GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

DIY: SS Brake Lines and Fluid Flush

timneedscoffee10

timneedscoffee10

Go Kart Champion
f00kie said:
First off, didn't meant to bitch in your thread -- our instructions were great! Just wanted to warn everyone that it is not an easy task, in my opinion. Nothing was 'seized' per se, and I did use WD-40, but the bolts were just a pain in the ass to get to with the tools I had, that's all.

Brakes work great though!

One question I have is with regards to the brake fluid reservoir. It seems that regardless of how much I fill it, the fluid level is always the same. Also, I cannot see the fluid level through the container (or it always appears that it's full)? Is there a trick to this?
Click to expand...

Haha, no sweat - people's experiences are what this place is all about. And yeah, it can be a pain in the ass to get to the nuts -- especially the rear lines... Very, very tight space.

I shine a flash light on the side of the reservoir, helps see the fill level on the front - but it's easiest to just remove the cap and look from the top... I figure as long as its slightly above the filter basket, you're in good shape. Not sure about your dilemma with filling it though. If it was leaking that bad, you'd see fluid for sure... Maybe overfill until its completely topped off, almost overflowing - then siphon it back to normal using a turkey baster? Using the pressure bleeder leaves it that full when you're done, so that's what I had to do to lower it to a normal fill level.
 
timneedscoffee10

timneedscoffee10

Go Kart Champion
IHazTurbo said:
Doing this exact thing tomorrow morning. Glad I found this thread, thanks for posting :)
Click to expand...

Had the wheels off this morning to install my stop tech pads... Meant to grab some shots to update this thread with the pics I didn't get last time, but somehow put the wheels back on before I remembered. Haha

Be sure to post again and let us know how it goes!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Lodi

Lodi

Go Kart Champion
Nice DIY :thumbsup:

Post up some driving/braking impressions once you've got some miles on the new setup. I'm thinking about going this route rather than the financial hit of a bbk. I don't need monstrous braking power, but def find the stock setup to be lacking, especially with stg 1+ power...

edit: especially interested in the stoptech pads. Noise, bite, dust, wear, etc...
 
timneedscoffee10

timneedscoffee10

Go Kart Champion
lodi said:
Nice DIY :thumbsup:

Post up some driving/braking impressions once you've got some miles on the new setup. I'm thinking about going this route rather than the financial hit of a bbk. I don't need monstrous braking power, but def find the stock setup to be lacking, especially with stg 1+ power...

edit: especially interested in the stoptech pads. Noise, bite, dust, wear, etc...
Click to expand...

For daily driving, the lines and fluid don't make much difference for me. I've put about three thousand miles on them already, though, and a lot of that is through the ADK mountains on my way to-and-from NYC from Northern NY. In the mountains, it makes a noticeable - but not very significant - difference. Driving aggressively enough to have to brake around turns gets the system good and hot -- and the lines and fluid provide a more solid pedal feel for a prolonged period of time. Bottom line here -- if you're not tracking or driving like an asshat (guilty, on occasion) you may not notice them.

The StopTech pads, on the other hand, are a different story. With these in the mix, the brakes bite harder, faster, and more consistently. They're as silent as my stock pads (which, btw, after 35k miles had surprisingly little wear) with significant improvement in stopping power.

The combination of lines, fluid, and pads results in a very solid and consistent braking experience. Do some searching, though, there's plenty of threads on this combo which provide better input into the experience than I can provide.
 
S

steelcurtain

Go Kart Champion
Nice write-up OP. If I may make a suggestion to add the instructions, to release the pressure from the bleeder before unscrewing it from the master cylinder.

Lol. Don't ask why I would suggest that...some things you forget about when drinking and wrenching.
 
C

CobraKing

Ready to race!
timneedscoffee, thanks for the excellent DIY. I followed your steps on bleeding the brake and clutch lines and replaced the OEM fluid with ATE Super Blue. Car's a 2010 Passat 6MT and the lines have never been bled before - approx 40K on the car.

Brake and clutch pedal are firmed up now however the brake pedal is 'squeaking' after being depressed and released to the 'normal' position. This only happens at a certain point (not through the entire pedal travel) and I'm wondering if there could be air in the lines (but pedal is firm)? The 'squeak' appears to be in the cabin, not outside.

It is getting colder in Toronto - temps at/near the 0C mark. Any known issues with ATE Super Blue in colder temps? I've looked around and it seems like some people do have a squeaky clutch pedal with ATE Super Blue - could this be what I'm experiencing but with the brake pedal?

Anyone else having the same issue? Any advice?
 
Last edited:
timneedscoffee10

timneedscoffee10

Go Kart Champion
Jordanka -- I'm not having any squeaks or other noises -- so I'm not really sure :-\. The clutch pedal issue you mentioned reading about is a common complaint in the MKIV crowd, where the dye in the Blue ATE is known to eat away at the seals in the clutch cylinders, causing a squeak and eventual slave cylinder problems. This is not a known problem in the MKVI (I owned a MKIV before this car, so I researched it a ton before putting blue in my GTI!)

Plus, if the squeak is coming from the pedal itself, I doubt it'd have anything to do with the hydraulic system. Maybe the increased firmness when you press the pedal is causing rubbing on some interior rubber? Maybe try getting a little silicone lube and applying a thin coat to the pedal arm where it meets any surrounding material.

For what it's worth - I live in NYS due east of Toronto, it's been down in the single-digits a lot here lately too, so I don't think it's the cold / fluid choice either.

Jordanka said:
timneedscoffee, thanks for the excellent DIY. I followed your steps on bleeding the brake and clutch lines and replaced the OEM fluid with ATE Super Blue. Car's a 2010 Passat 6MT and the lines have never been bled before - approx 40K on the car.

Brake and clutch pedal are firmed up now however the brake pedal is 'squeaking' after being depressed and released to the 'normal' position. This only happens at a certain point (not through the entire pedal travel) and I'm wondering if there could be air in the lines (but pedal is firm)? The 'squeak' appears to be in the cabin, not outside.

It is getting colder in Toronto - temps at/near the 0C mark. Any known issues with ATE Super Blue in colder temps? I've looked around and it seems like some people do have a squeaky clutch pedal with ATE Super Blue - could this be what I'm experiencing but with the brake pedal?

Anyone else having the same issue? Any advice?
Click to expand...
 
C

CobraKing

Ready to race!
timneedscoffee10 said:
Jordanka -- I'm not having any squeaks or other noises -- so I'm not really sure :-\. The clutch pedal issue you mentioned reading about is a common complaint in the MKIV crowd, where the dye in the Blue ATE is known to eat away at the seals in the clutch cylinders, causing a squeak and eventual slave cylinder problems. This is not a known problem in the MKVI (I owned a MKIV before this car, so I researched it a ton before putting blue in my GTI!)

Plus, if the squeak is coming from the pedal itself, I doubt it'd have anything to do with the hydraulic system. Maybe the increased firmness when you press the pedal is causing rubbing on some interior rubber? Maybe try getting a little silicone lube and applying a thin coat to the pedal arm where it meets any surrounding material.

For what it's worth - I live in NYS due east of Toronto, it's been down in the single-digits a lot here lately too, so I don't think it's the cold / fluid choice either.
Click to expand...

Tim, thanks for getting back. I must've got air in the lines somehow - that's why the pedal was squeaking. I had to flush the fluid again and it quieted down.
 
GTIProject

GTIProject

Ready to race!
Nice writeup. If anyone has a high mileage GTI...a little bit of heat from a handheld MAP-gas torch can help free the c-clips (which can be a PITA to remove when they are somewhat corroded).

Also a bit of advice. Superblue is blue so that you can see when you are changing the fluid, seeing the old go out and the new (blue) go in.

To the track guys out there, I'm pretty sure Earls makes speed bleeder nipples in our thread pitch and size. Had a set on my old Civic and made bleeding brakes by yourself super easy.

Unless you are tracking the car, VW/Audi OE fluid is perfectly fine, manufactured by ATE and equivalent to their Gold series of fluid. And its way cheaper.

I also have like 12 liters of it laying around my garage and toolbox from work. :D
 
F

FoxGTI

Ready to race!
I have a question,

If I wanted to replace my brake fluid with Motul 600 synthetic, how would I be able to distinguish the new fluid from the old?

My car had 40K and I am trying to get everything together to chance brake pads on the rear and upgrade the front Brake lines, as well as replacing my brake fluid.
 
timneedscoffee10

timneedscoffee10

Go Kart Champion
FoxGTI said:
I have a question,

If I wanted to replace my brake fluid with Motul 600 synthetic, how would I be able to distinguish the new fluid from the old?

My car had 40K and I am trying to get everything together to chance brake pads on the rear and upgrade the front Brake lines, as well as replacing my brake fluid.
Click to expand...

The used fluid will still be off in color compared to the new fluid. You'll be able to tell, it's just more subtle. Using blue ate makes it very obvious.

Open your bleed valve and capture some dirty brake fluid and just compare it side-by-side with the new stuff so you can see what you're looking for.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top