Brake Fluid Drain/Change

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 7:06 am

I looked at my brake fluid the other day and it looks....well, less than good.

i want to do a complete drain and fill. Anyone done this before?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 7:46 am

Start with the longest line. A speed bleeder will really help but you can do it with some plastic tube and a 2 liter bottle

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 9:35 am

Troy has this as a part of his maintenance schedule so he'd be a good person to ask...

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 9:38 am

Yes doesnt take long at all to do, almost do it while you are changing your oil, greasing the ball joints, u joints etc, just regular maintenance items that you assume everyone does.
start at the right rear, next the left rear, right front is next then finish with the left front...DONE!!

Tom

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 10:04 am

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

bugnout · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 4:55 pm

I do the same, use a turkey baster to pull as much of the old brake fluid out then fill with fresh fluid then bleed.

Works for the power steering (no bleeding/draining though), just change out what I can get from the reservoir then fill with fresh ATF +4 every other oil change.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Any tips about doing this for ABS equipped units? I was reading my FSM about this, and it says i need a DRB tool to complete brake fluid change and bleed.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 6:02 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

How can you tell when the new stuff starts coming out? Is it that noticable?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 6:45 pm

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

How can you tell when the new stuff starts coming out? Is it that noticable?

Yes, it is noticable if you drain it into a clear container. A 2 liter soda bottle works well. I recently did this on my SFA KJ and was exchanging new fluid so it wasn't as noticable as when the fluid has a bunch of miles on it but on older vehicles w/ some mileage it is obvious.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 6:46 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

How can you tell when the new stuff starts coming out? Is it that noticable?

Yes, it is noticable if you drain it into a clear container. A 2 liter soda bottle works well. I recently did this on my SFA KJ and was exchanging new fluid so it wasn't as noticable as when the fluid has a bunch of miles on it but on older vehicles w/ some mileage it is obvious.

Can you give me a roundabout number of how many pumps it takes (for the right rear)?

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 9:09 pm

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

How can you tell when the new stuff starts coming out? Is it that noticable?

Yes, it is noticable if you drain it into a clear container. A 2 liter soda bottle works well. I recently did this on my SFA KJ and was exchanging new fluid so it wasn't as noticable as when the fluid has a bunch of miles on it but on older vehicles w/ some mileage it is obvious.

Can you give me a roundabout number of how many pumps it takes (for the right rear)?

Alot and unless you have a bleeder ball(pressurized bleeding system) it will take at least 2 poeple to do it correctly.One to pump the brake pedal(and hold)and the other person opening the bleeder screw(when the other person is holding),when the fluid stops coming out close the bleeder screw(the other person should yell "floor",stating the pedal is on the floor).It will take about 30 min to do,I go through 2qts of syn DOT4 brake fluid,DOT3 is the min,do not allow the fluid to contact air for any longer then is needed since every min of exposure lowers the boiling point by about 3 degrees.Have the other person slowly pump the brake pedal about 3-4 times and hold it,then you loosen the bleeder screw,I do this about 3 times then move to the next brake(R/R,L/R,R/F,and then L/F),then I do it all over again to make sure.Never let the master cylinder run low otherwise you have to remove it and bench bleed it,not fun.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2008 9:22 pm

great advice about the master cylinder.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Thu May 15, 2008 9:46 pm

Make sure there is some fluid in the catcher bottle to avoid air entering the system.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Sat May 17, 2008 9:58 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

JJsKJ wrote:

I start by suctioning out all that I can from the master cyl then filling it back up w/ new fluid and then start the bleeding process. No sense in pushing all the old fluid from the master cyl through the lines. Rest of the process is as described above.

How can you tell when the new stuff starts coming out? Is it that noticable?

Yes, it is noticable if you drain it into a clear container. A 2 liter soda bottle works well. I recently did this on my SFA KJ and was exchanging new fluid so it wasn't as noticable as when the fluid has a bunch of miles on it but on older vehicles w/ some mileage it is obvious.

Can you give me a roundabout number of how many pumps it takes (for the right rear)?

Alot and unless you have a bleeder ball(pressurized bleeding system) it will take at least 2 poeple to do it correctly.One to pump the brake pedal(and hold)and the other person opening the bleeder screw(when the other person is holding),when the fluid stops coming out close the bleeder screw(the other person should yell "floor",stating the pedal is on the floor).It will take about 30 min to do,I go through 2qts of syn DOT4 brake fluid,DOT3 is the min,do not allow the fluid to contact air for any longer then is needed since every min of exposure lowers the boiling point by about 3 degrees.Have the other person slowly pump the brake pedal about 3-4 times and hold it,then you loosen the bleeder screw,I do this about 3 times then move to the next brake(R/R,L/R,R/F,and then L/F),then I do it all over again to make sure.Never let the master cylinder run low otherwise you have to remove it and bench bleed it,not fun.

Thanks Troy. I'm going to be doing my KJ and my girl's car today... I should get lots of practice in

I got some Valvoline Synthetic Dot3/4...

Brake Fluid Drain/Change

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