[s-cars] Brake Fluid

[Alex Kowalski]

Max wrote:

>What should brake fluid be kept away from on a car?
>What can brake fluid alter, remove or damage?
>How long can brake fluid be stored once container has been opened?
>I've seen brake fluid bled just by opening up valve at rear and letting run
out over tires.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (nice SAT word, look it up on Wikipedia) and
absorbs water from its surroundings.  Therefore unless the brake system is
sealed, and any container you put it in is sealed, it will gradually absorb
water and the boiling point will drop.  Enough water will eventually cause
the brakes to boil very easily and you'll be left with zilch for brakes,
right when you need them most.  Therefore, keep the fluid clean and, well,
dry.

It attacks most painted surfaces, but not so quickly that if you wipe it off
and then use some mild soap and water it will hurt anything.  I've spilled
brake fluid on my tires and left it there for as long as 24 hours with no
untoward effects, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Keep a rag and/or a hose
handy and get it off of there.

I never store brake fluid unless I absolutely have to:  I try to buy very
close to what I will need and then I put the rest back in the original
container and put a firm layer of tape around the lid.

Also:  if you use a power brake bleeder, make sure the insides of it are
clean and dry (including the hoses!) before you connect it up to the brake
system.  The clear plastic tubing leading to the M/C on the pressure bleeder
I just bought for the '87 has a nasty habit of fogging up internally like a
greenhouse.  Get some of those little silica gel paks and use them to keep
the interior of the bleeder dry when you're not using it.  Bung up the
orifice on the cap, drop some (good) silica packs into the thing, and so on.

It also tastes absolutely TERRIBLE.  Do not ask me how I know this.  ;)

Alex Kowalski
'87 5KCSTQ -- "Gretchen"
'86 5KCSTQ -- "Sessa"