View Full Version : Brake fluid shelf life?
Fallout
13-08-12, 07:01 PM
I know brake fluid is hydroscopic and sucks in moisture so quickly such that, if you were to leave it outside on a cloudy day, the heavens would clear instantly (may be good tip for the next AR). So you're not supposed to leave it lying around too long, but my question is ...
How can you top up a brake reservoir with a tiny bit of fluid without having to bin the rest of the bottle? If you were to say pour in 1/4 -> 1/2 of a 250ml bottle for example, do the cap up straight away and bung it on the shelf, how long could you keep it for?
if it's golden its effed if it's clear the its good to go.
why not pour it into a tub that seals completely, rather than leave it in the standard bottle?
BTW i use slightly effed stuff for doing a flush threw before putting the good stuff in after calliper rebuilds. you can make the shelf life longer by putting cling over the hole then screw the top on. i also poke 2 holes in the top rather than take the whole seal off.
Thunderace
13-08-12, 07:30 PM
F**k me I've been using duff stuff for years why did no-one tell me this before!
Thunderace
13-08-12, 07:36 PM
Ok getting concerned now! How much difference does it make if its golden? I swear every new bottle I've ever bought has been golden in colour? If it is the case that I've filled my brakes with dodgy fluid, how come they work so well?
ooohhh and another thing. if you have to top your brake fluid up then your pads are low. most res are enough to see you threw a set of pads once filled to max and pistons hard in to the callipers. if you top up after this then you will have to take fluid out when you push the old pads back. its good practise to change the fluid every pad change.
Thunderace
13-08-12, 07:40 PM
AAAARRRGGGHHH!!! You can't be serious, I've been riding around with shoddy brakes for years, or is this just for bikers who like to spend extra cash?
Spank86
13-08-12, 07:41 PM
Ok getting concerned now! How much difference does it make if its golden? I swear every new bottle I've ever bought has been golden in colour? If it is the case that I've filled my brakes with dodgy fluid, how come they work so well?
How would you know if they work well?
You've never used them!
the more moisture the more golden. go look round bike shops at brand new bikes and see what colour the fluid is. i have had the exact same bottles of fluid and some are golden and some are clear so the golden stuff has to be duff it still works just as good but wont last as long, saying that i have emptied brakes where the fluid was black but the brakes were good so don't worry about it. as long as there are is no air in the system i very much doubt you could tell the difference.
ooohhhh and i use the carlube stuff from asda.
Thunderace
13-08-12, 07:51 PM
the more moisture the more golden. go look round bike shops at brand new bikes and see what colour the fluid is. i have had the exact same bottles of fluid and some are golden and some are clear so the golden stuff has to be duff it still works just as good but wont last as long, saying that i have emptied brakes where the fluid was black but the brakes were good so don't worry about it. as long as there are is no air in the system i very much doubt you could tell the difference.
ooohhhh and i use the carlube stuff from asda.
You were just trying to scare me wren't you! Btw if you can't tell the difference why bother?
Fallout
13-08-12, 08:04 PM
I think the point is, if it has really picked up a lot of moisture, you will be able to feel the difference. Perhaps you won't know its fecked, but after you put good stuff back in you'll feel the improvement.
Cheers for the tip Bibio. I'm going to be rebuilding my callipers soon and obviously all new fluid, but I'll keep what's left over then and next time I need some I'll use the colour as a guide. Cling it, wrap it, put it in an air tight box and put it in front of a dehumidifier. :)
Thunderace
13-08-12, 08:07 PM
But if you buy new stuff its golden! Where do purchase the clear stuff I've never seen in 12 years of biking?
Btw if I get it to brake any harder I'll end up going over the handlebars!!
Fallout
13-08-12, 08:11 PM
Have you been buying your brake fluid from old people's homes again? Do you know the differences between a DOT4 bottle and a catheter bag?
Thunderace
13-08-12, 08:16 PM
Have you been buying your brake fluid from old people's homes again? Do you know the differences between a DOT4 bottle and a catheter bag?
