mick the builder
Well-Known Member
Check fluids in-between services?Looks like I'll have to up my game!
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Good. Lost track of how many times I have bought a vehicle and drained brake fluid that looked like used engine oil.
Daily is best, but you will get away with weekly.
I have a friend who was in REME, maintaining military trucks and tanks. They were trained to check all levels daily, and he still does on his cars and tractors, even though he is about 70 now.
lightning
Well-Known Member
The clutch is an easy one to forget about because it's further back than the brake fluid reservoir and on my TD5 is hidden by wires and pipes. If the slave cylinder has failed it might be as well to replace the master too, as the rubbers on that are probably on their last legs. One upon a time I used to mess about with rubber seals but with the Land Rover these components are fairly cheap and readily available so I just replace the whole thing. A pressure bleeder is very useful because the pipe between the two cylinders goes up above the level of the master cylinder and tends to trap air bubbles.
Part of it is having the right tools. Now I have pressure bleeder it's so much easier to blow a bit of fresh fluid through the brakes and clutch, so I do so. Not like the old days when it was left to marinate in there for the lifetime of the car. Similarly, now I have a gear oil pump, topping up or refilling the transmission is a whole lot easier, and quite satisfying too. Once upon a time it was hard work trying to squeeze it into a filler hole between the transmission tunnel and the gearbox casing but now it's easy.
Turboman
Mab An Gov
Being a cheapskate, I have an old gear oil bottle, base cut off, with a plastic spout, and a length of clear plastic tubing forced over the spout.
I crawl underneath, remove the plug, and insert the tube, which I have already let down from from above via the centre panel in the seats.
Then I can sit in the cab and pour the gear oil down in comfort.
I leave the bucket which I have used to drain the old gear oil under the gearbox, to catch any overspill when the gearbox is full.
lightning
Well-Known Member
l've got a Sealey pressure bleeding kit which cost around £60
lt makes it almost a joy to bleed the brakes, or replace the fluid. Probably the best thing l've bought, maybe second to the oil filter removal tool.
How is it that you hand tighten a TD5 oil filter, then it takes full force on an oil filter wrench to remove it.
lt makes it almost a joy to bleed the brakes, or replace the fluid. Probably the best thing l've bought, maybe second to the oil filter removal tool.
How is it that you hand tighten a TD5 oil filter, then it takes full force on an oil filter wrench to remove it.
