E-450 Brake Fluid Change October 28, 2008, 11:02:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96950I can find no reference to a requirement to change brake fluid on my 2003 E-450 in either the owner's manual or the service schedule. Only reference to brake fluid change is for the E-550. The E-450 uses DOT 3 fluid. Any thoughts?Terry2003 26.5'RB Gardnerville, NV
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #1 – October 29, 2008, 08:10:00 am Yahoo Message Number: 96956QuoteI can find no reference to a requirement to change brake fluid on my 2003 E-450 in either the owner's manual or the service schedule. Only reference to brake fluid change is for the E-550. The E-450 uses DOT 3 fluid. Any thoughts? I like to change the brake fluid on any vehicle about every 3 years. Brake fluid is hydroscopic and tends to absorb water over time. Water lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid and makes it more prone to boiling when brakes get real hot and causing "brake fade".Art
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #2 – October 29, 2008, 10:38:55 am Yahoo Message Number: 96962older_fossil wrote: I like to change the brake fluid on any vehicle about every 3 years. --- So, the 'determining criterion' for when to change the brake fluid would be time, not mileage? Since my rig is now 5 years old, it looks like it might be time for new brake fluid. Thanks for the tip, Art.Joan
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #3 – October 29, 2008, 12:15:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96963QuoteSo, the 'determining criterion' for when to change the brake fluid would be time, not mileage? Since my rig is now 5 years old, it It is both, but hard use means faster deterioration. Judicious use of lower gears to handle steep downgrades, and occasionally resorting to a 15-min stop at a pullout on long stretches to let brakes cool will greatly reduce aging problems with all brake components. With age, brake fluid will absorb water from the air, but most current systems are better sealed to reduce that age-related factor to a minimum.Steve
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #4 – October 29, 2008, 12:46:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96965Quote I can find no reference to a requirement to change brake fluid on my 2003 E-450 in either the owner's manual or the service schedule. Only reference to brake fluid change is for the E-550. The E-450 uses DOT 3 fluid. Any thoughts?Terry 2003 26.5'RB Gardnerville, NV I don't know Ford's specific recommendations on changing brake fluid. But the general rule-of-thumb I would follow is change it ~ every 30k miles, change when it looks significantly darker, change when re-doing your brakes. You may want to change it sooner than 30k miles if your rig sits for a long period of time, as brake fluid attracts water, not using the rig lets the water sit in there and do damage.DOT3 or DOT4 fluid are both fine, my preference would be for DOT4 synthetic. DO NOT use DOT5 unless you're vehicle states specifically to do so.Adam
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #5 – October 29, 2008, 02:33:22 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96967QuoteDOT3 or DOT4 fluid are both fine, my preference would be for DOT4 synthetic. DO NOT use DOT5 unless you're vehicle states specifically to do so. Here is something to consider when buying brake fluid. Ford specifies DOT 3 for the E450 but not all DOT 3 fluid is the same. The minimum DOT specification for DOT 3 fluid is a dry boiling temperature of 401ºF and a minimum wet (saturated with water) boiling temperature of 284ºF. The Ford "high temperature" DOT 3 (the only kind with the Ford name on it) has a dry boiling temperature of 580ºF. I have not found Ford's claim for the wet boiling temperature. The DOT 4 specification is a minimum dry boiling temperature of 446ºF and a wet boiling temperature of 311ºF. Bottom line: if you go into Wal Mart and buy the least expensive DOT 3 brake fluid it will not perform the same on that long downhill drive when you are using the brakes a bit more than you really should. The Ford brake fluid is so good that I have been told that many performance car drivers, regardless of make of car, use the Ford fluid. It doesn't cost much more than the low cost stuff but it gives me a lot more peace of mind. I don't have my Ford maintenance guide here right now (the small one with all the service schedules) but I am pretty sure it specifies brake fluid changes every 3 years.MontiMonument, CO