Don't be silly I'm serious where the feck do you get clear brake fluid? I've owned about 10 cars and last count heading for 70 bikes, serviced the brakes on nearly all of them, where do you buy clear brake fluid?
I'm going out tomo' to buy every brand I can find to see if I can find this mythical clear stuff!:smt019
yorkie_chris
13-08-12, 08:20 PM
Same question for people putting racing fluid in, how many times you boiled them with "normal" stuff
I'm going out tomo' to buy every brand I can find to see if I can find this mythical clear stuff!:smt019
This will result in you having no money, sh*t tonnes of brake fluid and no answer,
Save the precious pennies!!!
Thunderace
13-08-12, 08:27 PM
This will result in you having no money, sh*t tonnes of brake fluid and no answer,
Save the precious pennies!!!
Tom you should know do you sell clear brake fluid in your shop?
Fallout
13-08-12, 08:35 PM
How the hell have you owned 70 bikes? Are you including the BMXs you had from the age of 3, because I'm telling you now son, those do not count!!
well the stuff in the kwak is currently golden.. i Know so as I had the dreaded almighty gixxer brake lockup after changing my levers. The stuff I used when bleeding was clear like syrup.
Fallout
13-08-12, 08:39 PM
well the stuff in the kwak is currently golden.. i Know so as I had the dreaded almighty gixxer brake lockup after changing my levers. The stuff I used when bleeding was clear like syrup.
As a new owner of a gixxer, tell me more about this brake lock up issue! Sounds like something I should know about!
this isnt probably confined to gixxers or chazzo levers. I had put on asvs on the kwak and all went well except a little rubbing on the discs. Test ride for 2 miles which went fine. The down the a13 at 60 it felt like the bike was cutting out and slowing down. When I stopped the lever was firm and the brakes locked tight.
Waitied for the disks to cool and popped open the brake reservoir for a golden peak. The went home once it cooled down and bled the brakes. Fingers crossed that has solved it. Daren't go out again until the weather dries up ,still couldve been worse ... guess I mustn't grumble too much ;)
http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335452
Fallout
13-08-12, 09:02 PM
It always astounds me what dangers lurk behind aftermarket products. I was considering new levers but decided not to waste the cash. Very good to know! Thanks Pookie. If I do change them, I'll probably get an upgrade that includes a master cylinder to avoid that kind of craziness. Glad you got away with it though!
yorkie_chris
13-08-12, 09:47 PM
There's nowt wrong with the spazzo levers, just might need a minor amount of fitting. Make sure they release all the way.
Has been known with replacement "normal" levers too...
Bleeding will not cure that.
the last bottles of fluid i got were the carlube stuff form asda brand new on the shelf. some fluids do have a slight golden tinge to them but that may be the manufacturing of them.
all i know is most bottles of brake fluid i have ever baught have been clear/very slight tinge of golden in the 25+ years i have been messing with cars/bikes. i have had the odd ones that are dark golden/brown but took them back.
my spazzos are perfect and they are for GSXR 600/750 K4-5 radial, clutch is spot on to
Bordtea
13-08-12, 09:57 PM
Chavvo levers killed my dog
Thunderace
13-08-12, 09:58 PM
How the hell have you owned 70 bikes? Are you including the BMXs you had from the age of 3, because I'm telling you now son, those do not count!!
C50, TD50, CUB 90, TZR 125, AR 125, RD 125, NSR 125, GSX 250, GSX 250, GSX 250, GSX 250, CR 350, RD 350, CB 550 four, GSXR 400, GPX 600, GPZ 600, GPZ 750R, GS 650, NTV 650, CX 500, KE 100, CZ 350, JAWA 350, CBR 600F super sport, CBR 600F, Z 750, Z 1000, CB 750, FZR 600, ZZR 1100, GPZ 600, CB 500, CBR 600F, YZF 1000R Thunderace, to name but a few, I have got them all written down in a note book somewhere, will dig it out and shock you, these are not all in chronological order and yes I really was stupid enough to buy 4 gsx 250's to try and build one decent bike!(one of them came in pieces in a Hessian sack!)
