MY clutch oil is low so I went out and bought DOT 3 fluid to refill it.
The clymer manual looks pretty simple...unscrew, refill, recap...done.
My brakes are great, and the fluid is well to do.
I'm confused though when it comes to the brakes,
when it is necessary to bleed the brakes? Not for a refill of DOT fluid right?
Thanks.
Brakes and hydraulic clutches are a closed system between the piston (Contained within a caliper - that which activates the brakes or clutch) and the bottom of the master cylinder (at the handlebars in the case of a motorcycle).
As the pads on the brakes or clutch wear, the pistons in the caliper continue to move further and further out to keep the pads close to the mating surface, thus the Caliper contains more fluid over time.. This fluid is supplied by the reservoir and thus the reservoir level goes down..
So long as you do not let your reservoir go dry, then the closed system stay closed and contains ONLY fluid (So long as you do not develop a leak somewhere in the system..
So needing to add fluid over time can be normal, but it can also indicate a leak in they system, so check for fluid around the master cylinder and around the caliper and around the hose connections..
Brake fluid should be replaced about every 3 years. One of the properties/functions of Brake fluid is that it absorbs moisture, this is a good thing, but it can only absorb so much, so flushing the brake/clutch system with new fluid washes out the contaminated fluid and restores the moisture absorbing ability of the fluid.
You should only need to "bleed the brakes" if you get air into the system for some reason.
ALSO remember IF you add brake fluid to the reservoir, then when you replace your pads, you need to push the piston(s) back in the caliper. When you do this, fluid will run back into the reservoir and since you added some, it is likely the fluid will overflow. Brake fluid can be very bad for paint..
Another NOTE: Gen 3 Magna's use DOT 4 fluid and not DOT 3 fluid.. Always know what the vehicle calls for before adding brake fluid..
Hope it helps..
Fresh brake fluid is clear. As it absorbs moisture, it turns honey colored. Depending on the climate you live in, it should be replaced every 2 to 3 years. If it is dark in color, it needs to be changed.
I replaced my brake fluid 3 years ago and it is looking almost as bad as it did 3 years ago before changing it out. So this summer I will probability be watching for a wrench session to change it out again. If I remember correctly my small bottle I brought did my bike and one additional bike.
QuoteBrake fluid can be very bad for paint..
Not just CAN be but
IS VERY BAD for paint. Even if you wipe it off immediately it will ruin the paint where ever it touches eventually. And I mean RUIN. It won't happen overnight, but trust me it WILL happen. Be VERY careful about spilling it. Put some plastic over your tank while doing it, just to be safe. I am speaking from experience here. :sad: :sad: :sad:
Quote from: DG on April 08, 2010, 06:52:42 AM
QuoteBrake fluid can be very bad for paint..
Not just CAN be but IS VERY BAD for paint. Even if you wipe it off immediately it will ruin the paint where ever it touches eventually. And I mean RUIN. It won't happen overnight, but trust me it WILL happen. Be VERY careful about spilling it. Put some plastic over your tank while doing it, just to be safe. I am speaking from experience here. :sad: :sad: :sad:
Come on DG.. I feel you are holding back on us.. .(http://i46.tinypic.com/208is93.jpg)
Come on, tell us how you really feel about Brake Fluid on paint!!! (http://i42.tinypic.com/33tten9.jpg)
Is it like this: (http://i41.tinypic.com/ieqfiu.jpg)
Or like this: (http://i43.tinypic.com/28k7tqq.jpg)
Or like this: (http://i44.tinypic.com/ilm0e9.jpg)
Or like this:
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2870obn.jpg)
QuoteCome on, tell us how you really feel about Brake Fluid on paint!!!
:lol: :lol:
Lets go with the third one, the little red flaming guy. :lol: :lol:
I feel you have never had the misfortune of spilling it on your paint, or you would not have said "can" but "is". ;-)
But mostly I figured since you had given such a nice write up explaining it for Dan that I would be remiss if I did not help you emphasize that part about the paint. :cool:
Quote from: DG on April 08, 2010, 12:04:57 PM
QuoteCome on, tell us how you really feel about Brake Fluid on paint!!!
:lol: :lol:
Lets go with the third one, the little red flaming guy. :lol: :lol:
I feel you have never had the misfortune of spilling it on your paint, or you would not have said "can" but "is". ;-)
But mostly I figured since you had given such a nice write up explaining it for Dan that I would be remiss if I did not help you emphasize that part about the paint. :cool:
You don't know me very well then.. IF it can be spilled, tripped over, lost, etc.. I'm your man..
