green brake fluid...

[jpstrniste]

Okay,

Bought the truck brand new in August of 2006. I did my first brake job on the truck at 115,000 miles. fronts only. Just pads and rotors. that was about 3 months ago.

I just did my rear brakes tonight at 134,000 miles. when changing the pads on the drivers side, i noticed one of the pistons was cracked. So I go down to the local auto parts store and the caliper was $54. I was amazed it was so cheap, so I bought two, one drivers, one passengers side. Go back home, go to change the calipers and green brake fluid starts coming out of the line....

I check the brake fluid res and it also appears to be green. I check the top of the cap and it says DOT 3 fluid. I call around to a bunch of auto parts stores and they all have never heard of "new" green brake fluid. A few of them said it could be moisture in the lines, which turns it green. Others said it could be corrosion in the lines.... All of them said they suggested flushing the lines and putting new synthetic fluid in.

Any thoughts?

Any one else have green fluid? Is this a FORD specific fluid?

This is my work truck so it can't be down for more than a day. Any help would be extremely helpful.

Thanks.

- Jay

[powerhoghp]

Ummm, no. Ford uses plain old DOT fluid. What color green? Corrosion green, dyed green, neon green?

[jpstrniste]

when its in a clear glass bottle, its dark green.

It doesn't look like its corroded or anything like that. it looks clean

[powerhoghp]

I guess it could be an aftermarket synthetic, like how most royal purple stuff is purple.

[powerhoghp]

Classroom manual for automotive ... - Google Books

Evidently your truck is filled with Hydraulic System Mineral Oil?

[jpstrniste]

thats what i would figure too.

but I bought the truck brand new from the dealer and Ive never had any brake work done by anyone else but myself

I'm probably going to flush it to be on the safe side...

[powerhoghp]

I doubt it would hurt anything, especially at this point. However a fluid change can't hurt.

[Evil Eye]

It sounds like it is incompatible with DOT fluid, which is what our trucks were designed for. I would flush it right away.

[powerhoghp]

Well, his truck seems to have been running it for quite some time.... With no apparent damage thus far, i'd assume just run it till you have the time to flush all the lines,etc.

[510guy]

the fluid is just old. when it goes through heat cycles it changes colour. you need to change your brake fluid at least every two years. i know with mazda it was a warranty requirement as with honda because they would deny warranty claims on calipers if you did not have the fluid changed. the green is probably from moisture, just flush it with regular old dot three, do not use synthetic, and you will be fine.