Flushing the Brake Fluid / Brake Inspection

[Altered Sprinter]

To add to the confusion, here is a link to a guy http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...ageName=ADME:X:eRTM:MOTORS:1123#ht_500wt_1182 selling it in ebay as well, different from who I did my purchase from, and I just asked him about he age, and expiry date on the back, etc, and he "claimed" it came to him from MB last week, directly.

I'm wondering if MBUSA is the culprit here, flogging old bottles to the industry here in the US, or someone has Pinocchio syndrome, one of the two?

Tibor: At the moment I am not looking at the blame game as to confusion reigns, rather backing up the documented facts.so factual information can be given rather than being subjected to speculative hearsay.
ATE brake fluid CLICK HERE
Richard

 

[kkanuck]

Tibor: It's U.S NAFTA Local content. local employment. with a big If =Unregulated and or not up to par as to full transparent International standards.
By law in the real-world ! If a product does not have a printed use by date placed by a manufacture at time of production Bang big fines . Printing as I have have said after a product has been manufactured with an ink stamp placed after the fact,is not acceptable,or legal.
The consumer has no protection or recall.
Any bottle with incorrect printing is subject to recall, stocks are with drawn and sent back to the manufacture, for immediate disposal. [Marked not for public sale.]
Off the cuff, the Obama government has tired to place consumer protection at your end for 2011/12 onwards it has not passed as of yet.
Give me until to night and I will endeavor to trace CCI and or INTAC as an approved Mercedes-Benz Manufacture for distribution of fluids,for the N/A sector.
I'll reiterate by fact: MB A000 989 08 07 13 is the current fluid. [It has not been superseded. by the number you have given: "By Mercedes-Benz Germany".]
TEXTAR if it has the use by date Plus DOT4+with either BP 500F minimum and WBP 356F minimum /BP 260C minimum.WBP 180C then the product is in range.
I could have that bottle you have tested independently with the CSRIO Tasmania with Mercedes-approval to see if the product is legitimate.? Want to send it down. PS DOT4 has been around since the sixties but in mineral format used by high performance racing teams.Non ABS low viscosity. It has a well written documentation.
Richard

I asked this guy from ebay (the link I showed you) what it stated on the back of the bottle by the expiry date printing, etc, and he came back also, like my bottle, no expiry date, just the following: lot and date AR100519

Not sure what any of this means, but no expiry date I will give you seems fishy! Why is it on the label if they do not fill it in at manufacture? And seeing as this is made for MBUSA out of Jersey, I would think the onus is on them no?

 

[kkanuck]

Tibor: At the moment I am not looking at the blame game as to confusion reigns, rather backing up the documented facts.so factual information can be given rather than being subjected to speculative hearsay.
ATE brake fluid CLICK HERE
Richard

Out of this ATE list you submitted, there are many in the list that mean the wet and dry boiling points, but low viscosity is a different angle as well that must be adhered to correct? I read that the ATE Blue, or the Gold color, are not LV fluids, is that not correct? I also read that it stains the heck out of the reservoir, and makes it hard to read levels through the blue color.

 

[Altered Sprinter]

I asked this guy from ebay (the link I showed you) what it stated on the back of the bottle by the expiry date printing, etc, and he came back also, like my bottle, no expiry date, just the following: lot and date AR100519

Not sure what any of this means, but no expiry date I will give you seems fishy! Why is it on the label if they do not fill it in at manufacture? And seeing as this is made for MBUSA out of Jersey, I would think the onus is on them no?

Yes But there is no legal requirement as to a nationalized 50 state compulsory standards.

Out of this ATE list you submitted, there are many in the list that mean the wet and dry boiling points, but low viscosity is a different angle as well that must be adhered to correct? I read that the ATE Blue, or the Gold color, are not LV fluids, is that not correct? I also read that it stains the heck out of the reservoir, and makes it hard to read levels through the blue color.

Yellow Light.

View attachment flyerflssigkeiten.pdf I'm off to MB to obtain both MDSS and the flow chart for the MB Brake fluid . If I can find it under WIS.
Richard

 

[Altered Sprinter]

Yes But there is no legal requirement as to a nationalized 50 state compulsory standards.