The most common comments coming out of my garage usually goes something like this -
"Where is the XXXX, I just had it... Humm, how far could I have thrown it???"
I know there are different kinds of paint out there, so I'm not sure if it is bad for ALL kinds of paint.. Maybe.. But I thought I would temper my warning some, but put it out there as a caution..
I will go with you on the Flaming guy.. at least that was my initial reaction.. But later when I saw the paint damaged, I was more like the last guy...
Quote from: hootmon on April 08, 2010, 01:50:49 PM
Quote from: DG on April 08, 2010, 12:04:57 PM
QuoteCome on, tell us how you really feel about Brake Fluid on paint!!!
:lol: :lol:
Lets go with the third one, the little red flaming guy. :lol: :lol:
I feel you have never had the misfortune of spilling it on your paint, or you would not have said "can" but "is". ;-)
But mostly I figured since you had given such a nice write up explaining it for Dan that I would be remiss if I did not help you emphasize that part about the paint. :cool:
You don't know me very well then.. IF it can be spilled, tripped over, lost, etc.. I'm your man..
The most common comments coming out of my garage usually goes something like this -
"Where is the XXXX, I just had it... Humm, how far could I have thrown it???"
I know there are different kinds of paint out there, so I'm not sure if it is bad for ALL kinds of paint.. Maybe.. But I thought I would temper my warning some, but put it out there as a caution..
I will go with you on the Flaming guy.. at least that was my initial reaction.. But later when I saw the paint damaged, I was more like the last guy...
U guys crack me up!
I tried following DG's advice by being very careful when filling up my reservoir. I had to drive to the trust honda dealership b/c I couldn't get the screw off the reservoir (they were sheared :(). The lead mechanic came out and used an impact wrench and viola ...problem solved. I gave him a nice tip because him and the other mechanics have been very helpful to me (not charging me for advice and quick help) b/c they know I don't have a lot of $$.
Anyhow, I was in their crooked parking lot, and i tried to fill it up but the bike was on an angle, and I kinda overfilled it. As I tried to push some of the fluid out, it dribbled on my tank...so I quickly got paper towels and water and washed it away.
I'm hopeing no lasting damage.
I tried!
OK, seriously, get some cleaner or compound and THOROUGHLY clean and polish the area. The sooner the better. Like wax cleaner or a scratch removal liquid and rub the area real good and then wax it. HOPEFULLY that will at least by some time from the damage from occurring.
Quote from: DG on April 09, 2010, 01:13:41 PM
OK, seriously, get some cleaner or compound and THOROUGHLY clean and polish the area. The sooner the better. Like wax cleaner or a scratch removal liquid and rub the area real good and then wax it. HOPEFULLY that will at least by some time from the damage from occurring.
Ok I will.
How about repainting the tank? Will that work too?
:)
If you're losing fluid out of the clutch slave cyl, you could be causing your clutch pushrod seal to fail, which will lead to an oil leak. If you're having to regularly put fluid in it, take a look around the slave cyl and see if you are weeping any fluid. That clutch pushrod seal is a biotch to replace if it starts to go. Rebuilding the clutch slave is a piece of cake.
BTW, your paint should be ok as long as you clean it up well, and probably a good idea to polish it to get off any residue that might be left.
If you wind up opening up the system, or for whatever reason you need to replace the fluid and bleed the system to purge it of air, I have a tip for you.
Remove all the old fluid, make sure all the joints are tight, leave the lid off the reservoir on the handlebar, then fill it from the bottom. Get a plastic hose to fit over the bleed fitting at the bottom, and a pump type oil can full of brake fluid, open the bleed fitting just enough to allow you to pump fluid through it. You can see if there are bubbles in the plastic line, due to inadequate fluid in the oil can. If there are, take the fluid out and start over. Watch the top reservoir to make sure you don't overfill it.
It is tedious and difficult to pump bubbles down, as they naturally want to rise. Doing it this way saves fluid, time, and aggravation. Harbor Freight sells a kit that has such a pump, but any oil can with a pump in it will do. :grin:
Yeah, I have a mity-vac for pushing the fluid through, problem is I get a lot of air around the bleeder threads. I need to get some speed-bleeders one day, that would fix the problem...