XmisterIS Posted March 8, 2012 Posted March 8, 2012 Over the winter (late december) I changed my brake lines. I didn't ride the bike much after that because it was still freezing cold. Recently with the weather getting warmer I'm riding regularly again, and I notice that the brakes are a little spongy - not too bad, but in need of another bleed I think - there's probably still a bit of air in there somewhere that's hopefully been jiggled around so it will come out now.Anyway, the point of my rambling post is that I still have the bottle of brake fluid left over from two months ago when I filled the system. I've heard it said that you should throw away any unused brake fluid - but seeing as it's only a couple of months old and the cap has been on the bottle all that time, I can't see as it would be a problem to use the rest of the fluid to flush the system through? Is that a wise choice? Quote
Tango Posted March 8, 2012 Posted March 8, 2012 Brake fluid is Hygroscopic....it absorbs moisture.....so it may have absorbed some moisture over that time. For the sake of a couple of quid I'd probably just get some fresh stuff.... Quote
peejay1977 Posted March 8, 2012 Posted March 8, 2012 I'm with Tango, buy some new stuff rather than always wonder if it's ok or not. Quote
XmisterIS Posted March 8, 2012 Author Posted March 8, 2012 'spose so! Sometimes I wonder if my middle name should be "cheapskate" ... Quote
Tango Posted March 8, 2012 Posted March 8, 2012 'spose so! Sometimes I wonder if my middle name should be "cheapskate" ... But if you're going to make savings.....maybe do it with something other than your brakes eh mate..... Quote
Roadtorque Posted March 12, 2012 Posted March 12, 2012 providing the cap has been tight down & sealed the bottle, I don't see a problem, but as you say,, air in the system Quote
XmisterIS Posted March 13, 2012 Author Posted March 13, 2012 Doesn't matter, I went and bought another bottle of fluid.I then pumped about 10 reservoirs worth through the system, didn't see a single bubble coming out, but can't get rid of the slight sponginess!!I guess "that's as good as it gets". The brakes do stop the bike more than adequately thought, so I think it's probably ok. Quote
Stu Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 remove the calipers and hold them at different angles and lightly tap them any trapped air will move then you can bleed it out Quote
Colin the Bear Posted March 15, 2012 Posted March 15, 2012 The old trick of holding the brake lever overnight with a cable tie worked for me. Isn't there a way of filling the system from the bottom up? Quote
Ingah Posted March 15, 2012 Posted March 15, 2012 The old trick of holding the brake lever overnight with a cable tie worked for me. Isn't there a way of filling the system from the bottom up? Reverse bleeding, you mean? (then again, my sarcasm-o-meter is tingling...) Quote
mealexme Posted March 15, 2012 Posted March 15, 2012 The old trick of holding the brake lever overnight with a cable tie worked for me. Isn't there a way of filling the system from the bottom up? Reverse bleeding, you mean? (then again, my sarcasm-o-meter is tingling...)simply turn the bike upside down and fill from the bleed nipple Quote
Ingah Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 The old trick of holding the brake lever overnight with a cable tie worked for me. Isn't there a way of filling the system from the bottom up? Reverse bleeding, you mean? (then again, my sarcasm-o-meter is tingling...)simply turn the bike upside down and fill from the bleed nipple No, i was thinking of the process where you use a syringe to inject the brake fluid into the system from the bleed nipple on the caliper. Something like that, anyway. Quote
Stu Posted March 16, 2012 Posted March 16, 2012 Yes you can do that but it doesn't get all the air out its ideal for filling the lines when you change them Quote
XmisterIS Posted March 17, 2012 Author Posted March 17, 2012 I'll have a go at the lever-to-handlebar and reverse bleed trick - I've heard about that before. Seems easier than taking the callipers off!That being said, the lever won't actually go all the way to the handlebar - unless I squeeze with the strength of a gorilla! A good squeeze will get it to within an inch of the handlebar.Basically, I've got the feel of the brakes back to where they were before I changed the lines - so I think that either (a) it must have come from the factory with a little air in there, (b) the stock callipers and master cylinder aren't that good on an SV or © I am expecting too much of the brakes!! Quote
Stu Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Holding the lever back is a myth how can air escape out of a sealed system? If the air could come out so would the fluid and you wouldn't have any brakes Quote
Ingah Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Holding the lever back is a myth how can air escape out of a sealed system? If the air could come out so would the fluid and you wouldn't have any brakesWould the air not rise to the top and collect within the brake fluid reservoir, and then escape into the atmosphere when you take the cap off?Because when you let go of the brake lever, it appears to shut off the reservoir from the rest of the system, at least on my Nissin system... Quote
Stu Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 There's only one way the air will come out that's why you have bleed nipples the air will always get stuck somewhere trust me I have done hundreds of brake systems from cars to bikes Quote
Colin the Bear Posted March 21, 2012 Posted March 21, 2012 You need to read the BFG, re whizzpops Quote
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