60k Maintainence

[deliriousga]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

How many quarts of brake fluid would I need to do this job?

One should do it, but I always get two in case I mess up. Just make sure you don't open the second quart unless you are using it because you have to throw out whatever is left over once it's opened.

A great tool that makes one-man brake bleeding a breeze is the Motive Power Bleeder. You can get one for $39 at http://928gt.com. Just search for part number 928.MP.PBLEED It fits all Porsches.

[blinkwatt]

Does anyone have any pictures illustrating how to bleed the brakes? I am willing to try this but I do not know where to start,what to do etc.

[bhduxbury]

no pix, but a good write-up here:

http://www.bombaydigital.com/boxster/projects/brakes/bleed_and_flush/

[blinkwatt]

Siphoning the Reservoir

If you are doing a complete flush, things will go faster if you first siphon off the excess of old fluid from the reservoir. Unscrew the reservoir cap and remove the filter screen with a pair of tweezers or pliers. You can use a turkey baster to suck out as much fluid as possible from the reservoir and put it into the used fluid container. Don't put the baster back in the kitchen when you're done. You really don't want to ingest any brake fluid. Top up the reservoir with fresh fluid, or if you're using a Power Bleeder, fill up the pressure bottle and hook it up according to its instructions.

One thing you don't want to do is to take so much fluid out of the reservoir, that you cause air to be sucked into the lines. Then you'd have to flush the entire system again.

If you're just bleeding the system, not flushing, then don't drain the reservoir -- you'll just be topping it up as you go. If you're using a Power Bleeder to bleed (not flush), this is also where you fill it up, pump it up, and attach it.

What is the difference between flushing and bleeding? Where is the reservoir that the author speaks of?

[deliriousga]

Bleeding is the actual procedure of pushing fluid through the system to get a trapped bubble out. Flushing is using the bleeding procedure to change the fluid out completely.

The brake fluid reservoir is in the front trunk on the driver's side. There's a black cap on it that says "use only DOT4....." BE CAREFUL! Brake fluid will eat your paint so use a fender cover.

Using a power bleeder keeps you from having continuously top off the reservoir since it holds up to 3 quarts of fluid.

With the power bleeder (PB), all you do is use the baster to get the old fluid out of the reservoir, fill the reservoir with fresh fluid, screw the PB to the top of the reservoir, pump the PB to 10-15psi, put a clear tube on the bleeder nipple at the wheel then unscrew the bleeder nipple until the fluid flows out. Once the new fluid is all you see, tighten the bleeder nipple back and pop the tube off. Go to the next tire.

The advantage of Super Blue is it's blue. Your old fluid is probably gold so you can easily see when the fluid is changed. Next time, you use the ATE gold racing fluid so you can easily see when it's changed, and so on.

[nautiquelfe]

I just recently did my own 60K service. I would recomend getting a new serpentine belt while you have your tools out. I bought my parts at: http://www.pap-parts.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BXT%20TUNE%20UP%20KIT
they gave me a very good package price on 60k kit, rotors, pads, belt, power bleeder, and ATE super blue. There listed prices were not the best but they worked hard to match other "credible" prices. I'm extremely happy w/ my ATE fluid.

[blinkwatt]

What do you connect to the outside bleeder screw to let the old brake fluid drain through?