My TSX is 3.5 y/o, according to the manual, change the fluid every 3 years, so I'm overdue. I have done most of the maintenance on my baby (oil/filter change, Transmission fluid flush, Air Filters, tire rotations) myself but I have not replaced the brake fluid yet. I would like to do this w/o having another person to pump the brake pedal. I've read several threads on this board, but somehow, I'm not getting it.

Some questions:

1. Do I have to remove the wheels?
2. Do I have to raise the whole car? I only have a jack and 2 jack stands - so obviously I can only lift one side of the car (front or back)
3. Can someone take a pic of the bleeder screw? Better yet, is there a DIY thread with pictures? I searched, but most are for brake pads/rotor replacements.

I bought a "One-Man Brake Bleeder kit" made by AmPro ($7) from Advance Auto Parts, it comes with a bottle, 2 hoses (short & long) and some adapters. Has anybody used this or something similar to this? I have not opened it yet, just in case someone tells me to absolutely not use it.

Thanks so much to this site - most my of DIYs were sucessful due to the recommendations and information found on this site.

 

You will definitely want to take the wheel off (for ease, but not necessary if you have a lift) and you might as well just wait until you need to replace the pads because it is really something in to do at the same time.

Bleeding procedure is simple:

1. Loosen the bleeder screw (it is a "nipple" with a black cap found on the back of the caliper) with a box end or flare nut wrench.
2. Attach bleeder hose.
3. Create vacuum in tool
4. Loosen bleeder screw until fluid flows.
5. Tighten after fluid stops flowing or is clean.
6. Continue this loosen, create vacuum, tighten process until the fluid is clean
7. Tighten bleeder screw (no Hecules effort either, just tighten)
8. Move to next caliper in the process.

Bleed pattern. Driver Front, Passenger Front, Passenger Rear, Driver Rear.

Keep the master cylinder full with clean fluid.

Top off and close the cap.

 

Thanks for the quick response. Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand item # 3. Create vacuum in tool. The kit I bought is basically a cup and couple of hoses.

BTW - my pads and rotors are still in good condition. Acura dealership replaced them under warranty about a year and a half ago.

 

Okay, if you have the cup and hoses, then you'll need a 2nd person to pump the brakes, which changes my procedure a little bit.

So now, instead of creating a vacuum, you'll be pressurizing the braking system (pumping the brake pedal) and loosening the bleeder bolt after the pedal becomes tough. When you do that, the pedal will go to the floor. Tighten up the bleeder screw, and repeat. I have found that if you leave the bleeder screw open and pump the brakes, you can move more fluid from the master cylinder which is good to get the old stuff out first, but you'll want to do my previous step once clean fluid flows to insure you've gotten any air out of the brake line. This is why 2 people are needed, its just easier to watch the fluid and have someone else pump. So now you just shout "Pump", 2nd person replies "Pumped", you reply "To the floor" as you loosen the bleeder bolt. Tighten the bolt and yell back, "Pump" and so on and so forth.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: I've found an old coffee can works much better than that little cup they give you. If you had asked us before you bought the kit, some of us would've told you to just buy a length of hose from the auto parts store.

There are tools that create vacuum at the caliper, so when you open the bleeder bolts, it sucks the fluid down, requiring only 1 person. That is what I thought you had purchased for a price that was simply amazing.

 

Check out my thread here: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34737

I also purchased some speed bleeders, which helped me tremendously, especially since I fouled the whole process up.

I agree with everything that moda_way already said. *Just don't try to flush all the old fluid before putting in the new fluid!*

 

In regards to "Just don't try to flush...........fluid', you mean, keep the brake reservoir full during the bleeding period, right? I will be doing this very soon (maybe this weekend). Any other tips/suggestions?

 

Yes, keep the clean fluid in the reservoir. Check after you bleed each caliper and top off. The last thing you want to do is drain the master cylinder and get air into the lines.

Only other tips... DO NOT get the fluid on your paint. It will destroy whatever it hits (paint wise). I also do not recommend doing this if it is very humid or raining outside. This fluid attracts moisture, which is not what you want with the types of temps this fluid can reach.

 

Thanks for the other tips. It's raining here in Maryland, but this weekend is supposed to be sunny and 70 degrees.

 

Ryan,
So, can the wheels stay on while this is done?

 

What fluid do you guys recommend using on the TSX?

 

For everyday street driving, use the Honda Heavy Duty DOT 3 fluid. People will have lots of opinions of high-temp racing fluids, etc., but unless you're racing your car on a track, the Honda fluid is what you want.

One other thing I found helpful in bleeding -- use a turkey baster to remove the old fluid from the master cylinder and refill it with fresh fluid before you start. Saves the time of having to pump all that old fluid out via the brake pedal/bleeder screw method, just leaves you with the old fluid in the front driver's side line to start.

Be SUPER careful, as moda said, not to drip the fluid on your paint. It eats clearcoat/color coat. If you do drip, rinse it off with water immediately if not sooner.

 

I bought 2 bottles of Honda Brake Fluid today ($8/bottle) and also a turkey baster. If I only need one, I can use the other for my Pilot. Wish me luck tomorrow.

Also, I read in another thread that you need to release the parking brake during the procedure? Wouldn't that compromise the stability of the car while jacked up even with a piece of wood on 2 tires?

 

If the car is up high enough to make it comfortable, yes. But jack stand height isn't enough IMO.

 

well, if you are bleeding the rears (which is where the parking brake is working) then the wheels are off the ground anyway.

