brake fluid flush on a 1989 328?

It is good practice. The system will need much less serious maintenance in the future.

 

It can't hurt to change that often, so what the heck!

The best thing you can do with ABS is to occasionally exercise it. That means getting up to speed and (with no one behind you) slamming on the brakes as hard as possible to feel the pedal buzz/pulse as the ABS cycles. Doing this occasionally keeps all the ABS valves/pistons functioning properly. It also gives you gives you the experience of how ABS actuation feels in the pedal...(or lever in the case of a motorcycle).

 

Typically recommended every two years. I always check for water content. with one of these:

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Also, I check antifreeze for pH using these:

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Brake fluid testers like shown above are very inexpensive and very informative. Depending on brake fluid type, brand and your environment every year may be overkill. Even in humid Texas I have some cars that go 3 years between changes. For under ten bucks you can quit guessing.

 

I have the brake fluid tester that works perfectly and indeed costs hardly anything. I don't have the pH tester. Where is it available, swimming pool accessory shop?

 

ACE hardware, CVS, pretty common on line too.

 

@ johnk, found it but not so clear at what i have to look at. Yes color change but anti freeze is not specified, so from what color to what color its ok?
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

Anyone have a favorite fluid?

I have always used ATE Dot 4 but I'm willing to change if recommended.

 

I consider a PH tester pretty worthless. The antifreeze has a host of chemicals for various reasons and some important ones only last a year in most. Just change it annually. If you are using Caterpiller ELC or Shell ELC NF you can go 5 years.

 

I bought one of those electronic doohikey ones and it was absolute garbage.

It showed I needed to change the fluid on a car I knew I had very recently flushed.

So I opened a new sealed container of brake fluid... apparently the brand new fluid also needed changing LOL.

So I now have the strips.

The strips are easy and they actually work.

 

Additives in antifreeze are generally to protect from corrosion. Antifreeze becomes corrosive when it becomes acidic. Any pH less than 7 is acidic. Fresh coolant is typically around pH 8.

 

I and many coworkers have had electronic testers for decades with universal satisfaction. They actually work.

 

Try educating yourself on the subject. Far more to it than that. we are talking about the 21st century here. We don't use alcohol anymore either.

 

For example, Honda 50:50 coolant has a pH of 7.9 according to Honda MSDS. I don't know. I must be doing something right. 39 years with my 85 308 QV and everything in the cooling system, except the coolant, is original except some hoses and never a problem.

 

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Sorry for the long link.
Although I don't have the experience of Rifledriver at all (not by a long shot), I can confirm that the thing does work. I did the test on all 4 of my cars, 2 of which I knew had never been changed between 3 and 8 years. And yes, those 2 came out badly, but with nuance = different reading. The other 2 were ok, but also with a nuance that one contained more but quite acceptable moisture than the other

 

Why not just bleed it out once a year and be sure?

No big deal.

 

Exactly true idea!
You are not bleeding the ABS return circuit as 1 year you hedge the bet and when driving that year the abs circuit will be flushed in use.