

wha.......i was jus doin a set of brakes on a carisma before i posted this..bled them that way and worked fine...Fas aren't that bad:P:P

Lucifer

I am a mechanic for the past 5 years and have bleed brakes this way many many times and never had a problem. It is fine to do it this way.

Top Up the reservoir
Get someone to pump the pedal
Then get them to hold it down while you open and close the nipple with a bleed bottle attached.
Repeat until you get no bubbles in the bottle and clear fluid.
Then move to the next wheel.

When i have a pressure bleeder I use that because its just so much easier. Attach to reservoir. Pump up to required pressure. Then just open one nipple at at time until fluid is clear.

crosstownk

Lucifer wrote: »

Then get them to hold it down while you open and close the nipple.

Only open the nipple briefly - it's an idea to have it closed before the pedal goes to the floor to avoid the pressure equalising with atmospheric pressure and possibly sucking air back through the nipple. Pump and bleed again if necessary.

Captain Slow IRL

Lucifer wrote: »

I am a mechanic for the past 5 years and have bleed brakes this way many many times and never had a problem. It is fine to do it this way.

Top Up the reservoir
Get someone to pump the pedal
Then get them to hold it down while you open and close the nipple with a bleed bottle attached.
Repeat until you get no bubbles in the bottle and clear fluid.
Then move to the next wheel.

When i have a pressure bleeder I use that because its just so much easier. Attach to reservoir. Pump up to required pressure. Then just open one nipple at at time until fluid is clear.

Clean around where the nipple screws into the cylinder and spray liberal amounts of wd40 the night before - corrosion is a b!tch, and you don't wanna go rounding off the nipple.

Captain Slow IRL

crosstownk wrote: »

Only open the nipple briefly - it's an idea to have it closed before the pedal goes to the floor to avoid the pressure equalising with atmospheric pressure and possibly sucking air back through the nipple. Pump and bleed again if necessary.

That's why the pedal is held down while the nipple is tightened. Having said that, the newer opels experience damage to the seals in the master cylinder if you floor the pedal while bleeding the brakes.........

Any opel experts confirm this?!

crosstownk

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

That's why the pedal is held down while the nipple is tightened.

When the pedal is on the floor it is no longer exerting pressure while the bleed nipple is open. If atmospheric pressure is higher than that of the hydraulic system, air will get in through the nipple while the pedal is on the floor. Always close the nipple before the pedal reaches the floor. If the pedal is still exerting pressure air will be expelled.