Brake System: Bleeding job

[chubyball]

I just recently replace the old brake oil with new one, which I bought from dealer, a DOT 4 (Yellow color). When I draw the old one out with Turkey baxter and the brake fuild is RED compares the new brake fluid from dealer, a Yellow one. Does anyone know why?

Another question about bleeding the brake, does anyone here know is there a sequence of bleeding brake system? Such as, front left , rear left, front right then rear right? I just purchase a Vacumm Pump from Autozone and get ready to bleed the brake, but I am still concern about bleeding sequence.

Any helps would be appreciated.

[RuppX5]

I'm not sure on the brake fluid color issue, but the order of bleeding brakes is: passenger side rear, drivers side rear, passenger side front, drivers side rear.

[chubyball]

RuppX5, how do you do a one man brake-bleeding? Is there an instruction somewhere?

[hayaku]

use the MOTIVE pressure bleeder. its a piece of cake. fill up the canister with fluid, hook it up to the master cylinder and pump to 20lbs of pressure. bleed from the farthest corner and work to the closest corner. stop after each corner to make sure you have enough fluid in the canister and pump back up to 20lbs of pressure as neccessary.

the fluid starts out almost clear yellowish when new. brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it sucks moisture out of the air like a sponge. when moisture is in brake fluid, it lowers its heat resistance and fades at much lower tempuratures and eventually fails. brake fluid must be replaced at least every 2 years. the darker it is, the more moisture it has absorbed...

[RuppX5]

Ditto on the Motive Brake bleeder. I've used it several times on my Land Rover.

What type of brake fluid is the norm for the X5? I've seen a lot of hype on the ATE Blue. Or is any Dot 4 fluid acceptable?

[quack]

Originally Posted by hayaku

use the MOTIVE pressure bleeder. its a piece of cake. fill up the canister with fluid, hook it up to the master cylinder and pump to 20lbs of pressure. bleed from the farthest corner and work to the closest corner. stop after each corner to make sure you have enough fluid in the canister and pump back up to 20lbs of pressure as neccessary.

+1 for the Motive Power Bleeder.

on my WRX i alternate between ATE Super Blue and the ATE gold. once the color from the bleed nipple changes, i know that the old fluid has been displaced.

[quack]

the best price i've found for ATE Super Blue / ATE Gold is
http://www.ogracing.com/eshop/home.asp?categ=68

i bought 3 can's of each to save on future shipping costs.

[chubyball]

While beeding the front brake, but this time I fill the brake fuild way up pass MAX then step on brake, and move to the front Drive side vacums the fuild. Now the damn cars Brake and ABS are ON. Brake light fash red then yellow. But now, it does not flash any more but they are both on after I had my wife steps on the brake while I getting the AIR out. Does the Brake light fashing when there were some AIR in it because I was vacumm the fluid out by myself? I hope I did not FUKUP the Mater cylinders.

[chubyball]

My X5 is alive and rolling..... Yeahhhhhhhhhhh........Alright, I learned about how bleeding this X5 now... There are few things not to do:
Don't fill the fluid pass MAX point
Don't take out the cap sensor when the key is in the ignition
Don't step on the brake pedal after you draw the old fuild out and replace new one.

Warning: When BRAKE light turn yellow and red that means you got air in brake line.

Here is the instuction how to do it...

First open the master cylinder fuild container
Use turkey baxter draw all fluid it out until bottom, then poor in new fluid until MAX LINE.
Start bleeding: PassengerRear (PR), DR, PF, then DF
Each wheel bleeding remmember to check the fluid left in Master Cylinder
After done bleeding all wheel, start the engine keep pumping the brake until it's tight before drive off.

[quack]

not sure on the X5's (haven't done them yet), but i usually cross bleed PR, DF, DR, PF