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #6 – October 29, 2008, 02:50:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96968I don't know if it's the same but when asked about downshifting the great British race driver Sterling Moss said brakes are cheaper than engines and transmissions.Michelle http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #7 – October 29, 2008, 03:06:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96969Quote from: Monti"I've been doing some more online searching and can find nothing from Ford specifying brake fluid changes on the E-450 or most of its other vehicles, for that matter. The only references I can find are to the Class A MH chassis, and the E/F-550.This includes electronic searches of the on-line versions of my owner's manual and service schedule booklet.And searching Ford's website and reading a lot of service related pages there comes to naught as well.I also find many posts that disagree with the usual advice to change brake fluid periodically, especially in newer vehicles which are said to be better sealed.I remember buying a new-to-me VW Vanagon Westfalia some years ago and searching the maintenance requirements to see what I should do. I could find no reference to transaxle oil changes. Inquiring further I was told VW filled them with synthetic oil and had dropped the requirement to change it periodically. I note the same for Ford axles if filled with synthetic oil.I'm wondering if Ford has decided that given modern fluids and seals and the risks presented anytime you service something that it's best to leave the brake fluid alone.Terry2003 26.5'RbGardnerville, NV 89460I don't have my Ford maintenance guide here right now (the small one with all the service schedules) but I am pretty sure it specifies brake fluid changes every 3 years.Monti Monument, CO
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #8 – October 29, 2008, 03:28:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96971"Monti" wrote: I don't have my Ford maintenance guide here right now (the small one with all the service schedules) but I am pretty sure it specifies brake fluid changes every 3 years. --- Is this 'maintenance guide' separate from the owner's manual? I looked at the maintenance schedules in the Ford manual (2003); the only brake fluid specification (that I could find) was to use 'Motorcraft High Performance DOT 3 Motor Vehicle Brake Fluid' (Ford Part # PM-1 and Spec # ESA-M6C25-A and DOT 3). The basic manual/owner's guide doesn't contain maintenance *schedules* as such, and, for that reason, I've always used the maintenance schedules available online at:www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/maintenance_schedules/getymm.asp(http://tinyurl.com/6r7d8x)But, even the 'full maintenance schedule' option on the above site doesn't offer *timed* (vs. mileage) maintenance schedules; suggestions on where to find the "Ford maintenance guide" you refer to? Thanks!Joan
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #9 – October 29, 2008, 03:39:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96972tlburnes wrote: I've been doing some more online searching and can find nothing from Ford specifying brake fluid changes on the E-450 or most of its other vehicles, for that matter. The only references I can find are to the Class A MH chassis, and the E/F-550. --- I just found the 'maintenance guide' that I think Monti referred to (it had fallen out of the zippered case), but also only found the '2 year E- 550' brake fluid change recommendation. Close enough for ranch work; I'll go with that!Joan
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #10 – October 29, 2008, 04:53:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96973Quote I can find no reference to a requirement to change brake fluid on my 2003 E-450 in either the owner's manual or the service schedule. Only reference to brake fluid change is for the E-550. The E-450 uses DOT 3 fluid. Any thoughts?Terry 2003 26.5'RB Gardnerville, NV Last time I had my '04 serviced at the Ford Dealer I requested a flush and change for the brake system. I was told they would check the fluid to determine if it needed servicing. The tech said they change out the fluid for cause/condition not time.John '04 23.5FL
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #11 – October 29, 2008, 05:01:27 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96974QuoteI don't know if it's the same but when asked about downshifting the great British Quoterace driver Sterling Moss said brakes are cheaper than engines and transmissions.Quote Michelle Famous quote, but Stirling never spent too much time stopping anyway...Trannies will definitely cost more, but one in good shape with an auxiliary cooler should have no problem in this application. When controlling the speed of 5 - 6 tons of LD on a steep, long downgrade, do NOT rely on your brakes. They will fail. The tranny is designed for this service. One 3000 ft. descent without engine braking can destroy the brakes, but is all in a days work for the drive-train.Steve
Re: E-450 Brake Fluid Change Reply #12 – October 29, 2008, 05:04:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 96975QuoteI don't have my Ford maintenance guide here right now (the small one with all the service schedules) but I am pretty sure it specifies brake fluid changes every 3 years. Well, the old memory cells aren't what they used to be! I went over to the storage yard and dug out the Scheduled Maintenance Guide and the Owner's Guide and neither one says to change brake fluid every 3 years. The owner's manuals on my Acura and Honda both clearly show that brake fluid should be changed every 3 years regardless of mileage. Based on previous experience over the years I guess I just assumed Fords still had the 3 year interval. When I changed mine at 3 years, it certainly did not look like it needed changing.Monti
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