Change out brake/clutch fluid easily - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

blumaro · 02-04-2013, 11:59 AM

Not really a DIY, more like some barely coherent ramblings. Anyway, my car just broke 7000 miles. I have noticed the darkening of the brake/clutch fluid over the past year. Ideally, adding a separate clutch reservoir would reduce the rate of brake fluid contamination. I spoke with my dealer about this and they stated that modifications would void my warranty. Unfortunately I'd like to hang on to the warranty for a while. The dealer went on the say that they can change the fluid for $125. Umm...no, too much money.

So the only solution is to change the brake/fluid frequently myself. I have seen other postings on this forum where they suggest that this be done at each oil change. No problem, it only adds a half hour to the job and $7.99 + tax. I picked up a 32 oz bottle of Valvoline DOT3/4 synthetic brake fluid. Always buy a new, sealed bottle as brake fluid is hygroscopic and an open container will quickly start to absorb moisture from the air. I've read of people using a turkey baster to remove the fluid from the reservoir. Unfortunately brake fluid makes a great paint remover so you have to be extremely careful not to get it on painted surfaces. The turkey baster would force you to transfer the fluid into a waste container under the hood, increasing your chances of an accidental spill. A better solution is a Mityvac brake bleeding kit. This kit has it's own storage container and makes it easy to both suck the old fluid form the master cylinder then transfer it to a waste container away from the car and your precious paint job. For additional protection, I placed some shop rags beneath the master cylinder.

Unfortunately this method will not remove 100% of the contaminants. To do that you'd need to flush/bleed both the brakes and the clutch. That would be a big PITA, so we have to settle on getting it as close as possible. To do that you need to perform an iterative process that goes like this:

1. Suck out the old fluid form the master cylinder using the Mityvac. The stuff I removed first was almost completely black.

2. Top off the master cylinder with new fluid.

3. Hop in the car and repeatedly press and release the clutch and brake pedals for a couple of minutes. This will force some of the existing dirty fluid from the lines/calipers/clutch slave cylinder back into the brake master cylinder reservoir.

4. Repeat steps one through three.

With each iteration you will notice that the fluid is getting clearer. I used up most of the 32 ounces of the new brake fluid in three iterations and poured the remaining couple of ounces in the waste container. Now my fluid looks almost brand new. I suspect that this method will remove >80% of the contaminates.

I will probably perform this process at every oil change and for good measure completely flush/bleed the brakes/clutch every two years.

Lastly, the Mityvac is a very useful tool to add to your arsenal. As demonstrated above, it's great for fluid transfer. It's also a powerful tool for bleeding brakes, troubleshooting vacuum leaks, testing EGR valves, testing thermostatic vacuum switches, and testing HVAC dampers and controls. If you do any of your own work then you should consider adding one of these to your tool box.

LS3 SS · 02-10-2013, 04:45 PM

Nice write up, I intend on taking care of this immediately and also adding a separate resevoir via the JDP kit. How much did the mityvac run you and where did you get it from?

blumaro · 02-11-2013, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS3 SS

Nice write up, I intend on taking care of this immediately and also adding a separate reservoir via the JDP kit. How much did the mityvac run you and where did you get it from?

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, the separate reservoir is the way to go but my dealership did not mince words when they stated that it would void any clutch or transmission warranty claims. I can understand where they are coming from. I don't like it, but I can understand it. And with my crappy grindy second gear, I imagine that I'll be in for warranty service eventually. I bought that mityvac years ago to troubleshoot vacuum leaks in my old Z28. It worked great and lead me to discover that all the rubber lines going to the evap canister were rotted out and leaking. It paid for itself that day. I'm thinking it cost me around $40-$50. Presently Advance Auto Parts has one for $46.99 that comes with the brake bleeding kit. Check it out here:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...chTerm=mityvac

I'm not sure if Advance Auto is in your neck of the woods, but I imagine that any of the big chain auto parts stores should carry it. Good luck.

tramtwo · 02-11-2013, 11:24 AM

I'd like to see the dealership prove that my separate clutch reservoir caused a part failure. I am enjoying the IMO improved peddle response and piece of mind of having these separated. That vac is a very nice tool to have may invest in one. To date I just use a turkey baster and change my clutch fluid every fill up.

