what can you tell me about hydraulic brake fluid does it have a colour someome told me it absorbs water?

Answer 1

Yes hydraulic fluid is hygroscopic meaning that it can absorb moisture that's why you have intervals at which the fluid should be changed.They do come in various colours but the main thing is to fit the correct type some are mineral based and some synthetic putting the incorrect fluid in could have disastrous results.Regards Mick

Answer 2

Brake fluid is a mineral oil specially blended to absorb the terriffic heat generated by the the use of friction to slow the vehicle down. It is HYGROSCOPIC which means it will absorb the moisture from the atmosphere, this is why brake fluid needs to be changed at regular intervals. In the uk there is th DOT rating system. at the momment (and i may be wrong here) most cars are running on DOT3 or 4. If your vehicle is reccomended to have dot3 in is there is no problem adding dot 4 as it is an improved up spec version however if your running dot 4 already you cant mix dot 3 in as this will degrade the perfomance of the braking system. The reccomend interval betweeen chaningn all the fluid in the system is 2 years and as stated you should never use brake fluid that has been opned before.

Answer 3

it is clear or light yellow in color. yes it is "hydroscopic" meaning it absorbs moisture from the air. your brake fluid should be flushed once a year. the water in the fluid lowers the boiling point of the fluid, or can rust inside the lines and components. brakes get up to 1300* on a normal usage car and the brake fluid can boil (which can cause brakes to stay applied or other problems) if the boiling point is lowered from water contamination. Anytime you do brake work only buy enough fluid that you will use right then and throw the rest away. never use fluid that has been opened and sat on a shelf for a long time.

Answer 4

Hydraulic brake fluid has the ability to absorb moisture.....it does this with no apparent change in colour...this is where the danger lies....since we in the uk have lots of moisture either raining upon us or as in humidity, the vent in the cap of your brake reservoir allows moisture to enter and then mix with your brake fluid in that same reservoir......you should normally have a complete brake fluid change every three to four years to avoid problems......... too much moisture within the fluid can cause brake fade... this is a situation where your brake pedal becomes inaffective in slowing the vehicle....simply because with all that moisture within the fluid, any prolonged application of the brakes will simply boil all the water away within the fluid leaving a small quantity of real brake fluid now incapable of stopping the vehicle.....take note dude

Answer 5

Brake fluid does absorb water but very slowly. over time this can effect it's performance. The easy solution is to replace it whenever any part on the hydraulics needs attention. It only takes about twenty minutes and you then know the system is up to scratch.

The reason you changew your engine oil is also linked to it's absorbing water, although the main reason is that it carries carbon and small bits of eroded metals.

Most fluid now adays seems to be clear. You used to get red and blue and they did not mix so it was important to remain in one colour.

Hydraulic fluid used in aircraft is red so that any leak can be seen immediately.

Answer 6

Hydraulic fluid is colourless when produced,some manufacturers add a dye (to spot leaks ect.).the oil is a moisture absorbent(Hygroscopic) but this over a period off time.
Brake fluid should therefore be changed at 1-2 yrs duration,your makers handbook will give you specific details as to type,(mineral/synthetic) and time intervals between changes.
Be careful with this stuff it is an irritant and will also damage rubber seal and covers,it will also remove your paint work no trouble at all!!
As with all things technical get good advice(the Haynes manual for your car is invaluable) and you should get the job done safely.

Answer 7

brake fluid is hydostopic that means it absorbs water out of the air and should be changed about 3 to four years due to the fact that the water content will boil when the brakes are used hard and may stop brakes working

Answer 8

It does absorb water, which affects its boiling point and hence its ability to stop the vehicle. It needs replacing at regular intervals, usually around 2 years. Your vehicle handbook should have a manufacturer's recommendation about service intervals.

Answer 9

its normally stripped... but sometimes with spots,
ive bought some rare ltd checked,
and my mates has dots.
all are like cleanex that can absorb all the seas
others are green , the colour of mushy peas
Ive had some white, that i cannot see,
but now they are older they look like stinky pee,

Answer 10

it is normally a green colour... and you should be very carefull not to get any dirt/grit into the container when you top it up...
it should repel water........ i think, being a type of oil....