[Spridgets] [midgetsprite] Brake fluid

[Guy Weller]

Guy, R Day,
Oh I have, and know exactly how scarey it is!! The
Lake District hills, like the Welsh ones, make
sure of that!

What I was meaning was that the mere presence of
old water contaminated fluid doesn't itself reduce
braking efficiency.
It is only when that water in the system boils
that it then causes brake fade.
And the boiling isn't just due to the friction
heat generated in the brakes, it is also the
effect of continued high pressures on the fluid
when having to use the brakes repeatedly.

But brake fade due to boiling also occurs,
although less readily, with fresh clean fluid so I
doubt if it is really possible to say when it is
down to water contamination.

Fade due to burnt out and deteriorated pads or
even melted seals is even more terminal (!!!) but
isn't attributable to water contamination.

I have flushed through and replaced the fluid
twice now since I fully rebuilt my car in 1999. So
that is 3 times in total, over nearly 50,000
miles. It is due to do again but this time I also
need to renew the caliper pistons.

I have thought that it would be good to be able to
buy fluid of different colours. Then when
renewing, you could choose a new colour and tell
when the old was fully flushed out of the system!

Guy


-----Original Message-----
From: Guy R Day:  Brake fluid


Guy,
I take it you have never had brake failure due to
boiling fluid!

You can pump away as long as you wish and you will
not get sufficient
retardation to do anything other than look round
for the easy recovery spot
for your car.  The brakes do not work in any
sensible measure.  Letting the
fluid / brakes cool and then continuing will
result in a squidgy pedal and
brakes that boil quicker next time.  IF it does
happen the handbrake may be
your only saviour.


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