Help with brake fluid
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Joined: Mar 2011
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Help with brake fluid
I just finished changing out my rear caliper and went to bleed the brakes. I opened up my rear cylinder and this is what I saw. Two questions:
1) what the heck is going on here. It looks like the fluid is contaminated.
2) I thought harley DOT 5 was purple? I drew some out and a drop of water stayed like a bubble in the fluid so i'm pretty sure this is DOT 5. Can I mix old fluid with new purple?
1) what the heck is going on here. It looks like the fluid is contaminated.
2) I thought harley DOT 5 was purple? I drew some out and a drop of water stayed like a bubble in the fluid so i'm pretty sure this is DOT 5. Can I mix old fluid with new purple?
Stellar HDF Member
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Looks like it is really really old. I had to rebuild both my calipers and there was a lot of this gunk stuck inside them. They sat around, probably unchanged, for near 10 years.
You'll just have to bleed completely through the system (called a flush) until all you see is new fluid coming out.
You'll just have to bleed completely through the system (called a flush) until all you see is new fluid coming out.
Tourer
Joined: May 2011
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From: Canada
I had a question about this also. I checked my master cylinder level and it was ok but noticed it looked clear verses purple as my service manual states.
If I went to flush with dot 5 and what is in there is dot 3, will this mess things up?
Although my levels are good I just thought it might be good to replace it, as I am not sure the last time it was exchanged.
If I went to flush with dot 5 and what is in there is dot 3, will this mess things up?
Although my levels are good I just thought it might be good to replace it, as I am not sure the last time it was exchanged.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
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From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
I had a question about this also. I checked my master cylinder level and it was ok but noticed it looked clear verses purple as my service manual states.
If I went to flush with dot 5 and what is in there is dot 3, will this mess things up?
Although my levels are good I just thought it might be good to replace it, as I am not sure the last time it was exchanged.
If I went to flush with dot 5 and what is in there is dot 3, will this mess things up?
Although my levels are good I just thought it might be good to replace it, as I am not sure the last time it was exchanged.
The correct fluid type is written on the reservoir cover.
.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
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Last edited by Scuba10jdl; Jul 16, 2011 at 08:00 PM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
Dot 5 after a while looses it purple. Mine did not have the contaminated look like yours. Agree with others in the flush. I probably would have carefully wiped out the bottom with a lent free kimwipe paper towel. If that is oil I would rebuild the master cyl. The kit is only ballpark $24 and cartridge includes piston and cylinder I think. Actually I would rebuild master any time I rebuld caliper just to have them on same schedule. About the only fairly price item on a Harley. Guess they don't want you killed.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jul 16, 2011 at 08:10 PM.
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2002, 883, brake, caliper, davidson, fluid, harley, harleydavidson, hd, info, motorcycle, put, rear, sportster, sportsters
