Brakes

[hr1940]

I have a 2000 Mazda 626 with 80,000 miles. Last year I had my brakes replaced. Today I had all the fluids checked and the brake fluid was the color of rust. I am going to get the fluid changed tomorrow. Is there anything else I should ask my mechanic to look at? The guy is super honest(have been using him for 14 years) but we can all miss something.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Helen

 

[Milkman]

Is it possible that the fluid was that color when new ? Anyway,flushing the brake fluid is not very expensive and good preventative maintenance.

Frank

 

[229]

Second most neglected fluid is coolant.

 

[Pablo]

I would just have him flush it with fresh NEW fluid and then watch it. I emphasize new, so hopefully he will open a new container for you.

Just have him drain the master cylinder fluid holding area first so that rust colored fluid is not pushed through all your brake lines. I'm betting you have some rusting going on top side and your brakes and brake lines are OK.

After the change, monitor it every couple weeks or so.

 

[spasm3]

Good hard look at the belt and hoses if they are 11 year old original. If so its worth it to replace it rather than chance 11 year old hoses.

 

[JHZR2]

Define rust... Is it really like a rust orange color, or is it just not a pleasant yellow color but rather more of a murky brownish?

If the first, then you have issues, and I'd be trying to get to the bottom of them.

If the second, it is normal and definitely smart to get the brakes (pressure) bled as routine maintenance.

Where did you see the coloration? If it is in the reservoir, I have real concerns, as it means either that the seal is bad, water has gotten in and messed with the innards of your master cyllinder, or that water has migrated far enough through the system to do something similar.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Good hard look at the belt and hoses if they are 11 year old original. If so its worth it to replace it rather than chance 11 year old hoses.


Good suggestion, in addition, you should check your service records to see if the timing belt needs done. Even if the manual says 105,000 miles, there's typically a time limit too.

On the topic of brake fluid, Pablo pretty well summed my thoughts up.

 

[jorton]

Open the brake fluid reservoir only when pads/shoes are replaced because if you see the level at the min line it's time for new brakes.

 

[scurvy]

Ditto on getting the brake fluid flushed. I do it every two years and the stuff coming out of the front caliper bleeders always looks gross.

Have the PSF reservoir drained & refilled while you're at it. That's probably the most neglected fluid in a car.

 

[tripleM]

Brake fluid.
Power Steering Fluid.
Transmisson Fluid.
Coolant.

I change them all if you haven't & get on a routine schedule with them.

Again great ideas about the hoses & belts too.

 

[eljefino]

+1 for JHZR2. My old fluid is inky black, not rusty.

 

[hr1940]

Thank you for the help. Roland (the mechanic) said that I was to drive it a while and then bring in in for him or one of his people to check -- at no additional cost. Tony did all the maintenance and now I have Roland to check everything and I read my manual to see what needs to be replaced. The timing belt was replaced last year. The coolant is good I had the system flushed and new coolant put in last year. It was tested and everything is on target. The transmission fluid was flushed and replaced with synthetic. The cat was replaced this year. The brake fluid was a light rust color and Roland took the cap off a tube in the engine. I will let you know what they find tomorrow. I use a synthetic oil and a wix filter. The car has been maintained.

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: jorton
Open the brake fluid reservoir only when pads/shoes are replaced because if you see the level at the min line it's time for new brakes.
This is what I've heard too.....at least on my "previously owned" new cars....

Manual stated the brake fluid didn't need "top offs" since the fluid level will go down as the brake linings wear out....Or, obviously if you have a leak (i.e.: takes more distance to get the car to stop...).


BUT, the Hayne's manual for my 88 says it should be checked once a week lol....aside from that, 80k seems a bit low for brake replacement.....? Could be a lot of stop and go/city driving I suppose though?



May as well change out (whether exchanged, flushed, whatever you wanna call it) all fluids, Power Steering, Transmission (dont forget the filter), radiator, etc...

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: ahoier
Originally Posted By: jorton
Open the brake fluid reservoir only when pads/shoes are replaced because if you see the level at the min line it's time for new brakes.
This is what I've heard too.....at least on my "previously owned" new cars....

Manual stated the brake fluid didn't need "top offs" since the fluid level will go down as the brake linings wear out....Or, obviously if you have a leak (i.e.: takes more distance to get the car to stop...).


BUT, the Hayne's manual for my 88 says it should be checked once a week lol....aside from that, 80k seems a bit low for brake replacement.....? Could be a lot of stop and go/city driving I suppose though?



May as well change out (whether exchanged, flushed, whatever you wanna call it) all fluids, Power Steering, Transmission (dont forget the filter), radiator, etc...


FWIW I am ASE certified in Brakes and Suspension / Steering and I was taught to NEVER top off brake fluid. The level on a vehicle with disc brakes can indicate friction material thickness and also rotor thickness to some extent.

Now with that said, if the brake fluid is truly horrible and is in dire need of replacing and the friction material and rotors are nominally thick, go ahead and flush the fluid. The fluid is that condition obviously has a lower boiling point and is not safe.

When I do brake jobs I evacuate the master reservoir to below the minimum level before I compress the pistons back in to prevent the fluid from shooting out all over the firewall (ask me how I know). I will do a full flush of fluid when I replace friction material as well. I have a Vacula for that and the cars I maintain have Speed Bleeders. I will use the Vacula then follow up with a manual bleed until the pedal feel is to my liking.

I usually only get 2 years or so out of a set of friction material, sometimes longer. But I usually replace friction material when they are just over the thickness of the backing plate. Just a weird pet peeve I have, also it is no fun failing tech at a track day because your pads are less than 5mm thick. Anyone who gives a % of friction material left should not be listened to as that is not the proper way to report friction material thickness. The only way you can possibly do that is with knowing exact thickness prior to installation.

 

[hr1940]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I took the car in and the system was flushed and refilled. Roland said that it looked like the guy that did the brakes did not change the fluid. I ask about the hoses and belts and was told they had checked everything and it was in good shape. A couple of the guys that work there informed me that every time I bring my car in they make a point to check all hoses, fluids and the tires. I guess the brake fluid was not on their normal check list -- it will be in the future. Roland ask me to come back next week and let them check everything. I was informed that in the future I need to come in every 2 years to have the brake fluid changed.

Helen

 

[GMBoy]

Helen, you could have a worn master cyl cap gasket. This will allow moisture to wick into the fluid and that will change it to a dark honey/rusty color. Check the cap for proper sealing.

 

[hr1940]

I took the car in and the mechanic said it looked good. I put 600 miles on it this week end and it ran good. I will have the oil changed in less than a 1,000 miles and have everything rechecked then. Thanks for all the help.

Helen

 

[mjoekingz28]

Man, sometimes we can cause some worry. Doesn't brake fluid look rusty out of the bottle? I thought only heat caused the fluid to change color. I dropped some water into some clean brake fluid before and it didn't change color.

It seems cars go forever on brake fluid. On a motorbike the fluid can get dark in very few miles. I think brake fluid is the best fluid to use the 'color test' on.

A tip on brakes I just read somewhere is instead of getting a c clamp and bearing down on the piston, crack the bleeder then compress the piston. Is this sage advice?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
A tip on brakes I just read somewhere is instead of getting a c clamp and bearing down on the piston, crack the bleeder then compress the piston. Is this sage advice?


It is generally a good idea to do this. The theory is that the gunk in the caliper getting pushed back into the system can cause a fault in an ABS HCU or a proportioning valve.

Part of the advice of not topping off brake fluid is if you keep the master resivoir full and then compress the caliper pistons the fluid only has one place to go, firewall.