Contaminated Brake Fluid (sounds Fishy)

[rdukart]

Contaminated Brake Fluid (sounds Fishy)
So i took my 2007 3500 laramie into the shop my brakes where locking on as if someone foot was on the brake they diagnosed it as a hydro booster, so today i phoned to pick up the truck and now they said after instaling the booster they noticed my brake fluid looked contaminated (no warranty). my question would be wouldnt the brake fluid have to be drained to pull the master cylinder off and install the new booster. therefore refilled after the process. they also told me that they backed the brakes off to get the truck rolling. i am confused as all f***. Can someone clear this up for me please and does something sound fishy to any of you guys.

[tinkering247]

sounds weird, you have to pull master cyl to get booster off, and bleed brakes after, as for backing off brakes, dose not make sense they are disc unless you pry pads apart thers no way to back them off, if they had to do that sounds like seized calipers

[JoeCanuck]

At the very least, I think that they'd have to be a bit more specific than, 'contaminated', to void your warranty. You can't prove contamination by looking...unless you can see chunks of stuff. Colour means almost nothing.

Get them to analyse the fluid to prove/disprove contamination. They are accusing you of contaminating the brake fluid. Make them prove it.

While you're at it, get them to show you the procedure for changing out the booster. If they even had the cap off before they did the procedure, there is no way in the cosmos that they can prove they aren't the ones who introduced the contamination, should any contamination exist. They have already admitted they didn't notice any contamination until after the procedure.

Good luck.

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'00 Quad Cummins 4x4 Shortbox, Silver. Arizona truck imported to Alberta. No mods...yet. On order, I have Adrenaline w/ Pulse, Dodge Steering Stabilizer, Luke's Link and Raptor lift pump.

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Last edited by JoeCanuck : 08-01-2008 at 04:52 AM.

[SpLaT]

as for backing off brakes

The rear disc brakes also have a small set of drums and shoes=parking brake.

The parking brake may have siezed up, hence backing them off.

Brake fluid can become contaminated, even in a closed system. Hence, again why brake fluid flushes are part of regular maintenance, check owners manual/service book.

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05 3500 QC 4x4

[tinkering247]

yes they do but were talking booster swap, if park brakes were siezed on they would have been to be put on by your foot, if sticking park brake was the problem they hopefully wouldnt have changed the booster, as for brake fluid contamination, if he didnt have the cap off master cyl, there is low chance of contamination, they probably got something in fluid and are covering themselves

[$30 Cowboy]

They told my GFs dad that his were " Contaminated " also....at 40,000 miles. Its BS, they do everything they can to stick it to you. They said his had engine oil in it....but their service dept serviced it last.

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Cowboy Cadillac 2007 Dodge 3500 DRW QC 4x4; 6-speed, RanchHands, 4" TBE w/ 6" Tip. AFE stage2, Silencer ring MIA

[oldsmobiledave]

What shop is this?

I want to know so I never go there.

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2004.5 Quad Cab 2500 4x4 auto
2005 Reg Cab 1 Ton Dually 4x4 auto
Finding Oil & Burning Diesel

[JoeCanuck]

The biggest issue with brake fluid contamination is water. Brake fluid absorbs water like crazy. The water is heavier and eventually settles at the lowest point, usually the pistons. This causes rust which wears out the o rings on calliper pistons...probably the main cause of brake piston leaks.

The master cylinder reservoir isn't vented to atmosphere and materials in the braking system are designed not to chemically react with the fluid, so unless you open the cap, brake fluid contamination is very unlikely.

That being said, if the manual says flush the fluid, do it, but if the cap hasn't been off, any contamination came from the truck, not you.

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'00 Quad Cummins 4x4 Shortbox, Silver. Arizona truck imported to Alberta. No mods...yet. On order, I have Adrenaline w/ Pulse, Dodge Steering Stabilizer, Luke's Link and Raptor lift pump.

[SpLaT]

Brake fluid absorbs water

This is true, to a point DOT 3 and 4 will absorb water up to 3% volume as these are glycol based brake fluids. They also have corrosion inhibitors in the mix but as glycol their effectiveness only lasts so long. On the other hand DOT 5 is silicon based and will not absorb water, it will actually repel it!

Besides water, the other contributor to brake fluid failure/contamination is HEAT, heat will affect rubber hoses and seals causing them to break down. When the rubber material starts breaking down its when things get nasty.

Another form of contamination is petroleum based products such as oils and greases. It only takes a VERY SMALL amount of these products to completely contaminate brake fluid.

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05 3500 QC 4x4

[HornetFitter]

Originally Posted by SpLaT

This is true, to a point DOT 3 and 4 will absorb water up to 3% volume as these are glycol based brake fluids. They also have corrosion inhibitors in the mix but as glycol their effectiveness only lasts so long. On the other hand DOT 5 is silicon based and will not absorb water, it will actually repel it!

Besides water, the other contributor to brake fluid failure/contamination is HEAT, heat will affect rubber hoses and seals causing them to break down. When the rubber material starts breaking down its when things get nasty.

Another form of contamination is petroleum based products such as oils and greases. It only takes a VERY SMALL amount of these products to completely contaminate brake fluid.

... And if the contamination is petroleum based, you WILL have a brake system failure as the seals will swell and break down almost immediately. High pressure washers can blast water into the master cylinder (between the cap and the reservoir) when washing your engine compartment, thus introducing water into the otherwise sealed system.

[ccmckee]

I know i always flush mine out whenever i replace anything. I always crack the bleeder before pressing a piston back in place and let the fluid escape that way instead of pushing the crap back through the system.

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'96 slt cc 2wd, rebuilt auto w triple lok tc & shift kit,rebuilt diff,new head,215's, tst #8 plate,3k gsk,afc spring kit,bhaf,riderites w/onboard compressor,triple pillar boost,egt,tranny temp,398k km,305hp 686ftlbs may/08

[Bandit]

Just throw in some DOT 5

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1994 RAM 2500, 12v, 4X4, 47RH, #0 Plate, 3 GSK, Gauges X4, Daul 4" NADP, BHAF, Starwheel cranked, KDP killed, 3" Lift, 33" BFG M/T's.