Changing brake fluid?

[Fishy Dave]

I'm guessing it's a nice easy job, but has anyone written a guide? I tried searching, but no sign of one.

 

[fizzy_drink]

Hiya,

Get yourself to Halfords, and get yourself an "easy bleed" system (£10 max)... and some brake fluid.

Follow the instructions on how to put it all together.

Your brake fluid reservior is situated on the rear left-hand side on the engine bay, behind the engine (when you're facing the engine from the front bumper). Unclip the level sensor wire from the top, and then remove the top of the reservior (keeping it clean and dry).

**Pressure test your easybleed without any brake fluid in it.**

Personally, I've found it easier to bleed the system with the wheels off.

I've found that leaving the handbrake off is best, and I just leave the car in gear.

Start with the wheel furthest away from the reservior, and work your way around the car, getting closer to the reservoir every time.

The bleed nipples are quite obvious on the caliper - hopefully they still have rubber caps on the end of them (dust caps).

Pressurise your system (with brake fluid fluid in it) (I usually half-fill the bottle). Check that brake fluid isn't pouring out of your easybleed (which can happen if you've not connected it properly).

Just attach a piece of plastic tubing to the end of the bleed nipple, and then undo the nipple (using a small spanner).

Fluid might not immediately appear to come out instantly, as there may be air in the system... Keep bleeding it, until the fluid running out becomes clear or straw coloured.

Close the bleed nipple with a spanner, and repeat with the other wheels.

Check the fluid level in the main reserviour when you're done. You want the level beteween the min and max indicators. If you've over-filled it, you'll need to remove some using some kind of suction device.

Don't forget to put the cap back on, and to re-attach the wires.

All done!

 

[nonos]

Someone did write a guide in fact, but it wasn't set as sticky.
It is fairly easy, but make double sure that all your botls and nuts are really tight on the easy-bleed bottle, as I had problems with it (where the pipe attaches to the cap on top of the car brake fluid reservoir)

Take the wheels off is by far easier.

Also to get to the brake fluid reservoir, you need to remove the engine cover.

 

[Fishy Dave]

Thanks very much, I shall do this tomorrow then. :0)

 

[edde]

Don't bother taking the wheels of it means it takes so much longer. Just tick your hand up the back of the wheel. on a 182/172 its easier to turn the wheels to one way then the other. Make sure you bleed them in this order though (if you don't have ABS its different but you have a 172 so have ABS).
Front left
Front right
Rear left
Rear right

 

[Fishy Dave]

Doh! I didn't read your post edde, so have ended up bleeding them in the conventional order, furthest first. Oh, and I took the wheels off too.

Thanks all for your help, it was a nice job to do, and as it was dark and raining I decided to drag my fiance out to give a good pumping! LOL

All set for the Cadwell day now.

 

[fizzy_drink]

There ya go!

One less thing you need to pay for in the future!







PS Edde's theory about not taking the wheels off is ok, as long as you already know where the nipples are!

 

[Fred@BTM]

you should do opposite corners

to do it properly, you should drain the system fully first

the methods above are really just flush methods

 

[Fishy Dave]

you should do opposite corners

to do it properly, you should drain the system fully first

the methods above are really just flush methods

I let the fluid go down low before topping up, so after a while the fluid coming through was clear, so should have got most of the old stuff out. It was looking rather orange/brown, so i'm pretty certain it was the original stuff (02, 30k miles). Is their a better way to do it?

@Omar, yes, taking the wheels off did make it easier.
I didn't know where the nipples were.