As to how..........
It's amazing what you can do when you have a well paid job,
And a friendly local scrap dealer!;)
Thunderace
13-08-12, 10:01 PM
the last bottles of fluid i got were the carlube stuff form asda brand new on the shelf. some fluids do have a slight golden tinge to them but that may be the manufacturing of them.
all i know is most bottles of brake fluid i have ever baught have been clear/very slight tinge of golden in the 25+ years i have been messing with cars/bikes. i have had the odd ones that are dark golden/brown but took them back.
Thank god I thought I was going mental, when you said clear I assumed you meant "as water"!
i did. clear as water was the last lot i got
Thunderace
13-08-12, 10:07 PM
Noooooooo! Stop it! This cant be right! I can't possibly of never come into contact with it! Is it ASDA you got it from coz I need to see this![-o<
if you like and i remember i'll get a fresh bottle and pour it into a test vile for you. i will then add water to it and see what happens.
BTW i'm winding you up :-)
most fluids are very pale golden :-)
the carlube stuff is clear though.
Thunderace
13-08-12, 10:18 PM
You utter git!!!!;) You've had me flapping all evening that I've been cutting around with crap brake fluid! Most of all panicking at the amount of other peoples brakes I've serviced! :cheers:
Dabteacake
13-08-12, 10:53 PM
I thought you could buy synthetic now that isn't hydroscopic?
sputnik
13-08-12, 11:08 PM
My current brake fluid of choice is Castrol Motorcycle Brake Fluid which is as clear as unadulterated child's p*ss, if a little oilier - tastes much the same though. Given time it will undoubtedly take on the amber hue of a wino's finest but the bouquet will alas by that time be a little less resplendent. Does that help?
Fallout
14-08-12, 06:40 AM
I have a 1 litre bottle of that sitting upstairs for my fluid change (Castrol). I will let you know what colour it is and also conduct the Bibio water adding test. I may even make a tutorial video of it. I may even compare it to my urine. I wonder if that would be going too far?
Spank86
14-08-12, 06:59 AM
Always go too far, if you don't how will you know theres no further to go?
Thunderace
14-08-12, 07:39 PM
A PUBLIC APOLOGY AND ADMISSION OF IGNORANCE!!! OK Bibio looks like your not mental, and apparently I've just not been paying attention!...........
So today I thought best service the clutch, drained it completely (usual black watery mess), re-fitted it and went into the garage and retrieved from the back of a shelf a bottle of Putoline dot 4 I've had knocking about for a while. Opened said bottle peered inside and thought "HA I knew it", usual urine coloured brake fluid, then proceeded to fill the reservoir, "Bugger he was right" upon looking in the bottle it is gold but your pour the fecker out and its bloody see through!
Seems to me I aint been paying attention all this time!
I hang my head in shame in the face of superior observation skills,
Apologies mate!;)
Here's a little tip I was told to keep it fresher in the bottle: Use what you need (better to decant what you need) and then squeeze the bottle until the fluid is just at the top, and seal it up. Less air= less moisture ready to be sucked into it.
I thought you could buy synthetic now that isn't hydroscopic?
The DOT numbering is a bit misleading in one respect.
What you refer to is DOT5. This doesn't absorb moisture but is NOT recommended for normal road use........because of this fact. It is intended for competition etc where the highest temperature capability is required but the system is under continuous attention/changing.
If the fluid doesn't absorb moisture, any water can/will collect in one spot and can then either boil (not too likely on a bike) or freeze.
There is a "higher" spec conventional type fluid with the reference DOT5.1 (hence some confusion) but for general road use this is not necessary/advantageous.
Stick to a DOT4 type for normal use (there are "high spec" DOT4 fluids marketed, little/no real world advantage but no harm if you want).
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