Date:         Sat, 20 May 2000 14:04:59 -0400
Reply-To:     Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject:      Re: Brake fluid replacement
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

To echo what Joe said, with some anecdotal evidence,  my wife's car, an '85
Accord, needed new brakes.  The guy at the shop put them in but couldn't get the
brakes to bleed properly.  He suggested changing the brake fluid and when he
did, discovered that there were some rust spots in the brake master cylinder.
Replaced that, discovered rust in the slave cylinder . . . replaced that.  With
new master and brake cylinders and fluid, developed enough pressure that two of
the wheel cylinders started leaking.  Replaced all of the wheel cylinders.  I
had not replaced the brake fluid in about 6 or 7 years and the damage was
costly.  The upside is that, when all was said and done (and paid for), the
car's brakes functioned just like new (what am I talking about, they WERE new!)
and they lasted the rest of the car's natural life, without fail.  That worked
wonders for my sense of safety and well-being . . . until my wife was rear-ended
by a 4-Runner, but that's another story.

Marc Perdue

"Joe L." wrote:

>    As I understand it scenario two is true. Break fluid loves water and will
> absorb all it can get hold of. The water so absorbed hates your break system
> and will cause as much damage as it can, as soon as it can, everywhere it
> can.
>    I have never heard of scenario one. New fluid does not **cause** damage
> but may very well **reveal** damage that is already there, caused by the old
> fluid. If changing the ancient fluid results in a leak your seals were
> already ruined and needed changing. Better to discover your ruined seals in
> your driveway than to wait for them to announce themselves during a hard
> breaking "panic stop".
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
> Of W. Silva
> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2000 9:36 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Brake fluid replacement
>
> Our '85 Westy has nasty looking brake fluid and I have heard two opinions
> about changing it.
>
> One:  Leave it alone, if you change it you may ruil the seals. because it's
> been in there so long...
>
> Two:  Change it at least every two years because it attracts moisture (what
> does this do?)
>
> We have owned the van for about 3 years now and don't know if the PO ever
> changed the fluid.
>
> What risks are we taking by changing or not changing the fluid.  Should I
> have it done at a dealer or do you think Midas can handle it?
>
> Thanks in advance for your sage advice.
>
> Wendy
>
> John & Wendy
> Cape Cod, MA
>
> '85 Westfalia "S-Cape"
> '98 Passat "The Do Dah Machine"
>
> CAMPERS ON CAPE COD
>  a LiMBO sponsored event
> SEPTEMBER 29 - OCTOBER 1, 2000