Redd - brake fluid moisture saga....
06-22-2019, 08:04 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Redd - brake fluid moisture saga....
My 93 year old father has a 1988 Buick Park Avenue that has 91K miles on it. He has another new daily driver.
He uses this car to go to the Casino a few times a month. The Casino is 30 miles away on I81 up and down 3 steep mountains.
At this point in his life good brakes are top priority so I said we need to change those 32 year old brake hoses as they got to be near rotten, and flush the complete braking system.
The "same factory installed brake fluid" has been in the car for 32 years and never changed! The only time some very little fluid was added was during normal brake wear.
Brakes were only changed two times, no bleeding as it wasn't needed. So I said pull some brake fluid from each caliper and wheel cylinder with my vacuum pump gun into a jar and measure
the moisture level. Well with basically the factory brake fluid that is 32 years old all 4 moisture readings were bouncing between 1 - 2%.
This is old dino brake fluid that has more tendency to absorb moisture than the new modern synthetic fluids. I tested the new synthetic brake fluid out the container and it bounces between 0 - 1%
Bottom line I don't think that it matters much anymore if you flush brake systems or not. Yes I don't know what contaminates lurk in the fluid ( If I was still working I had access to a Mass Sprectrometer and would analyze the fluid).
I'll check today with some acid strips to see the level.
BTW, this 1988 Buick had only the following replaced. 2 sets of brakes, a few batteries and tires, 2 alternators, a new headliner (old one fell down), A/C conversion to R134A. no alignments, 1 set of sparkplugs, an air cleaner or two..
Still has original exhaust system and no body or chassis rust, car looks/runs extremely good ( told dad time to put it on Barrett - Jackson). The car was not driven when there was salt on the road.
They made good vehicles back in those days that last and were extremely easy to fix. Oh, the transmission fluid has also never been replaced! Shifts smooth as silk...…….
He uses this car to go to the Casino a few times a month. The Casino is 30 miles away on I81 up and down 3 steep mountains.
At this point in his life good brakes are top priority so I said we need to change those 32 year old brake hoses as they got to be near rotten, and flush the complete braking system.
The "same factory installed brake fluid" has been in the car for 32 years and never changed! The only time some very little fluid was added was during normal brake wear.
Brakes were only changed two times, no bleeding as it wasn't needed. So I said pull some brake fluid from each caliper and wheel cylinder with my vacuum pump gun into a jar and measure
the moisture level. Well with basically the factory brake fluid that is 32 years old all 4 moisture readings were bouncing between 1 - 2%.
This is old dino brake fluid that has more tendency to absorb moisture than the new modern synthetic fluids. I tested the new synthetic brake fluid out the container and it bounces between 0 - 1%
Bottom line I don't think that it matters much anymore if you flush brake systems or not. Yes I don't know what contaminates lurk in the fluid ( If I was still working I had access to a Mass Sprectrometer and would analyze the fluid).
I'll check today with some acid strips to see the level.
BTW, this 1988 Buick had only the following replaced. 2 sets of brakes, a few batteries and tires, 2 alternators, a new headliner (old one fell down), A/C conversion to R134A. no alignments, 1 set of sparkplugs, an air cleaner or two..
Still has original exhaust system and no body or chassis rust, car looks/runs extremely good ( told dad time to put it on Barrett - Jackson). The car was not driven when there was salt on the road.
They made good vehicles back in those days that last and were extremely easy to fix. Oh, the transmission fluid has also never been replaced! Shifts smooth as silk...…….
Last edited by Bob Petruska; 06-22-2019 at 08:08 AM.
The following 3 users liked this post by Bob Petruska:
06-22-2019, 02:24 PM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
Bob good tale.I drove a Buick Roadmaster across Newfoundland back in the 90's (Corvette engine) Oh for the good old days ! North America made some good stuff.Unfortunately we let it slide, Cavaliers and Neons come to mind.
06-22-2019, 02:42 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
OK, the brake fluid saga gets better.....
The 32 year old brake fluid PH was 6.0. The new brake fluid in the container is 5.0.
So the old fluid was less acidic than the new stuff!
The 32 year old brake fluid PH was 6.0. The new brake fluid in the container is 5.0.
So the old fluid was less acidic than the new stuff!
06-24-2019, 05:09 AM
#7
AudiWorld Member
I believe the brake fluid change message is way overblown, I test mine once a year and its always good. Now if you're going to track your car, that's a completely different tune. Thanks for the post!
Trending Topics
06-26-2019, 06:17 AM
#8
AudiWorld Member
You will notice an impact from brake fluid issues / moisture during continued emergency braking; i.e. tracking your car. I doubt the Buick will be doing any of that. I would replace it nonetheless for safety. Rule of thumb is to replace brake fluid every 2 years.
06-26-2019, 08:21 AM
#9
My dealer alerted me that in my next service they will have to do fluids, brake and coolant since they are nearly 2 years old, guess who’s gonna skip those? 
06-26-2019, 09:02 AM
#10
