robo_porsche

I am about to switch the brake fluid but I am a bit confused how to get the old brake fluid out of the brake fluid reservoir. I removed the lid and the strainer underneith but there is still the floater and some plastic parts making it very hard to put a hose in there. Is it possible to remove more stuff or do I need a very thin hose to be able to drain the brake fluid?

Robert

white99c2

You just bleed it out of the calipers. Keep topping it off until the fluid comes clear.

pfbz

If it isn't clear from the above, you will never have 'empty' brake lines. When bleeding the brakes, you push out the old fluid with the new fluid until it is completely replaced...

Wayne over on the Pelican board just posted up a collection of technical how-to articles for the 996, including one on bleeding brakes.

Pelican tech articles here

white out

Not a porsche, but the same process (ignore the clutch part).

http://lambodiy.blogspot.com/p/bleed-brakes.html

Black_on_black

Robo, I drilled a hole in the lid and pressurised carefully and drained it out that way. Keep topping up and after half a litre or so, I coyld see the new fluid. Started at the back outwards side of caliper and then forwards closer and closer.

Just make sure it never goes dry...but the reservoir has quite a large volume.

New lid required afterwards. Save the old for next time

robo_porsche

Ok, thanks. I was aware of that I have to bleed each brake caliper to remove the old brake fluid from the brake lines. My thought was just that I could empty the reservoir before adding new brake fluid and start bleeding by putting a hose in the reservoir and suck it up. It just seems safer compared to bleeding it out from one caliper since then I wouldn't risk running dry on brake fluid in the reservoir...


Robert

Sneaky Pete

I guess you could take a turkey baster and suck some out but the best way is to bleed the brakes with a power bleeder and go from caliper to caliper. That is the only way to be sure all the old fluid is out. And don't forget the caliper and bleeder screw sequence order.

Black_on_black

Robert, its fairly large and I was worried too, but drain away half a cup at a time and check the reservoir, then you see how "fast" you drain it and build confidence. Start by topping it up the cap level. Sometimes seeing new from old fluid is hard, usually there is a small colour difference.

Bleed the outside caliper first, then the inner. Do right rear, left rear, right front and finally left front.

After one week, Porsche dealer has still not been able to supply a new cap...I should have ordered online instead no panic, old one is sealed up but still...

Mike

white out

Motive speed bleeder is $55. Worth every penny.

Ahsai

I know exactly what you are trying to do. These are the tools I use. The trick is to attach a short skinny straw from a juice box, which will pass through the plastic slot to suck fluid from the bottom of the reservoir.

Make sure you dont suck too much to introduce air into the ports. You will see new fluid coming out from the calipers MUCH faster with this method.

robo_porsche

YES! That is exactly what I mean! Where did you find the "tool" bottommost in your picture? Is it from a car part dealer? Or is it generally used for something else? I couldn't find a small enough "tool" to suck up the brake fluid at my dealer...

Robert

Ahsai

I got it from eBay...just search for "ear syringe" 4oz, $10. I just pasti dip the rings, easier on my fingers. It works really well. The soap dispenser actually served me well for 10 yrs and it's free and light. Just use a wide mouth jar to squirt out the fluid.

dotframe

Search for a post of mine about flushing the brakes. I used a syringe to pull old fluid out then used a power bleeder to refill. Someone had posted numbers for how much to let out of each caliper if the color of old and new fluid is too close to tell.

I can't link properly with this app.

alpine003

I've been using ATE brake fluid which makes it easy since it comes in both blue and gold. Just keep bleeding until the other brake fluid color comes through.

John's 991

I've used a turkey baster to remove most of the fluid from the master cylinder then a vacuum bleeder and compressor to draw the fluid out from each of the calipers. It's important to keep the master cylinder full of fluid, and the bleeder I have comes with a little kit that automatically keeps it full.