WTF? wheres my brake fluid!

thebigbread · Post by **thebigbread** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:35 pm

guys, i consider myself blessed today. yesterday i checked my brake fluid before driving to a friends, & it was EMPTY. i filled it up 4 weeks ago, wheres it going? i dont see any puddles on the ground, & ive probably only drove it 80 miles in those 4 weeks.

im glad i didnt go up there, otherwise id be going down my 45-degree driveway, only to realize no brakes

neonsport · Post by **neonsport** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:22 pm

It could have leaked through any of the wheel cylinders or calipers, or through a bad line. A worse scenario is that the seals inside the master cylinder may have failed, and the fluid could be going into the power brake booster. In that case, the booster can fill with fluid to the point that the brakes won't work at all.

If you can't find a leak anywhere under the car (there won't necessarily be puddles), remove the nuts that hold the master cylinder to the booster, and pull it away from the booster with the lines left attached. If it's leaking internally, the back of the master cylinder will be wet. You might get lucky and just see a trail of fluid coming down the booster.

thebigbread · Post by **thebigbread** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:56 pm

thanks, its gettin dark right now but sometime this week ill go pull them to see if they are. if is leaking in the caliper or rear drums, i wont bother because im uprgrading to FX16 discs in the rear and ventilated discs in the front.

keith · Post by **keith** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:42 pm

It probably is getting sucked out of the back of the master cylinder, into the booster and then into the engine. Seen any white smoke lately?

thebigbread · Post by **thebigbread** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:21 am

keith wrote:It probably is getting sucked out of the back of the master cylinder, into the booster and then into the engine. Seen any white smoke lately?

no, actually there is no smoke of any color, thank goodness. i think the leak is somewhere between the master cylinder & booster, or around the porportioning valve (i know for sure the valve is bad)

i put in a few about 8 more ounces, just to see how fast it is leaking (i bought 100oz. of synthetic a month ago, so no worries)

wait.. i just thought of something. it held the old brake fluid at max for 2 years, it didnt start doing this till i flushed out & bled the brake system.

Maybe i didnt tighten down the bleeding valve? ill check that out, ASAP.