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MG TD TF 1500 - Purging for Silicon Brake Fluid

Now that 'the53' is gone it's time to start getting ready for next year's project, Plymouth, MA to College Station TX, a 1900+ mile trip (each way).
I put Lazarus on the road in 1995. Among the things I'm considering is a switch from Castrol GTLMA to silicon brake fluid. I'm planning to replace the brake linings, wheel cylinders and master cylinder. I'd just as soon not replace the hard brake lines. They seem to be fine. Question is: how much purging of the lines is necessary for the conversion? Should simple install/fill the new master cylinder with silicon and pump through be enough?
Bud Krueger

Bud - I don't feel the need to replace the hard lines, but I do replace the flexible hoses. I drain and re-fill the m/c with alcohol and bleed each wheel cylinder thoroughly to flush the system , and then I replace the hoses and rebuild the rest of the system, using silicone fluid as a lubricant on the wheel cylinders. I then use silicone fluid, bleeding gently and carefully to avoid air bubbles in the system. It usually takes me three of four bleeds before I am confident the pedal feels as it should.

Tom Lange
t lange

Thanks, Tom. the pretty well parallels my thoughts. Bud
Bud Krueger

I've rebuilt my fair share of brake systems, many converted from 3/4 to 5 and vice versa. My personal preference is to replace all rubber - hoses, wheel cylinder cups, master cylinder bits. Then clean all metal brake parts including pipes. My choice for this is Brake Kleen, but you have to make sure they are warmed up and dry again before putting brake fluid back in or else you will have condensation in the lines. At this point there should be no trace of the old type of fluid left in the system.

Some people simply flush the old fluid out with the new stuff and squeak by, but I've personally seen it create problems more often than not.
Steve S

Bud,
I used acetone rather than alcohol to flush and clean the lines. It dissolves the glycol gum and varnish, introduces no water as alcohol does, and is far easier to "dry" out by blowing air thru the lines.

It is true that you must be more careful as it is flammable and will quickly destroy paint, but it does a much better job of cleaning the lines.

Don H.
Don Harmer

Don is right - I mis-typed - use acetone. I have also used aerosol cans of Brake-kleen.

Tom Lange
t lange

This thread was discussed on 10/06/2013

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