Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:47:56 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Brake warning light flickering
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Of course Dot 4 is 'better.'
I believe the actual vanagon spec is Dot 3 .
and the poster said he had a hard time finding Dot 4.
and ...if someone is going to drive a vanagon and not even know where the
brake fluid reservoir is ...until the warning light comes one for low fluid
...
the brake fluid in the res is probably pretty old...
and ANY brake fluid of the same type would a vast improvement.
I don't see filling the res back up as any real repair.
I see it as an indication ..as you said also ..
things need to be inspected, or sure should be inspected...and proper
repairs done.
Filling the fluid is not the end of some service situation in a case like
this. ...it's the start of one.
sounds to me like the van needs ANY brake fluid in the short term .
and proper inspection and repairs and fresh proper brake fluid and full
bleed after a full brake inspection , to me..
including bleeding the clutch slave cylinder.
it's real easy to do five bleed valves instead of just 4 ..
just need to use the clutch pedal for that one odd bleeder.
hey ..at least the guy noticed the warning light !!
Some people just 'drive' ..
"Light ? .......sure I saw that red light .....but I didn't think it meant
anything."
and I'm not joking. I have seen people drive a car with a factory oil
pressure gauge reading zero all the time..
and particularly this one ..on vanagons .
non-working oil warning light, or charge warning light not working .
People don't even notice the warning lights aren't working ..
then one day ..".oh...why do I have a dead battery ? "
the poor vans sometimes..
they sure put up with a lot and keep going sometimes.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: Brake warning light flickering
> Given the quantity required and the small difference in cost why would you
> not want to use the better fluid? Of course topping off a neglected or
> even
> defective system fluid quality won't help too much. However with brakes,
> things should always be done as well as possible.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 9:00 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Brake warning light flickering
>
> Dot 3 is sufficient.
> The operator of any vehicle needs to know where the various fluids go.
> I suspect your brake fluid hasn't been changed in a long, long time.
>
> should be done every two years.
> leaving brake fluid in any vehicle indefinitely is really rough on the
> brake
> system ..
> and costly.
> Maintenance and service is very inexpensive compared to repairs.
> If service properly ...
> things don't wear out much.
>
> if you 'just drive them' ...
> you end up with things like dry worn out CV joints..
> shot CV joint boots..
> worn out transmission ..
> leaking clutch slave cylinder..
> and about 25 things like that.
>
> 'The Trick' ..the Hard Part ..is the people involved..
> getting the owner/operators to either do it themselves, or find someone to
> service their van ..
> and that can be tricky too ..finding someone that is competent, really
> cares..
> does great work ....and offers good value ....
>
> Long term, vanagons are as good as the people involved with their care
> are.
>
> Actually ..they do amazingly well for the often very minimal care they get
> ..
> but man are they screwed up after 10 years of that.
>
> There used to be an oil filter advertisement ...
> the Mechanic says 'pay me now, or pay me later' ..
> the implication being ..
> either pay me a small amount for service now..
> or pay me a Really Large Amount later for a new engine.
>
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David M" <covrambles@YAHOO.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 1:11 AM
> Subject: Re: Brake warning light flickering
>
>
> You were correct sir.
> I had no idea the brake fluid was under there, what a weird place to put
> it.
> It was very low, I added 1/2 a container of DOT 4 (almost impossible to
> find).
>
> -David (1987 Wolfsburg)
>
> --- On Wed, 12/7/11, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
> Subject: RE: Brake warning light flickering
> To: "'David M'" <covrambles@YAHOO.COM>, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 3:14 PM
>
> Start by checking the brake fluid level.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> David M
> Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 3:12 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Brake warning light flickering
>
> My brake warning light has started flickering when I'm in motion. I did
> leave the handbrake on once or twice, could that have messed something up.
> How do I troubleshoot this?
>
> -David (1987 Wolfsburg 2.1L gasoline, auto)
