brake fluid

Don

Don

Well-known member
Does brake fluid go bad setting on shelf for a few years? And my brake lite sw trips at 85 lbs ,is this about rite. Dp
 
Brake fluid will not go bad on your shelf. Don't know about pressure on switch, but you could go to a Harley Davidson store and get a brake light switch for a harley and they work with less pressure.
 
Don said:
Does brake fluid go bad setting on shelf for a few years? And my brake lite sw trips at 85 lbs ,is this about rite. Dp
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Brake fluid will go bad if it has been opened and left on the shelf for a long period of time. Brake fluid has a high affinity for water and once opened, it will pick up moisture. This not only lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid but also introduces moister into your hydraulic system which will cause corrosion.

I do some Vintage Racing and we want the brake fluid to have as high a boiling point as possible. We will flush the system prior to every event using a freshly opened container of High Temp Brake Fluid and will use fluid from that container to top off the system as needed for the remaindure of the event. Any left over fluid is then disgarded. This keeps the system as free of moisture as possible.

For normal "street" use, it is not as necessary to be this obsessed but you should not use fluid that has been opened after it sits on the shelf for a while. You should also flush the system and replenish with new fluid every few years to keep moisture and corrosion to a minimum. It is also a good idea to put a date on the container when it is opened. Sometimes, we often do not realize how long stuff has been around.

My Thoughts

Chris
 
Thanks chris,its been closed but opened a few years back,all new systen should spring for a can of fluid to go with it.will ck out the harley sw. Dp
 
Don said:
Thanks chris,its been closed but opened a few years back,all new systen should spring for a can of fluid to go with it.will ck out the harley sw. Dp
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That is what I would do.

Brake Fluid is cheap. I would go with a new, unopened, container of fluid and do not let it sit around too long opened. Close it up tight when you are finished and put a date on it. Try not to store it in a humid situation like a damp basement.

Just my opinion,

Chris
 
Squeeze the brake fluid container so the fluid comes up to the top before putting the cap on, this way there is no moist air in the container. I have used silicon in my old Fords for over 30 years with no problems. You need new hoses and do not use NOS cylinders or cups. The old rubber had a dull finish and only lasts a week or so. The new rubber has a shine to it. I clean all the joints where the metal touches the plastic on the outsde of the switch, sand these areas a little and put a little bead of JB Weld to seal these areas. I have had no switch problems and have good a good solid pedal but they must be blead good and don't pump the pedal when bleeding. G.M.
 
Ron Francis sells a switch that is the equivalent or may be the same unit as that HD switch. I think that the HD box is going to make the part cost a bit more. These only will ever last 3 to 5 years, I just change them at that point and do the system flush as the racer. I use DOT 5, it beats these switches up.
 
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