I looked around for this topic but couldn't find specific. Forgive me for starting topic if I shouldn't have.. I found a chrome, front brake master cylinder cover that I forgot was in parts closet from ? Remembered taking it off FXSTS when I changed to all chrome hand controls years earlier and gasket was still in great condition. So after I took the original cover off, I noticed fluid was very low and amber colored. Book and cover say DOT5 is what goes in there. Was worried that amber, rather than purple, was a red flag. Then learned some DOT5 is amber, and purple DOT5 can turn amber after being used for a while. I topped it off with fresh DOT5 "purple" and watched for a while before putting cap back on. All looked good.. Heard if its different it can separate or congeal. Please, would someone share good experience with me about this ? ThanksI

 

Little late now but if you had take a little out and mixed dot 5 with it, it would mix. If it was 3, it would not. If it's amber, it should be sucked out to very low, refilled and then sucked out of the caliper. Do both for DOT 5 every 5 years or so. DOT 3 ever 2 years.
DOT 5 fades to amber within a year or so. Not sure why. My experience with silicon Dot 5 oil is brake system holds up well.

 

When in doubt, flush it out.

 

That makes sense. My reasoning was the bike has been in a garage and barely ridden 8000 miles for past 16 years, so my thought was amber ? Danger ? but then reading that's what color purple becomes, I felt like going ahead and topping off with DOT5. After first ride this week, I will look at fluid, and if looks separated or clumpy, I will flush lines out and refill with new DOT5 fluid.

 

/thread.

 

So, I just watched an awesome bleeding video by a guy named Delboy. Im gonna get 2 more bottles of DOT5 fluid and do a flush tomorrow. The 2 year flush makes sense after learning about moisture and fluid breakdown. I like doing many things myself to save $ .. My pads are still over 1/2 life on front so The fluid hasn't dropped because of that. After the flush and final fill, I will keep closer watch for any leaks.. Its a 2003, so hope the brakelines are as good as they look.

 

Just don't mix DOT 5 with anything else, including DOT 5.1. "Incompatible" doesn't even begin to cover it. If you're switching to or from DOT 5 you really need to disassemble and flush everything.

 

Thanks.. It is a 2003, and manual and reservoir cover both say DOT5 is what it requires.. My initial concern was what it had it in it already.. When I 1st looked at the front reservoir it was low and yellow. I learn that after a while DOT5 changes from purple to yellow. The bike only had just over 8k miles when I got it and probably never had fluid flushed or even any added. It was a clean slate with virtually 0 ever done to it. So Im learning lots with it, regarding maintenance and things that age even when not used.

 

I wouldn't flush it unless you know what it is. Flushing is not enough when changing fluid types.

take a plastic spoon, get a sample from the MC, put a drop of what you think it is , if they mix you were right, if its like oil and water you guessed wrong.

 

Got DOT5 in my 05 Dyna and no one opens the Fill Caps but me .. Flushed it when first got it 3 Years ago thinking about doing it again this winter when get a cold spell up here in North FL which contrary to what some might think, North FL does get cold.. Seen it in the teens now and then .. But below 30 is cold enough for me to do some Bike Work and stay home ..