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Interesting. What car do you drive for 10 years and 200,000 and all you need to do is oil changes?
Oh, I have to do other things- spark plugs, serpentine belts, air filter changes, brakes, tires, etc. But no fluids. They're all lifetime as far as I'm concerned.
Spark plugs iridium , good for 120k. same with the belts. air filters every 50k. tires usually 80-90k.
I know that it is best to bleed out the brake lines, but I don't have a good jack and it is snowing where I live. My brake fluid does not look dirty and I just want to change it becasue the manual recommends it every 3 years.
I called a couple dealers in my area and asked how they change it and they all told me they do not bleed the brakes, but only change the fluid in the reservoir/master cylinder. At this point my options are do nothing until spring or just change it with the turkey baster.
I just want to be sure I do not get air into the master cylinder and cause myself more of a problem than I had in the first place.
How much of a risk is it to get air into the master cylinder just taking out all the brake fluid I can get to with the turkey baster and then adding more and not bleeding the brakes?
The 3 years is a recommendation. Waiting until March/April (when the snow has melted and you can borrow a jack/ramps) will not adversely impact your brakes if it has only been 3 years since the last flush.
I just bled mine with the vehicle on ramps (was able to access all the bleeder screws and had my son step on the pedal while I loosened/tightened the brake bleed screw). It took about an hour for all 4 wheels, sucking fluid back into a container where I could dispose of it, etc.
Oh, I have to do other things- spark plugs, serpentine belts, air filter changes, brakes, tires, etc. But no fluids. They're all lifetime as far as I'm concerned.
Spark plugs iridium , good for 120k. same with the belts. air filters every 50k. tires usually 80-90k.
Oh, I have to do other things- spark plugs, serpentine belts, air filter changes, brakes, tires, etc. But no fluids. They're all lifetime as far as I'm concerned...........
It'll probably work out OK. Maybe the transmission will fail, and maybe that will be because the original fluid is too dirty, but who knows.
The thing I have considered is the cost of being wrong. If you are willing to pay for being wrong, then so be it. I live in the South, though, and my 90 GMC will last many more years if I take care of it. Maybe even the rest of my life, which will be another 20 years. So there are no 25 year old fluids in my car. Anti Freeze; brake fluid; power steering fluid; Automatic transmission fluid. Not really all that expensive over the life of the vehicle.
Oh, I have to do other things- spark plugs, serpentine belts, air filter changes, brakes, tires, etc. But no fluids. They're all lifetime as far as I'm concerned.
Spark plugs iridium , good for 120k. same with the belts. air filters every 50k. tires usually 80-90k.
80-90k on tires? What tires are these? I have never seen any manufacturer that has absolutely no fluid change maintenance schedule other than oil. All my cars have fluid change intervals. Is it as far as you're concerned or is your car manufacturer recommending NO fluid changes?
It was a joke. Usually the cheapest price is done with a turkey baster. We suck all the fluid and pour in new. The complete brake flush $90 we charge is where we hook up a brake flush machine. One hose have new fluid going into the master cylinder and a second hose is sucking old fluid out from the brake bleed screw. Every dealership is not the same. It does not hurt to ask the adviser how they do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VintageSunlight
Oh, I have to do other things- spark plugs, serpentine belts, air filter changes, brakes, tires, etc. But no fluids. They're all lifetime as far as I'm concerned.
Spark plugs iridium , good for 120k. same with the belts. air filters every 50k. tires usually 80-90k.
So, you're saying your place actually charges people for you to suck what...like, 13oz out of a MC, for absolutely no reason whatsoever with a $2 turkey baster?
This is why I don't, and will never, go to a dealership for service.
My god. "Lifetime" fluids. Dealer "Technicians". lol
I suppose though, letting stuff go is good for business.
I don't change any fluids on my cars except oil. Anti-freeze, brake, transmission, differentials, all original. Toyota also does not recommend it for most fluids (not all). I don't know more than Toyota engineers, so I trust them. Oil changes every 15k with Mobil 1..
Even if they don't recommend it, there is such a thing as being proactive in your maintanence. Having the fluids changes is a good way to inspect for abnormal wear issues and such. You can inspect for shavings in your differential, burned fluid in your transmission, corrosion in your cooling system, etc etc.
I think the service interval on my differential is 100K miles for fluids....I've changed it at every 50K miles.
We get into these debates all the time. It's your car, do what you want really.
Either take your vehicle to a proper mechanic and have the brake system flushed at the manufacturers interval, or don't bother.
Doing a "bleed" or a "baster job" leaves the majority of the weakened/tainted brake fluid in the system and accomplishes basically nothing.
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