majorly screwed up


  #1  
Old 07-02-12, 08:04 AM
tevil's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: usa
Posts: 400
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
majorly screwed up

I accidentally put power steering additive into my master cylinder. I havent driven it much since but the brakes started to get spongy. My guess is the additive (which is a seal replenisher) is VERY viscus and is actually clogging the lines more than ruining any seals.... yet. I want to compeltely drain out the system and lines and cleanse with some denatured alchohol (if thats a good cleaner) and try to refill and re purge them.
thing is i DONT want to do one at a time and just push the stuff further intop the other lines so is it possible to open all 4 bleeders and run it through at once with either my compressor or a line vaccum?
I KNOW there is a chance the stuff may have made it down there but this is a 98 grand caravan with some HIGH miles which i ONLY use for short depot and dump runs so Im not looking to dump a ton of money into fixing it.

dont ask how i did this as i know better but have been super tired latley between working on 2 houses, my job, hobbies, etc etc and just wasnt paying attention at the time, but knew enough to KNOW what i did when i felt something wrong with the brakes.

thanks
 
  #2  
Old 07-02-12, 04:10 PM
R
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Central Indiana
Posts: 896
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I would say if you can feel a difference in the brakes the damage has already been done. Brake parts do not tolerate petroleum based products. To be safe I would flush the system and replace all seals. If it wont go thats inconvienent,if it wont stop thats deadly.
 
  #3  
Old 07-02-12, 05:19 PM
A
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 477
Received 5 Upvotes on 4 Posts
I have to agree with Wrench here.

The damage is done. There is no easy or cheap fix here. The seals need to be replaced. That means master cylinder, calipers, rear cylinders, and the flex hoses, everything.

It's an expensive mistake, I know. Not fixing it correctly can make it even more expensive when the brakes fail and you can't stop. .
 
  #4  
Old 07-03-12, 05:23 AM
tevil's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: usa
Posts: 400
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
if the caliper seals were shot tho wouldnt i see the fluid leaking out? i dont see any wetness down there yet?
thanks
 
  #5  
Old 07-03-12, 08:08 AM
G
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 236
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
As a long ago certified auto mechanic, I know a lot of things have changed. Brake systems are now sometimes more complicated then, the automatic transmissions that I spelasized in rebuilding, years ago.
With that being said, if you can find a knowledgable mechanic, have your system completely rebuilt.
If you do the job yourself, be confident that you are doing a thorough job.
Out of curosity---why did you add brake fluid?
As a matter of PERSONAL opinion, I never add brake fluid unless it is extremely low and would indicate a leak.
Brake fluid level naturally goes down with the extra volume of fluid that is displaced through the system--mainly caliper pistons. As the pads wear, pistons are extended more and your brake level goes down.
This is a very good indicator of break system parts wear---lower level more wear.
I know that most of the above information doesn't help your situation now, but brakes are serious auto components--as I am sure you are aware.
 
  #6  
Old 07-03-12, 09:17 AM
tevil's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: usa
Posts: 400
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
no i added power steering fluid. i had a small leak under teh van and the power steering was making a noise and starting to get tougher. i inadvertantly was just not paying attention and added it to the master cylinder. i BARELY drive the van like i said so i didnt realize until i made a dump run (which is like 3 blocks from my house) and noticed the brakes a little spongy. it clicked in my head what exactly i did and i was seriously pissed, i have been overworking myself a lot latley, not that thats an excuse but i was prob rushing and doind 20 things and just threw it into what ever i saw first which ws the MC. like i also stated it wasnt PS fluid but an additive
Amazon.com: Lucas 10008 Power Steering Stop Leak 12 oz.: Automotive
so i was hoping it would not have the same affect. it SUPER thick so i was hoping it clogged the lines instead of getting into the calipers and such and could just be blown out.
 
  #7  
Old 07-04-12, 10:19 AM
G
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Staten Island, New York
Posts: 194
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Any oil based product and especially a stop-leak product is going to swell the sealing rubber in the brake system whose seals are manufactured to withstand brake fluid which is alcohol based (and is also hydrostatic which is why it at tracks moisture, rusts internals of wheel cylinders, and you can also flush it away with your garden hose when it spills in your driveway).
Let's get back to the main question.
In my many years in the business before retiring I can remember only one customer who came into the shop -and blamed his son- for mistakenly putting motor oil into the master cylinder. The rubber under the Dual MC cover was swollen and soft. We replaced front disc calipers, rear wheel cylinders, and master cylinder after giving the system a good flush and blow-out. As stated by previous replies above - get the repair done right.
 
  #8  
Old 07-05-12, 05:55 AM
tevil's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: usa
Posts: 400
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
yeah i think im going to have to prob just retire the vehicle.
I sucked the fluid from teh master cylinder, flushed some DA through the lines and re bled but could NOT get the front right to bleed the air to start pushing fluid. the drivers side purged fine tho and came out clean. for the amount of money to fix the car its not worth what i paid which was 500$ from a freind like 5 years ago. The think is falling apart all around this new problem so I am going to just start looking for a small pickup. I use the van as a utility vehicle and its put alot of goo time in but those parts would be just too expensive to justify that it has 153K on it and i also have a check engine light i cant get rid of and the emissions/registration is up.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: