Brake Fluid Change - Bleeding

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Exactmax

Active member
I'm pretty sure my brake fluid needs changing as I haven't don't it for around 2.5 years. Ive watched and read a few articles on how to change the brake fluid and it all looks pretty straight forward.

What I couldn't find an answer for was for bleeding the brakes. As far as I understand, you change the fluid over and you need to release the old fluid. Where do you do that from? Some YouTube clips show the bleed valve on the calliper but I'm pretty sure the Z4 doesn't have that option.

It was almost mentioned you have to bleed them in a particular order? Is Dot4 the best stuff to use for just general replacement?

Thanks guys
 
All calipers have a bleed nipple. I would recommend getting a pressure bleeder to help you do it.like..

http://www.ccw-tools.com/product.asp?P_ID=3757

You could also use a different coloured brake fluid so you know when the old is flushed out. Like Ate super blue.
Other things useful, a basting pipette from a cookery shop, like you would use for roast meat, for initially getting rid of a lot of old fluid out of your reservoir.

Its said to bleed the brakes with the longest lines first, ie the rears but I am not sure it makes much difference really.
 
Hi,

Thanks for your advise. The pump is £70 which would allow me to do the brake bleed on my own but then I need to add ontop of that the Dot4 brake fluid. So its sounding like it might be cheaper to get it done at a garage for around £100? Does anyone have any photo's of what the caliper bleed needle looks like?

Is the Ate Super Blue good for just general driving (not track)?

Thanks,
 
ATE Superblue is a performance fluid. Should still be OK for street of course.

The bleed screws can be shown below they're on the rear side of the callipers, each calliper has one.

Front:
On the top left of the calliper as in the picture
145.png


Rear:
On the top left again but obscured from view
215.png
 
Exactmax said:
Hi,

Thanks for your advise. The pump is £70 which would allow me to do the brake bleed on my own but then I need to add ontop of that the Dot4 brake fluid. So its sounding like it might be cheaper to get it done at a garage for around £100? Does anyone have any photo's of what the caliper bleed needle looks like?

Is the Ate Super Blue good for just general driving (not track)?
and the fluid will prob set you back
Thanks,
Click to expand...

You should never use dot 4 only dot 5.1.... The bleed nipples are located at the very top of the caliper to allow the air to escape.. to be honest there are lots of different aids to bleeding brakes out there from things costing £1 to the 70£ pump above. If your unsure it would take it to a garage. I would be shocked if they charged anymore that 50 quid including the fluid.. BMW garages charge 45 to do the work as part of a service ring around the indi garages
 
Thanks for the images 'GA41' - that helps me see what's going on! Why would you only use Dot 5.1 as opposed to Dot 4? I thought Dot 4 was the standard break fluid for the Z4's? :)
 
Just get a one man bleed kit,

Its a tube with a one way valve on, only cost £5

I got 1 litter of dot 5.1 from opie oils for under £15

And it took about 2 hours to do with painting the calipers too

The bleed nipple is under a little rubber cap at the top of the caliber

It takes less the A litter of fluid

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
Just got a cost from BMW Croydon and they want £94.91 for the break fluid change - that sounds quite alot to me! I'll ring around and see what some indies price it at....
 
If you can jack the car up, take the wheels off and press a brake peddle you can do it your self

There are loads of guides on the internet too

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
Exactmax said:
Onto another question, does anyone know what diameter tube is needed to push over the bleed nipple?
Click to expand...


Hey this, job done

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=310417211529

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
Exactmax said:
After speaking to BMW, they said that they use Dot 4 for almost all of their cars (including the Z4) :)
Click to expand...

Dot 4 is fine

The difference between 4 and 5.1 is the boiling points

5.1 has a higher boiling point

If your not going track the car 4 is fine


Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
sam1832 said:
Exactmax said:
After speaking to BMW, they said that they use Dot 4 for almost all of their cars (including the Z4) :)
Click to expand...

Dot 4 is fine

The difference between 4 and 5.1 is the boiling points

5.1 has a higher boiling point

If your not going track the car 4 is fine


Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Exactly, 5.1 has a higher minimum boiling point to comply as well as certain viscosity requirements but that doesn't mean that all DOT 4 fluids will have a lower boiling point than a 5.1
 
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