TR2/3/3A Flushing out my TR2 brake system....

[JohnB]

I am finally getting my TR2 out of the back of the barn, after way to many years, and am trying to get the poor old gal back on the road again.

How do I flush all the nasty old brake fluid out of all the lines? What should I use to do the flushing, alcohol? And how do I force it through?

I am rebuilding the m.c./clutch unit, replacing the rear wheel cylinders and rebuilding the front disc calipers (they were added years ago). But I need to completely clean out all the lines so I can start using Dot5 silicone fluid.

Any ideas?

John B.

 

[TR3driver]

An article I read a long time ago said to use methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) to flush the lines. I did that once and it worked out fine. My local drugstore had the stuff behind the counter (but I had to explain to the pharmacist what I wanted it for). I rigged a funnel & tube so I could pour it into the lines, then blew them out with compressed air and let them sit to dry for several days.

Some say to use denatured alcohol, but it has more water and sometimes the denaturing agents are not something you'd want in your brake system.

But for all my subsequent conversions to DOT 5; I've just filled the MC with DOT 5 and bled each slave until I got clean, purple fluid. Seems to work just about as well, with a whole lot less hassle.

Think you'll have the old girl on the road in time to join us for Triumphest?

 

[JohnB]

Randall,

Thanks for the tip on using methyl over denatured alcohol.......how much did you use... would a quart be enough? Do you see any problem leaving the alcohol in the lines a few hours to help dissolve lurking crud? Or is that overkill?

As far as Triumphfest goes, where is it and when? And have many other TR2s attended in the past?

Every time I turn around there seems to be another problem needing a creative solution - like getting stuck pistons out of the caliper bores. So it may well be at the least a couple of months before I can put her in gear and give her a test run.

John B.

 

[JohnB]

Just saw the topic on Triumphfest.....now I know where and when......

Oct 1st might be a bit tight to have her really road reliable, but who knows.

John B.

 

[TR3driver]

The bottle I got was maybe a pint I think, and I only used a little over half of it. Don't forget that methanol is toxic, so try not to get it on you. I don't see any problem with leaving it to soak, but my lines weren't that bad off.

Don't know how many TR2s we'll get this year, this is a first-ever combination event for both Triumphest and the VTR national convention. But I'd guess there will be at least 20 or so TR2s and of course several times that many TR3/As. (Bob, feel free to jump in here and correct me.) I hope to be there with my TR3, but not in the show competitions; just maybe autocross and rally or something.
https://www.vtr-triumphest-2009.com/

Form what I've seen, non-running cars garner at least as much interest as the fully restored ones, and of course it's always nice to meet with folks that share your obsession with Triumphs. So winch it on a trailer and come on down! We'll be glad to see you even if you have to leave the TR2 at home.