Yellow Light.View attachment 27781

View attachment 27782 I'm off to MB to obtain both MDSS and the flow chart for the MB Brake fluid . If I can find it under WIS.
Richard

Currently MB Fluids DOT 4 PLUS proper, are matching DOT 5 silica's based Boiling points.

How sweet are your brakes running lately! squeaks and squawks, low pedal pressure vibrations etc.


Richard

 

[kkanuck]

My Brakes are actually just fine, except for that grinding noise once in a very blue moon....but with all the talk, I figure I may as well change it as it has never been performed as of yet.

I have to say, this has become quite complicated....a simple brake fluid exchange gone array.

I have found a woman here finally stateside over the internet that can sell me the "exact" fluid by MB with the last 2 digits 13, like the part number you were so kind to offer.

She also has Textar Pro which is LV their highest grade of Dot 4 plus, and I am having her examine the specs, as it is half the price of the MB fluid.

I think I will go Textar unless the MB is fluid from the EU. I do not trust MBUSA with parts like this after this debacle.

 

[Altered Sprinter]

My Brakes are actually just fine, except for that grinding noise once in a very blue moon....but with all the talk, I figure I may as well change it as it has never been performed as of yet.

I have to say, this has become quite complicated....a simple brake fluid exchange gone array.

I have found a woman here finally stateside over the internet that can sell me the "exact" fluid by MB with the last 2 digits 13, like the part number you were so kind to offer.

She also has Textar Pro which is LV their highest grade of Dot 4 plus, and I am having her examine the specs, as it is half the price of the MB fluid.

I think I will go Textar unless the MB is fluid from the EU. I do not trust MBUSA with parts like this after this debacle.

Don't think any one should either.
Mb always has a higher retail value.No competition between dealerships, OE are normally 40% cheaper if you can find them. like oil... Markup's on pricing can be expensive ,best to find a distributor and you save buying direct.[Freight is an issue though.]
Mobil one super syn 0W-40 retails at 19 to 22 dollars Liter I buy direct from the Mobil at self point refinery in Hobart and the price! you guessed it 10 dollars for litre 5 litres are cheaper 20 liter drum 6 dollars plus tax per liter.. Glad you sorted this one ut .
Cheers Richard

 

[cahaak]

Just some quick info on the brake fluid thing. Instead of looking for DOT 4 plus - which is really not an official designation, what you really want to use is DOT 5.1. This fluid is backward compatible with DOT 3 and 4 (and 4+)and has the boiling properties of the DOT 5 fluid. The DOT 5 fluid is silicone based and not compatible with anything else.

So, do a google search for DOT 5.1. You will find several different fluids available. You can get these via Amazon. The main difference in moving up to the 5.1 fluid is that it includes more borate esters in the formula and this gives the fluid a higher boiling point, up to the properties on the silicone DOT 5 in some cases.

Why they ended up giving it the DOT 5.1 designation instead of something like 4.1 seems to make no sense. It is much more similar to a DOT 4 fluid than a DOT 5.

Chris

 

[Altered Sprinter]

Mercedes-Benz proper DOT4 PLUS matches as I have previously stated DOT 5.1 non silica based.
BP 500F WBP 375F minimum.
As for the JUNK That was being stated kknauck: Read this link and you will know why alarms bells rang up with me.
INTAC has had issues and recalls since 1997
The container Golden Eagle.
Not approved by Mercedes-Benz Germany.
Motor vehicle safety standards; exemption petitions, etc.: Intac Automotive Products, Inc., - Federal Register - February 18, 2000 - Id 23290719 - vLex
This may be the reason Dodge recalled fluids back in 2006

49 CFR 571.116 - Standard No. 116; Motor vehicle brake fluids. - Code of Federal Regulations - Title 49: Transportation - Subpart B: Federal motor vehicle safety standards - vLex
Richard

​

 

[kkanuck]

That is pretty wild.

Leave it to me to find these treasures in the haystack.....


The guy I bought 3 liters from luckily has agreed to take them back!!!


Thanks Richard for shedding light on the Americano (No standards enforcement.... as far as consumer protection is concerned) Brake Fluid.


I would think MBUSA would like to know their rejected goods are being flogged to unsuspecting consumers, or Maybe not?