 

Add to that... a little car soap on the area IMMEDIATELY after the rinse. Get that shyt off quickly.

 

Finally did the brake fluid service this morning. Went to Pep Boys and bought a Mityvac bleeding kit (it contained a trigger pump, a pressure gauge, a bottle, hoses and some adapters). It took almost 2 bottles of brake fluid to do this.

The driver front has the dirtiest fluid - I'm assuming this is how it should be since it is the first one I bled and most of the nasty fluid would come out here. I might have messed up in the beginning since I did not do the "build pressure, then open the vavle". I was just pumping away on that trigger pump, but I realized that I was doing it wrong. Finally did it the right way. Did I screw anything up when I forgot this step? I took my baby for a test drive and did a couple of stop and go, everything seems to be working fine.

I followed all the other instruction given by moda_way, however, since this is my first time doing it, is there anything that I need to look out for to make sure I did not mess up anything?

Thanks.

 

Nice job. Sounds like all went well. Best things to watch out for....

1. Check your brake fluid reservoir in a few days to make sure your fluid level hasn't changed. If so, fill it to max.
2. Be very sensitive to any braking fade for any reason. If your on the brakes a lot, the fluid will get hot and if there are any air bubbles, they will make themself know by lack of braking power.

My guess is, you won't have any trouble. Enjoy the fruits of your labor (and the savings as well).

 

My guess is, you won't have any trouble. Enjoy the fruits of your labor (and the savings as well).[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I'll monitor the fluid level as well as any brake fade.

I was quoted $90 - $115 from various auto shops to do this job, did it for under $50 ($30 for bleed kit & $16 for fluid and $2 for turkey baster). The savings does add up.

Again, thank you. This is another DIY that I can apply to other vehicles I have.

 

Bump...Doing a flush this weekend. How much fluid do I need to pick up?

 

^^Min, 2 pints.

 

Honda DOT - about 1 1/2 bottles (from what I read, but I did mine with 1 bottle).

 

I think I've decided on the Valvoline Syn Dot 4....Oh, and I'm picking up the vacuum kit, I dont trust the wife to pump

 

I am about to do the same thing as well......, going to be putting on the stainless steel brake hoses too.... I am going to use the Valvoline Syn Dot 4 also......., let us know how it goes............ Any one have any comments/suggestions for the brake hose upgrade. is it pretty strait forward procedure...... anything hard aboutit......., or any tricks I that will make it go easier/quicker????? thanks.........

 

Use flare nut wrenchs only, buy a big can of brake cleaner spray, and don't get any of the fluid on your paint. After that, enjoy the stiffer brake pedal.

 

is it easy or dificult to remove the old hoses???? is there any trick to it....??? And as far as putting the new stainless ones on ..... any advice of tricks to it????

 

Nope. If you can turn a regular wrench, then turning a flare nut wrench is no more difficult.

Only advice, bleed the brakes afterwards. It really is a very simple process.

 

THANKS....MODA_WAY........

 

Why Valvoline Syn DOT 4, when Honda brake fluid is also DOT 4?

 

Also, get a piece of cling wrap and put that over the brake fluid resevoir and then put the cap on tight. That will slow down brake fluid leak and save you time removing the air from the main brake lines.

 

Cheaper? No real reason other then the fact that it seems a lot of people use it/recommend it.

 

You Aussies get all the good stuff. Here, its DOT3.

 

I see. It's weird, that means the USDM S2000 also uses DOT3????

 

I dont understand why hoda does things like that...... we get dot 3 and everybody else gets dot 4.......??????? what the.......

 

Well, I did my flush today. And yea, it was pretty easy. Only thing I wasnt sure of was how much fluid I needed to take out of the reservoir. I took out most of it, but when I filled it back up, it got a bit dirty again. But by the time I got to the last wheel, it was clean again.

The pump thing I got sucked. It was hard to get a good seal on the container, so it kept loosing pressure. Other then that, I think it worked ok.

Took about 1-32 oz container of Valvoline Syn, maybe more then I needed to use, but it was cheap.

 

After the fluid is changed should the pedal feel stiffer?

I got a garage to do mine and it feels a bit lighter and upon pressing the brake pedal 1/2 way down it makes a squishy noise.

 

Mine feels about same...

 

So did you use the vacuum or did the wife pump on the brakes for you. ^^



O.K. here are other questions. What did you use to catch all the old BF and did you do the rears? Also, can you do the fronts first and then the rears without contaminating the new BF with the old?

 

You mean a "PFFFFT" noise? If so, that is normal. All TSXs have them, even the Aussie Accord Euro. It's because of the brake master cylinder that Acura and Honda uses.

 

LOL, and over here we always say the US gets the good stuff like the Civic Si. All we get is the UK Civic Type R 2-door hatch, and even that doesn't come with an LSD and has rear torsion beam suspension! All that for US$36,520 OTD.

 

I used the vacuum...

The vacuum pump kit comes with an 8oz bottle that pumps the fluid into it. So I did the DF first, emptied the bottle, then PF, empty bottle, PR, empty bottle, DR, empty bottle.

When I first started, I emptied as much fluid as I could in the reservoir, then topped it off with the new fluid. Its inevitable that the new fluid is going to mix with the old. But by the time you get to the DR, the reservoir is pretty much clear with new fluid at that point.

Oh, and for the rear brakes, I had to use a socket to open the bleeder nut, I realized I didnt have any freakin metric crescents, and my adjustable wouldnt fit.

And it definitely needed changing. 3 years and 26000 miles and the stuff was pretty dark brown, considering the new fluid is perfectly clear.