Testing Fluids

[Lynn Kirkpatrick]

I was reading how brake fluid can be checked for moisture content using test strips. Also, anti-freeze can be checked for corrosion using a different test strip. With the test strips, you are taking some of the guess work out of when to flush the brakes or cooling system.

Checking at the usual car parts stores, finding them isn't as easy as I hoped. The anti-freeze strips are pretty reasonable (50-70 strips for about $10), but no one has them. The brake fluid strips are really pricey (100 strips for $50-70!!). These things also have a shelf life, so it's not like the you're getting several years of strips.

So do these things work, and have you found a source where I can buy 10 or 12 strips, rather than tossing the majority of them after they expire?

Thanks.

 

[David_DuBois]

Lynn - Instead of checking the coolant and brake fluid, just change them both every two years. I suspect that you will be money ahead.
Cheers,

 

[PAUL161]

Funny how we worry so much about some things on these cars, when our every day modern cars go fairly neglected by many. My 1986 Ford Ranger with 250,000 miles on it, sat for the last two years on the farm, which is only used around the place now,<span style="color: #FF0000"> has the </span><span style="color: #FF0000">original brake fluid in it</span> and only the second set of rear brake shoes. The brakes still work great, actually better than my 93 Chevy custom with 225,000 miles on it, which has had a complete system rebuild twice, three sets of rotors, six sets of front pads and two sets of rear shoes. I'm kinda leaning toward a new Ford pickup. I wonder why. PJ

 

[Lynn Kirkpatrick]

Paul
I agree, I can never remember my dad flushing brake fluid or coolant. But back then we were doing brake jobs and changing radiator hoses often enough that we were indirectly flushing.

Then in recent years with higher reliability and longer service intervals I've been ignoring things. I'm a little hesitant to change stuff at some time without knowing why. So that's why I'm wondering what the strips tell me.

Phoenix systems sells 2-strip kits for brakes ($7 thru Summit Racing) so I ordered one and the coolant strips from Amazon. I'm curious what I find with my '01 F150 that I have never flushed the brake fluid (since '03) and the coolant in the MG that I haven't changed since I bought it in about 12 years (the brakes just got flushed in a bleeding). (Well, it used to be called "permanent".)

I'll let you know.