KDXRIDER.NET

Hey guys... I'm at work and I wanting to know what brake fluid to buy... I can't remember if it was DOT 3 or 4... or even maybe 5?

I've flushed and filled mine with Synthetic Valvoline DOT 4. In fact I think the container said it is DOT 3 and 4.

DOT 3 and 4 are interchangeable, only the boiling points (wet and dry) are slightly different. DOT 2 should be thrown away and never seen again. DOT 5 is 100% silicon-based, won't absorb water and only needed in severe high temp racing apps.

AND if you put DOT5 in a 3/4 system, you just ruined the whole mess.

Yeah.. I was thinking of the Harley for the 5. That woulda sucked!

DOT 4

No one tried to confuse him with DOT 5.1? (no, not a joke and not made by Dolby Labs or DTS)

Go to Wal-Mart and buy a quart for $3, then flush, flush, flush it.

Yeah! What he said.

Kind of beside the point, but that is an excellent idea..and actually a maintenance necessity.

Buy yourself one'a those brake bleeder guns (your basic vacuum pump) and completely refresh your fluid every year.

No. I don't do it as religiously as I should, so it's not a 'Do what I do.' thing.

But I know the benefits are worth it. Keeps any hydraulic system in far better shape than letting the same old crap sit there for year after year...

I bought quart of the Valvoline Synthetic 4. That should do it!
I got one of those vacuum bleeders... that's how I did my fork oil level!

Well guys.. changed the brake fuild tonight... It never ceases to amaze me on all the little crap that comes up doing a simple job.

The back brakes, the bleeder was clogged.. of course. It wouldn't clean out no matter what I did... must be stock fluid in there. Luckily I had another bleeder off of my KDX front caliper that I could use... it was clear. I used the bleeder pump and it went pretty smooth after that. And let me tell you in all my years of doing this.. I have never seen such filthy brake fluid! Never....

The fronts were a PITA! I think those should be done the old fashioned way. Fill the reserve, crack the bleeder squeeze, hold, close bleeder, Refill reserve and repeat. I tried the pump and got it up to like 70 pounds and it was just gurgling and the level only slowwwwwly went down. Did this like 20 times filling the reserve... that's when I said FUGIT... and did it the old way. Sometimes old ways are better!

When you have that 70 pounds on your Mighty-Vac and the bleeder is cracked open...and the hose to the bleeder doesn't leak....put a bit of squeeze on the brake lever. Keep the fluid flowing into the master as it gets successfully sucked out the bottom.

And th'ar 'ya go! No more PITA. Works much better than the 'old fashioned' way..which, by the way, if you are using to get any AIR out of the system pretty much won't work at all!

Another BTW...a general rule: If you cannot successfully bleed a hydraulic system with suction, use pressure on the bleeder...go 'backwards' up thru the master. Some systems require that method. Say...oh....FJ1100 hydraulic clutches for example.

It's a bit messy..but if the end result is you want the system to work.......


.....it's amazing the crap you learn doing simple jobs!!

It still feels a little mushy but I thought it might just be the give of the OEM line. I will redo it, thanks CC for making me take a second look.

For what it's worth: I just got done doing the KDX and my buddy's CR265. We used the CC method of "pressure" bleeding. We used a giant syringe (one from a tack and feed store--size???--what ever is the biggest) and use it to force the fluid up from the bleeder valve to the master cyl. We use a smaller syringe to suck the dirty fluid out of the m/s as the reservoir fills. This continues until there is no trace of dirty fluid or air bubbles.

Sometime the pump the lever method is required for a couple of pumps in the middle of the above to break the bubbles from the little nooks on particularly stubborn systems. We had to do this to my buddy's CR to get it completely clean. Works like a charm though.

Later
Robb

I also use the pressure method as you guys described. Always gets all the old fluid out along with the air. I am always amazed at how much better the brakes feel with good clean fluid in the system. I had an 85 GPZ 750 Turbo years ago that had an anti dive system on the front forks. The fork anti dive had a tee from one of the front brake lines to the front forks and used pressure from the front brake master cylinder keep the forks from dipping too fast in quick braking. The fluid got trashed quick, I had to change it every 6 months or so to keep the front brake firm. I change my KDX brake fluid at least once a year or after a particularly wet couple of rides.

Should have never sold the GPZ Turbo……………

When using the pressure method do you have to move the brake lever to expose a master cylinder orifice? Or just push it from the bottom and it comes out the top?

Just push and it'll come on up.