Project S-7: Brake fluid and clutch fluid
On this Veterans Day I did my brake fluid and clutch fluid change for the S2000.
Tools:
- Spline six-point socket
- 19mm socket, used along with the above socket
- 8mm, 10mm wrench
- 8mm, 10mm ratchet when the bolt is overtorqued
- ATE SuperBlue
- Jack stands
- Floor jack
- Breaker bar
- Clear hose (PVC tubing, 3/8 OD)
- Catch pan
- Bottle
- Turkey baster
- Zip tie (optional)
I used the wrong socket. I tried 17mm regular socket with the lug nuts and it seemed to fit. So I used the breaker bar to loosen it. It did come off, but the lug nut was stuck with the socket, forever. It was like this:
The fluid that I used was ATE SuperBlue or TYP 200. Both are the same, with the first one dyed blue and the second gold.
I used the 3-ton Pittsburgh floor jack from HF. It worked pretty well.
The first step is to put the car on jack stands. Since I was doing clutch too so I put it on all four jack stands.
Next thing you wanna do is to open the caps, use the turkey baster to suck all old fluid out and top off with new fluid. Of course you need to clean the cylinder inside out before and in the middle of this step!!
This is how it would look like when you have sucked out all the brake fluid, in comparison with the right side clutch master cylinder. So dirty!!
So we are ready to open the bleeder and let it bleed! Use 10mm wrench for opening the brake fluid bleeder on the back of the caliper. There may or may not be a black/red/whatever rubber cap on it. Take that off if there is one, and open the bleeder within a fraction of a turn. Don't turn it too much. It would cause air to come in. The connected hose should have the other end as low as possible. You could see the fluid coming out slowly. At the beginning the color would be brown or black, which is the color of the old fluid. After 10 mins or so, you could see the transition from the old fluid color to blue/gold. Then it's done for this wheel. Normally if it is bleeding, it would take you 15 mins, and cost you at most 1/2 pint of the fluid.
Then close the bleeder. Put the cap on. Ready to do the next.
The experience from Billman told us that we should do the four in the order of:
Front right, front left, rear left, rear right (FR, FL, RL, RR)
Also remember to top off the cylinder when the fluid level becomes low. The better you do this, the less air will be in the lines!
The clutch slave cylinder bleeder locates in the middle bottom of the car. When you crawl under the car, you should find it below:
It's kinda hard to access but you should be fine using hand to keep the hose there. Or a zip tie is recommended. As for this bleeder, 8mm wrench is required. The total time of clutch gravity bleed could be only 10 mins or less. It's way faster than the brake job.
Last but no least, some bleeder could be overtorqued, so you might use a ratchet with 10mm, 8mm socket to loosen it first, but do remember don't loosen it too much as the fluid would come out in several seconds!
Do it when the brake fluid is warm or hot! It would fasten the process much. Do some spiritual drive before you start the work.
So, what can we get from this?
1) You can feel more responsive from the brake and the clutch
2) No more air in the lines
3) I am feeling linearity of the brake and the clutch.
4) And it's a necessary maintenance job you should done!
11/11/16
Tools:
- Spline six-point socket
- 19mm socket, used along with the above socket
- 8mm, 10mm wrench
- 8mm, 10mm ratchet when the bolt is overtorqued
- ATE SuperBlue
- Jack stands
- Floor jack
- Breaker bar
- Clear hose (PVC tubing, 3/8 OD)
- Catch pan
- Bottle
- Turkey baster
- Zip tie (optional)
I used the wrong socket. I tried 17mm regular socket with the lug nuts and it seemed to fit. So I used the breaker bar to loosen it. It did come off, but the lug nut was stuck with the socket, forever. It was like this:
The fluid that I used was ATE SuperBlue or TYP 200. Both are the same, with the first one dyed blue and the second gold.
I used the 3-ton Pittsburgh floor jack from HF. It worked pretty well.
The first step is to put the car on jack stands. Since I was doing clutch too so I put it on all four jack stands.
Next thing you wanna do is to open the caps, use the turkey baster to suck all old fluid out and top off with new fluid. Of course you need to clean the cylinder inside out before and in the middle of this step!!
This is how it would look like when you have sucked out all the brake fluid, in comparison with the right side clutch master cylinder. So dirty!!
So we are ready to open the bleeder and let it bleed! Use 10mm wrench for opening the brake fluid bleeder on the back of the caliper. There may or may not be a black/red/whatever rubber cap on it. Take that off if there is one, and open the bleeder within a fraction of a turn. Don't turn it too much. It would cause air to come in. The connected hose should have the other end as low as possible. You could see the fluid coming out slowly. At the beginning the color would be brown or black, which is the color of the old fluid. After 10 mins or so, you could see the transition from the old fluid color to blue/gold. Then it's done for this wheel. Normally if it is bleeding, it would take you 15 mins, and cost you at most 1/2 pint of the fluid.
Then close the bleeder. Put the cap on. Ready to do the next.
The experience from Billman told us that we should do the four in the order of:
Front right, front left, rear left, rear right (FR, FL, RL, RR)
Also remember to top off the cylinder when the fluid level becomes low. The better you do this, the less air will be in the lines!
The clutch slave cylinder bleeder locates in the middle bottom of the car. When you crawl under the car, you should find it below:
It's kinda hard to access but you should be fine using hand to keep the hose there. Or a zip tie is recommended. As for this bleeder, 8mm wrench is required. The total time of clutch gravity bleed could be only 10 mins or less. It's way faster than the brake job.
Last but no least, some bleeder could be overtorqued, so you might use a ratchet with 10mm, 8mm socket to loosen it first, but do remember don't loosen it too much as the fluid would come out in several seconds!
Do it when the brake fluid is warm or hot! It would fasten the process much. Do some spiritual drive before you start the work.
So, what can we get from this?
1) You can feel more responsive from the brake and the clutch
2) No more air in the lines
3) I am feeling linearity of the brake and the clutch.
4) And it's a necessary maintenance job you should done!
11/11/16
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