This can't be good?

[ice_station_zebra]

Today I bled my son's MX brakes using my deluxe Mighty Vac. I emptied the container between each brake and moved on to bleed the FJR clutch. All went well until I emptied the mighty vac container and then I noticed this residue in the bottom? It's not dirt and I'm pretty sure it came from the FJR bleed. What is it, and do you think I have a problem? My guess is that leaving this for 5 years wasn't good and that for whatever reason the inside of my clutch line is degrading??? What should I do next? I know I can't ignore this for another 5 years.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

If you are too concerned over it, keep flushing it until it all comes out clean. At the very least do this job more frequently.

 

[Fred W]

If you sucked that shit out, you dun good.

Carry on.

(PS - it really isn't that big of a deal in the clutch)

 

[escapefjrtist]

Get a little bit of junk out every time I bleed the clutch. No big deal...maybe try a shorter service interval next time!

--G

 

[ice_station_zebra]

Clutch works fine so this stuff isn't buggering anything other than my standards of perfection. It's a ten minute job so no excuse not to bleed once a year. I was a little surprised to see moisture on top of the diaphram, but I think that is normal. And now, on to the brakes!

 

[creg-ny-baa]

Not to be the voice of gloom, but, if the fluid was also dark, I'd be concerned about the slave cylinder. If you bleed it out to clear and no debris, watch the reservoir. If it goes back murky quickly, I'd replace the slave. My 0.02.

 

[Green Lantern]

Brake fluid is designed to suspend shlunk so no big deal.

 

[Donal]

The clutch slave moves quite a bit (compared to the brakes), so there is bound to be more debris particularly rubber from a (slightly) worn O ring.

Have you tried to examine the gunge you got out? My guess is it's mainly rubber.

As others have already said I wouldn't worry about it but I would be flushing ALL the hydraulic systems more frequently. I do mine annually. The fluid is reasonably cheap and my time is my own.

 

[Fred W]

Clutch works fine so this stuff isn't buggering anything other than my standards of perfection. It's a ten minute job so no excuse not to bleed once a year. I was a little surprised to see moisture on top of the diaphram, but I think that is normal. And now, on to the brakes!

Yup, that is why that rubber diaphragm is there. Allow venting (moist) air to the reservoir without contaminating the fluid.

 

[garyahouse]

There's a reason for changing brake fluid that goes beyond its color and the particles you've found. Check out the thread on this forum called--

"Brake fluid 101" CLICKY

By the way, you oughta see what old fluid can leave inside your calipers when ya take 'em apart for occasional cleaning.

 

[ice_station_zebra]

There's a reason for changing brake fluid that goes beyond its color and the particles you've found. Check out the thread on this forum called--
"Brake fluid 101" CLICKY

Great post...very informative. I printed it off and put it in my shop manual.

 

[dcarver]

Better late than never, eh?

 

[rbentnail]

Agreed, it's normal. I got way more than that after 2 yrs and now replace the fluid every spring.

 

[Bounce]

Yep. No less than every 2 years for hydralic systems. it's absorb moisture which will settle in the low spots and fuck up some expensive parts. On top of that, the water boils easier (heat and/or higher elevations) and you can loose clutch and brake effectiveness. I watched a friend lose his clutch on the way down from Pikes Peak because he flushed his brakes but not his clutch before out trip.