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Brake Fluid Exchange

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Nave, Mar 13, 2024.

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  1. Nave

    Nave New Member

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    Is there any risk that something might lock up when bleeding the brakes? I changed a caliper on a car once and if locked up because it wasn't bled correctly. Had to get a new one.
    I would like to diy this to save some $. I would have someone else pump the brakes, basically following the Nuts about Bolts video.



    Thanks
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    This is how I do it on my generation 3 here. I put the remote 20 ft from the car usually it's in my house If you must and you think you need to you can disconnect the battery or there's a fuse you can take out for the ABS or relays If you like you don't have to some people probably should and I jack up the car do all the stuff take the wheel off while the caliper is still mounted to the hub and it's assembled I crack the screw that holds the hose on I cracked dessert fitting so I know they're loose and hand tight then I simply remove the caliper from the rotor lefty loosey turn the bolt that holds the caliper hose to the caliper having the new caliper right next to me I moved the hose to the new caliper and on the new caliper crack the zerk fitting and then I sit the caliper over there on the lower control arm and watch it and in a couple minutes you'll start to see fluid start dripping out of the zerk fitting on the new caliper drip drip drip once you see this you close the zerk fitting If you're not changing the pads now you mount the caliper put the bolts in make sure the slides work nicely wake up the grease whatever it is you do now get in the car and see if you have a pedal if you will you'll push it'll go down a little bit and then you'll push again and it won't I bet you don't need to do any bleeding You can now walk back and crack the zerk again and notice if you have the same space of time between the drips that are dripping out of the fitting when you initially open the zerk fitting after getting out of the car if there was any air in the system when you crack the zerk it may bubble on the end of the zerk fitting and then the bubble will pop and the drips will start drip drip drip with about you know close to a second in between the drips close up the zerk mount the wheel. You should be done
     
  3. Nave

    Nave New Member

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    So is it possible to hydrolock them? Are you saying you can bleed before the caliper?
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    When you remove the caliper from your car quickly and have the other ones sitting beside it ready to screw onto the hose If you do that immediately crack the zerk on said new caliber and just wait for the drips to start out of the new caliper you've just offered up to the hose You will be creating no air entrance if you like and then follow the rest of the mess written above and reassemble your brakes get in the car push on the brake pedal slowly down let it up do it again ready the car back it up pull it forward drive it up and down your street and see what you got I bet you don't have to bleed a thing You're all set but of course you know do it however you want it's no problem then you can get out the software and go through the whole bleeding business through the software and know you've got it absolutely positively correct there's no questions about it and that's it.
     
  5. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    If you bleed correctly, no risk.
    Make sure you have the hose from the bleeder higher than the bleeder.
    So the air will rise and not get sucked back into the caliper.
    Do NOT let the resivior go empty! That would be bad!


     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've done brake fluid replacement on ours a couple of times now, roughly following the @NutzAboutBolts video. The description of how to do the fronts is very good; you really want to blip the bleeder open/closed quick, while helper pushes the brake pedal.

    I didn't use any vacuum, just a clear tube with a bleed valve coupling, the other going through the whole in the lid of a giant-sized Kirkland mayo jar. I don't recall making special effort to run the tube upwards when coming off the bleed bolt, but maybe got lucky.

    Also, I did the brakes in the order as described in the repair manual. There's a link in my signature on this, more info. (on a phone turn it landscape to see signature)