Stephen Schmidt
Junior Member
Whats brake fluid? Don't you just need gas?
Great tips in this thread!
Great tips in this thread!
If you have never changed your brake fluid...DO IT!!!
- Thread starter FIZZER6
- Start date
Air is lighter than fluid, thus the air in the calipers floats to the top where the bleeder hole is. If doing a gravity bleed by simply cracking the bleeder open, the fluid will expel from the caliper (gravity working for you because the reservoir is higher than the caliper) and carry away trapped air. The hose is really just to keep from making a big uncontrolled mess.
In the automotive world where the master cylinder piston is larger, pumping the brake with a bleeder open moves enough volume to suck air back into the calipers. Here the MC volume is so small it 'appears to be' more forgiving of mistakes. Best practice says Do Not pump the levers with a bleeder left open as it can suck air into the caliper.
Also a slight tap to the caliper while it has pressure on it will help dislodge air bubbles stuck inside the caliper. Do not tap in the direction of piston travel, do it from the outside only and only while the system has pressure applied from the lever being actuated.
Tailgate
Senior Member
Ah, (yawn), yeah, I gotta get around to changing my brake fluid sometime. It's only been about four years. Brake fluid is like a pair of shoes to me. I kinda wear shoes until the soles are floppy and water penetrates and makes my socks soggy. Yeah, yeah, I should get on this one.
You can find a place to recycle almost any hazardous materials on this website:
Earth911.com - Find Recycling Centers and Learn How To Recycle
I even found places to take old gas.
Wh0M3
Junior Member
Nice link, I've got some oil that I've been wondering what I could do with it. I wasn't going to put it in the trash, but I didn't know where to go with it. :thumbup:
FIZZER6
The Angry Blue Mantis
You know what is fun to use old gas for? Starting bon-fires! It seems that old gas is less volatile but once it lights..IT LIGHTS!!!! My buddy had his eye brows singed off when he tried to light about 1/2 gallon of 2 year old gas on a bon fire...threw a match, nothing. Lit a piece of paper and threw it on the fire...nothing Touched a burning stick to the fire and BOOM!
Wh0M3
Junior Member
I've done this as a kid too, it is fun when it lights. Not as much fun with oil though.
Tailgate
Senior Member
For years, I ran a lawnmower on gas (siphoned from a marine 90 gallon tank) that is over 14 years old. It ran fine until about 5 months ago--not sure if it's related to old gas gumming in carb. But, I burned about 20 gallons or so of this gasoline over a 10+ year period in the mower.
Hey, wasn't this thread about brake fluid?
Hey, wasn't this thread about brake fluid?
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FIZZER6
The Angry Blue Mantis
that may have been ok before it had ethanol in it...provided it was kept in an air tight tank.
William
Junior Member
The rear brake on my recently purchased 2006 FZ6 seemed very spongy but not being used to it I wasn’t sure if that’s the way it was. So for the heck of it, I pulled out my super Motion Pro Brake Bleeder and bled it. The bleeder is essentially a valve that, once primed, allows the fluid and air through the value outward, but not back. Works great when you have to do this solo. Anyway, to cut to the chase, the FZ6 rear brake properly bled is actually quite a strong brake. If you’re experiencing any sponge replace the fluid and bleed them good…get all those bubbles out. It’s about 10 minutes with the bleeder.
crazy dave
Junior Member
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...i definitely need to do this and change my brake pads
Downs
Touring Jarhead
I have mine on a once a year schedule. Every year it gets flushed and bled.
Piotrek
Junior Member
The rear brake on my recently purchased 2006 FZ6 seemed very spongy but not being used to it I wasn’t sure if that’s the way it was. So for the heck of it, I pulled out my super Motion Pro Brake Bleeder and bled it. The bleeder is essentially a valve that, once primed, allows the fluid and air through the value outward, but not back. Works great when you have to do this solo. Anyway, to cut to the chase, the FZ6 rear brake properly bled is actually quite a strong brake. If you’re experiencing any sponge replace the fluid and bleed them good…get all those bubbles out. It’s about 10 minutes with the bleeder.
Great idea William, but for a piece of valve and couple of tubes it should cost less.
Does anyone try to do it in reverse, like this?
Reverse Bleeder
Fishwiz4
Junior Member
I finally did this today, and changed my coolant. I am assuming that the coolant had been changed recently before i bought my bike because it looked almost new when I drained it, but my brake fluid was quite nasty. i noticed a huge difference in the feel of the rear brake, but the front was not much different after the change. I feel alot better about it now, especially since i am planning a trip from mineapolis area to the UP of michigan and now I know that I am taking proper care of my bike.
It was all prett easy, but the coolant change took longer than i thought it would. the brake fluid change was super easy and took less than 10 minutes.
i will repeat it again..... if you have not done this, take a little time to change these fluids.
It was all prett easy, but the coolant change took longer than i thought it would. the brake fluid change was super easy and took less than 10 minutes.
i will repeat it again..... if you have not done this, take a little time to change these fluids.
Guitar Man
Keep moving!!!!
I change mine once a year or before a big trip. Pretty easy to do and doesn't cost much.
AngelFZ
Junior Member
I finally did the Blake bleeding (front and back) last weekend.
Results: brakes are much better now.
I've had my bike for a little over 2 years and going on 22,000 miles.
I got this brake bleeder kit from Cycle Gear on sale this month $39.99 (from $59.99).
View attachment 42723
Using a bleeding pump it is a one person job, of course, an extra pair of helping hands are always useful but not require.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Results: brakes are much better now.
I've had my bike for a little over 2 years and going on 22,000 miles.
I got this brake bleeder kit from Cycle Gear on sale this month $39.99 (from $59.99).
View attachment 42723
Using a bleeding pump it is a one person job, of course, an extra pair of helping hands are always useful but not require.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ChevyFazer
Redneck MacGyver
Did you flush all the old fluid out or just bleed them? If you haven flushed all the old out try that and you will be even more amazed!
^ You mean let the MC go dry and pour in new fluid with the system empty? Does that keep water in the old stuff from seeping into the new stuff?
ChevyFazer
Redneck MacGyver
With that bleeder he has he should be able to keep pumping new fluid through untill all the old is out if I'm not mistaken
Gotcha. Yeah, I always just kept pumping the pedal/lever until I saw that the volume that had drained out was definitely as much or more than I had poured in. I hadn't considered until reading your post that maybe moisture in the old fluid might get the new fluid wet. Not sure if that happens or not.
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