02-04-2013, 11:59 AM	#1
blumaro Drives: 2012 Camaro SS / 1977 Trans AM Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 102	Change out brake/clutch fluid easily Not really a DIY, more like some barely coherent ramblings. Anyway, my car just broke 7000 miles. I have noticed the darkening of the brake/clutch fluid over the past year. Ideally, adding a separate clutch reservoir would reduce the rate of brake fluid contamination. I spoke with my dealer about this and they stated that modifications would void my warranty. Unfortunately I'd like to hang on to the warranty for a while. The dealer went on the say that they can change the fluid for $125. Umm...no, too much money. So the only solution is to change the brake/fluid frequently myself. I have seen other postings on this forum where they suggest that this be done at each oil change. No problem, it only adds a half hour to the job and $7.99 + tax. I picked up a 32 oz bottle of Valvoline DOT3/4 synthetic brake fluid. Always buy a new, sealed bottle as brake fluid is hygroscopic and an open container will quickly start to absorb moisture from the air. I've read of people using a turkey baster to remove the fluid from the reservoir. Unfortunately brake fluid makes a great paint remover so you have to be extremely careful not to get it on painted surfaces. The turkey baster would force you to transfer the fluid into a waste container under the hood, increasing your chances of an accidental spill. A better solution is a Mityvac brake bleeding kit. This kit has it's own storage container and makes it easy to both suck the old fluid form the master cylinder then transfer it to a waste container away from the car and your precious paint job. For additional protection, I placed some shop rags beneath the master cylinder. Unfortunately this method will not remove 100% of the contaminants. To do that you'd need to flush/bleed both the brakes and the clutch. That would be a big PITA, so we have to settle on getting it as close as possible. To do that you need to perform an iterative process that goes like this: 1. Suck out the old fluid form the master cylinder using the Mityvac. The stuff I removed first was almost completely black. 2. Top off the master cylinder with new fluid. 3. Hop in the car and repeatedly press and release the clutch and brake pedals for a couple of minutes. This will force some of the existing dirty fluid from the lines/calipers/clutch slave cylinder back into the brake master cylinder reservoir. 4. Repeat steps one through three. With each iteration you will notice that the fluid is getting clearer. I used up most of the 32 ounces of the new brake fluid in three iterations and poured the remaining couple of ounces in the waste container. Now my fluid looks almost brand new. I suspect that this method will remove >80% of the contaminates. I will probably perform this process at every oil change and for good measure completely flush/bleed the brakes/clutch every two years. Lastly, the Mityvac is a very useful tool to add to your arsenal. As demonstrated above, it's great for fluid transfer. It's also a powerful tool for bleeding brakes, troubleshooting vacuum leaks, testing EGR valves, testing thermostatic vacuum switches, and testing HVAC dampers and controls. If you do any of your own work then you should consider adding one of these to your tool box. Attached Images

02-10-2013, 04:45 PM	#2
LS3 SS Drives: 2010 Cyber Grey Camaro SS (LS3) Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Clarksville TN Posts: 2,275	Nice write up, I intend on taking care of this immediately and also adding a separate resevoir via the JDP kit. How much did the mityvac run you and where did you get it from?

02-11-2013, 11:24 AM	#4
tramtwo Drives: 2021 1LE Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: N'Awlinz Posts: 6,315	I'd like to see the dealership prove that my separate clutch reservoir caused a part failure. I am enjoying the IMO improved peddle response and piece of mind of having these separated. That vac is a very nice tool to have may invest in one. To date I just use a turkey baster and change my clutch fluid every fill up.