Much obliged!


I am going to buy some Textar Dot 4 Pro, or Dot 5.1 as I have now learned about.


Tibor

 

[Altered Sprinter]

DOT blue and yellow are the same values at the ones I was looking at. Blue is hard to see containment the yellow not so ,
But brands vary
Wait to the new year and I'll show how viscosity on brake fluid breaks down with moisture via atmospheric conditions. including a fluid test. Hopefully this one will scare the hell out of some of you chappies,that think fluids last forever and a day.
Brake drums went out decades ago I have rotors and power brakes since 1955 and that was a mineral DOT 3.
Richard

 

[kkanuck]

I just bought a set for the Sprinter, and also for my e320 wagon, it was about $60 for eight of them with delivery.

Do you have the SBC Brake System on the E320 Wagon?


If so, any worries bleeding the SBC as opposed to the Sprinter using the Speed Bleeders?


So a catch bottle for old fluid with a hose leading from the Speed bleeder, and pumping at the pedal while maintaining new fluid in the reservoir is all it took? I have a DAD for the Sprinter but have heard many are having issues agitating the ABS valves with it, so maybe the old braking on gravel method may have to do....


Cheers,

 

[Thanasis]

I just had a similar experience too with the MB service independent shop in Marin County ( north of San Francisco). When I called yesterday to make an appointment, I was asked why I wanted to have the break fluid flushed. I said I have never had the fluid changed since I bought my Sprinter new in 2006. He asked if I make heavy use of the vehicle, which I am not ( less that 30k miles on the odometer, lightly loaded). He said that it is not necessary to change the fluid, despite what the Owner's manual says. Why would he want to turn down the business? BTW, this is also a very well reputed shop.
T.

I just spoke with an Independent reputable MB Service shop near me, and the owner thought I was nuts to change Brake Fluid every 2 years. If I lived in a cold climate, it would be different, and that is where moisture can get into the brake lines I was told. But here in Atlanta where i live, he told me it was a waste, that the fluid is synthetic nowadays, and this dot4+ does not break down like older fluids did.


What are some other's thoughts on this? I also have an 06 MB eclass and same thing, only 20K miles on it, should I be changing this fluid, or is it unnecessary based on my climactic conditions?


Cheers

 

[jdcaples]

I just had a similar experience too with the MB service independent shop in Marin County ( north of San Francisco). When I called yesterday to make an appointment, I was asked why I wanted to have the break fluid flushed. I said I have never had the fluid changed since I bought my Sprinter new in 2006. He asked if I make heavy use of the vehicle, which I am not ( less that 30k miles on the odometer, lightly loaded). He said that it is not necessary to change the fluid, despite what the Owner's manual says. Why would he want to turn down the business? BTW, this is also a very well reputed shop.
T.

There are clearly two camps on the forum.

The first camp (including your humble author) follows this line of thought

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6121

The other camp never did it on their older vehicles, their modern vehicles and - even though factory scan tools contain a menu-driven software routine that pokes the ABS controller and forces the flushing of all valves in the ABS - this nay-sayer camp sees no reason for doing it on their Sprinters.

Why would your well-reputed dealership turn down business? Recently, a forum member looked on Sprinter Work Shop Information System (Sprinter WIS) and found no mention of using a scan tool as part of the routine brake maint.

I have no explanation for the removal of that info and the continued existence of the scan tool menu options for brake fluid flushing other than human error.

-Jon

 

[220629]

An old thread, but new information to maybe support that a scan tool full flush procedure isn't necessarily critical.

First, a simple test to check if the ABS pump is working is listening closely when you turn the ignition to position 2 (not starting the engine). You should hear the ABS pump motor spinning. This is the initial test that the van’s computer is performing to see if the ABS system is functional. If it doesn’t detect a running motor it won’t turn off the ABS warning light on the dash.

https://sprinter-camper.com/fixing-sprinter-abs-pump/#comment-2431

This information isn't conclusive that a periodic regular old non-scan tool brake fluid flush is adequate, but it does provide some insight. A high pressure pump can't operate without the fluid going somewhere. The argument against can be that it just circulates within the CAB unit, but it must circulate.

vic