BMW recommends you change the brake fluid every two years. It'due south not a very complicated procedure but you exercise accept to be careful, as it can exist messy and easily mess up your paint if you go any of car. My 2011 BMW E92 M3 had merely reached the end of its 4-year maintenance included plan and a service indicator stating it was time to change the restriction fluid had been going off for a calendar week. So I thought it would be a expert DIY projection for the weekend.

Why Change The Brake Fluid

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The primary reason for every other year brake fluid flush that it'south hygroscopic. Big word, but means that brake fluid will blot wet from the atmosphere, lower its boiling indicate and effectiveness if yous drive on the runway. The water in this fluid can likewise damage the brake master cylinder over fourth dimension if not regularly flushed. BMW says the brake fluid needs to be flushed every 2 years, and that's fine for road cars just will need more frequently for cars that get taken to the track. Interestingly, our first service on our long-term BMW i3 volition demand a brake fluid flush at two years of historic period and that's the only reason for going in for service.

How To Change The Restriction Fluid

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Get-go up is to remove all the wheels. If yous don't have access to a elevator, you can exercise i wheel at a time starting with the rear passenger cycle.

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Next I like to remove all the brake fluid out of the brake master cylinder equally possible. I use a small-scale 10cc syringe and was able to remove about 300 milliliters out.

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Some people utilise an old turkey baster but I detect these don't agree on to the fluid equally well and are more apt to splash brake fluid all over the place.

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The brake master cylinder hides on the drivers side in the E9X chassis under the hood close to the base of the windsheild.

In one case the three 8mm bolts are removed, take out the motel air filter housing and lay to the side. 2 of 8mm bolts are up by the windshield and one closer to the front end. Make sure all three are out before trying to remove the motel air filter housing or yous might break the motel air filter housing. I miss old BMW'southward, simply lift hood and see the principal cylinder.

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After I take out as much brake fluid as I can, I fill information technology to the top with fresh DOT iv-restriction fluid.

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Fresh unopened brake fluid is key.  If they've been opened, the brake fluid can showtime absorbing water from the temper. I similar the BMW Dot four fluid if information technology's not going on the track soon, or volition use MOTUL RBF 600 if I am headed to a runway event as it has a higher humid signal – 593F vs 446F.

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Next you lot can either use a pressure bleeder like I did this time or you tin can get a buddy to pump the brake pedal, pressuring the system. Some rails guys swear by the manual restriction pedal pump over the pressure bleeder.

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Once the braking system is pressurized, open the bleeder screw on the brake caliper. I utilise a tube then in that location is a solid column of fluid coming out and no alter that air volition be entrained into the braking organisation.

Starting time with the passenger rear restriction caliper, then the commuter rear caliper, followed by the passenger front and lastly the drivers front end. You need to make sure the brake reservoir stays total so you don't force air onto the system from the master cylinder. That would be a nightmare, IMHO, and require a ton of bleeding to get all the air bubbling out. I've never done it. I simply bank check the level after each caliper is flushed. I usually accept to add fluid afterward the two rear ones.

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When you lot are washed make certain the fresh brake fluid is at the correct level before you put the cap back on. Re-install the motel air filter housing, put your wheels back on and torque the wheels. I like wheel studs, which you lot can meet poking out of the bike hubs. I utilise cooper anti-seize on the hubs as it makes taking the wheels off the next time easier. I torque the wheels down to 88 lb-ft with a large torque wrench.

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Last, you need to reset the service indicator via pushing a modest button to the bottom left of the RPM gauge and cycling through the services with the left stalk and BC push.  I watched about 3 vids on youtube to do information technology and am still not totally certain how I did it as the sequence is different if you take service due soon or service required alert on you bank check control.

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Tools

  • Jack Stand up or 9,000lb 2 Post lift
  • 17mm Socket to remove wheels
  • 8mm socket to remove cabin air filter housing over brake chief cylinder
  • Socket commuter
  • 10cc syringe, or turkey baster to remove old restriction fluid
  • Restriction Pressurizer or friend to pump intermission pedal
  • 9mm wrench – opens drain screw rear caliper
  • 11mm wrench – opens bleed spiral front caliper
  • two unopened bottles of brake fluid DOT 4 BMW or your favorite brand
  • Reservoir to capture onetime brake fluid.
  • Lots of disposable shop towels to keep brake fluid splash to a minimum
  • Shop lite
  • Copper anti-seize for cycle hubs