Advice on changing brake fluid reservoir- how to drain?

[Yaseen]

Hi,

Got a crack in my brake fluid reservoir, anyone had this and able to advise on the procedure-what is the simplest way to drain it and does it justs pull out and push back in. Also should I replace any grommets at the same time?

Many Thanks

 

[olds_kool]

you need a turkey baster or syringe to suck fluid out, then it just pulls off, obviously youd need to bleed all the brakes after fitting new one starting with the furthest away from master cylinder

 

[Yaseen]

Many thanks- was hoping it was ok to just fill it back up with fluid (cracked during brake fluid change so last thing i want is to do is get the garage to re-do it all).

 

[paul20v]

If your careful you wont actually need to bleed the system as your not actually putting any air in it if all your doing is changing the master cylinder reservoir
because your not sucking fluid out of the cylinder its self only the reservoir
if you have not changed the fluid in the system for a few years or you do a moisture test and theres water in it do it anyway ,
just thought it was worth a mention.
paul

 

[Yaseen]

Very glad to hear that as means I should be able to do it myself. Found a post on a'world from someone who did the job, for draining he "cracked the rear bleeder to drain".

How do i crack a rear bleeder, and would I be better off using syringe/baster etc as assuming if on the rear would not be able to get a container in the gap to catch the liquid?

 

[Siena]

If you syphon the fluid from the resovoir, the brakes won't need bleeding. With the resovoir removed, the brakes will still operare as per usual, as the system is still fluid.

You may however have to gravity bleed the clutch though.

 

[Yaseen]

Rang the parts dept - £38.44 in vat.
An instock item so must be a lot of them cracking!

 

[Yaseen]

If you syphon the fluid from the resovoir, the brakes won't need bleeding. With the resovoir removed, the brakes will still operare as per usual, as the system is still fluid.]

Interesting to know- as currently if I move the car more than a few yards I get the ABS and brake warning lights on so assumed would not operate for long.

[
You may however have to gravity bleed the clutch though.

What did you use to syphon the fluid? Also a mechanical noob so would have no idea on how to gravity bleed a clutch so if it did need then would get someone else to do probably- how do I tell if it will be needed? Many Thanks

 

[Yaseen]

Just went and had a closer look. On the left side there is the electrical cable which just plugs out, from below I think you can just pull it gently out of the master cylinder.

On the right side there is a thicker hose that goes to the servo. Inside the container is a teabag strainer type sleeve which Im assuming just pops out.

Do i just ease off the hose by pulling and twisting on it?

 

[Yaseen]

An update for any future people searching. Note: mine is a 1996 so the item may have changed later as the replacement is slightly different.

Couldn't find a conveniant way to siphon off and the sieve thing at the top does not come out so was a case of quickly pulling off and stemming flow from below with a rag/used brake fluid cleaner to handle the drips. The new one just pushes straight in and needs a hose connecting at the side.

Cost £38 ish new from audi (contacted a few scrappers via ebay but they were asking silly prices compared to new and didn't feel worth haggling as chances are the old ones may crack in future).

Didn't need to bleed brake or cluutch, just top up was fine.



disclaimer: I am not a mechanic of any ability whatsoever so please use this as a informational post only.

 

[aragorn]

I did exactly the same, yanked it off, and quickly stemmed the flow.

My replacement came from an Audi 80 in the scrapyard.

I did bleed mine about a week later, but not becuase there was air in it. I just wanted to flush the new fluid thru into the calipers etc.