Brake fluid change for the 4Runner - Color ok?

[SKVenture]

Hello! My wife and I are just 2 weeks out from driving from Philadelphia to colorado and Utah!

I'm sucking the old DOT 3 fluid out of the cylinder and replacing it with new DOT 4 synthetic.

I know it's not the best method, but it's the most cost effective for us right now!

You can see the color transition with each change (10 miles of city driving between changes).

Should I keep going until the fluid is almost clear? Does it look ok as is?

Thanks!!

 

[Leo99]

It's about water content, not color.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

You're not doing much of anything. The fluid in the reservoir does not get cycled through the system. Most of the fluid that actuates the brakes is ready in the lines and calipers, and that's the stuff that really needs to get replaced with a proper bleeding.

 

[Timo325]

It's a one way hydraulic system. Bleed the brakes properly. In most vehicles it doesn't take much. You can do this at the house.

 

[SKVenture]

Originally Posted By: Timo325
It's a one way hydraulic system. Bleed the brakes properly. In most vehicles it doesn't take much. You can do this at the house.



Interesting,

I will have my shop do a proper bleed. Thanks!

 

[Canadastang]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
You're not doing much of anything. The fluid in the reservoir does not get cycled through the system. Most of the fluid that actuates the brakes is ready in the lines and calipers, and that's the stuff that really needs to get replaced with a proper bleeding.


+1 all the dirty, nasty gunk in the brake fluid will be in the calipers and lines. The hydraulic system is one way as noted below and the fluid is not circulating.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs water) and should ideally be flushed every 2-3 years, more often if the vehicle's driven hard (i.e. racing, autox). Water will lower the fluid's boiling point and the system's overall performance and effectiveness will be diminished, but depending upon your driving style, you may never know the difference.

I'm sure someone will chime in here about how they have 20 year old fluid in their Buick, Dodge, Toyota whatever and how the car still stops just fine and they don't have any braking problems. Yet.

If you don't feel like popping all the wheels off to bleed the brakes yourself, find a nice mechanic to bleed the system for you - it shouldn't cost any more than $100 and should only take an hour.

 

[expat]

Originally Posted By: SKVenture
Originally Posted By: Timo325
It's a one way hydraulic system. Bleed the brakes properly. In most vehicles it doesn't take much. You can do this at the house.



Interesting,

I will have my shop do a proper bleed. Thanks!


If you can change your own oil, you can bleed your own brakes! It is not Rocket science.

 

[Doc8404]

Just had mine flushed at pepboys. $70.

 

[WobblyElvis]

Never changed brake fluid in 50 years of driving. Never had a car that the owner's manual called for it. But ya never know.

 

[dubber09]

With my previous car, a VW that I bought brand new back in '97 (and drove for 17 years and 235K miles) I haven't changed brake fluid till master cylinder started failing

... about 14 years in I think...
With current cars we have I'm gonna do it every 3 years.
It's easy to do it yourself, as of by one person and no fancy tools.

 

[Astro14]

I've owned 7 cars that specified brake fluid changes...but ya never know...

This truck is easy to bleed, and you can probably do it without even taking the wheels off. Plenty of internet "how-to" video and write-ups. I would recommend it before your big trip. Coming down mountain passes in a loaded 4Runner can really warm up the brakes. It's not always possible to use engine braking. Fresh fluid is more resistant to boiling.

5 years in Colorado with my 4Runner, personal experience.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Never changed brake fluid in 50 years of driving. Never had a car that the owner's manual called for it. But ya never know.


Ditto, until.....

 

[ejes]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
It's about water content, not color.


Very true. Glycol-ether brake fluids absorb water, which makes your fluid less effective. And it doesn't take much water in there to raise the boiling point. It is a very good idea to bleed brakes every 2 or 3 years.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
Never changed brake fluid in 50 years of driving. Never had a car that the owner's manual called for it. But ya never know.

Me too. Only time I flushed system was when I had to open the hydraulic system to perform a repair.

 

[dlundblad]

You guys should be able to perform a brake fluid flush pretty easily. No need to take it in somewhere. Just get some 2' pieces of clear rubber fuel hose that fit the bleeders, (check front and rears.. sometimes they're different.), sockets and box end wrench to fit the bleeders, brake parts cleaner (sometimes the bleeders get clogged.) shop rags, rubber gloves, PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench etc. and a glass jar. Putting her up on stands would make the job a whole lot easier. Some 4x4's you don't necessarily have to, but I always pull sometime when I try doing it the "faster" way.

Also, does it call for DOT4? All brake fluids (DOT3 included) are synthetics. I personally think you'll be fine with the cheaper DOT3. Walmart brand Supertech DOT3 in the quarts is some awesome stuff.

 

[andyd]

Ducked, What are you gonna do when that "classic" blows a brake line? Can you get tubing and fittings in Taiwan ? Turkey basting the fluid in the reservoir isn't touching the gunk doing the work. Thank you for the graphic proof. When buying brake fluid, I don't shop by brand, I shop by the boiling point that is some where in the fine print on the bottle. BTW, the boiling point is the chief difference between 3 and 4. I have "heard" that the higher boiling point DOT 4 is more hydrophilic than DOT 3, thus requiring the 2 yr change interval. Dlunblad, This technique, gives me a better pedal than the 2 person process. I pump the pedal by hand and watch for bubbles. Up above the rust belt, opening the bleeders every 2 yrs prevents shearing them off.

 

[CT8]

You are not flushing the brakes the brake fluid doesn't circulate.

 

[Kira]

No one has mentioned flushing the ABS system during flush.

I read about actuating the ABS pump whilst doing a bleed so new fluid displaces the old in the ABS valve body.

If nothing else, bleed/refresh the fluid as described above. Run the car and actuate the ABS system a few times then bleed it again, perhaps?

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Install Russell Speed Bleeders and you will be able to do the brake fluid replacement without help. Has been a very good investment for me. You're way overthinking brake fluid color. The darkest example you have displayed is not that bad. Go for it cowboy.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Ducked, What are you gonna do when that "classic" blows a brake line? Can you get tubing and fittings in Taiwan ?


Crash?

I'd think it might be difficult to source tubing here because I doubt this job is often done. A car old enough to do that here will tend to be scrapped by Taiwanese when it does it, rather than repaired. Very few old cars here.

The trade will probably have access to the bits, but DIY sourcing would require you to be pally with a mechanic, as is generally the case here, and might not save much money.

I bought a cheapo flare tool kit in Japan, and bought some copper tubing when I was back in the UK (where I also have/had a cheapo flare kit so I needn't have bothered with the Japanese one, but I wasn't planning to be back).

Dunno if I'll get around to doing it pro-actively or procrastinate until something breaks. The calipers/wheel cylinders have all been stripped and should be OK for a good while but that rust was coming from somewhere.

I'm not taking the master cylinder apart without a seal kit though, unless I have to.