Brake Fluid System

STOPS CAR!

You depend on your brake system to stop your car effectively – especially in an emergency situation! Today, we will delve deeper into our exploration of THE BRAKE SYSTEM.

The average car’s brake system has at least 40 feet of steel brake lines plus 2-6 feet of reinforced rubber hoses; a reservoir; and a plethora of moving parts, including the brake master cylinder. Mostly made of metal, these parts are susceptible to rust and corrosion. All of these components are filled with or exposed to Hydraulic Fluid – a.k.a. Brake Fluid.

In order to do its work effectively, brake fluid – a vital part of the brake system – must be fresh and clean, uncontaminated by dust, dirt and debris, moisture and/or air bubbles. Contamination has dastardly effects, including reducing the brake fluid's boiling point AND its anti-corrosive properties.

Car engineers confine brake fluid within a sealed system. However, even with that precaution, it still gets old after a year or two, and contamination still happens. (If, for example, the cap was left off the brake fluid reservoir, complete contamination will occur within 24 hours.) Not only does dust and dirt get into it, but consider the hygroscopic nature of brake fluid. Yes, it's true: it actually absorbs moisture out of air. Big trouble!

Imagine how HOT the brakes get while stopping your car. (There is nothing quite like the smell of burning brakes!) Brake fluid is designed to not boil until it reaches 440 degrees; (twice the boiling point of water). Once it is moisture-ridden and/or old, however, it will boil at much lower temperatures. Sadly, when brake fluid boils air enters the sealed system, diminishing the braking ability. You will discover that your car will be especially prone to brake-fade under heavy or emergency stopping conditions. (Remember those "runaway truck ramps" on steep hills?)

What effect does contaminated brake fluid have? Remember the 40 feet of metal through and around which the brake fluid resides? Guess what: it starts to corrode. Debris from corrosion makes the fluid 'dirty', affecting calipers, wheel cylinders, hoses, and expensive anti-lock brake units*.

*(Especially on some newer cars; anti-lock systems, brake assist systems, and electronic stability programs can have extremely expensive components. When damaged by contaminated brake fluid, repairs can cost in excess of $2000. Yikes!) Therefore, brake fluid maintenance, especially with today’s high-tech braking systems, is a very important investment to make for your financial – as well as your physical – well-being.

How do you know if your brake fluid is okay? If it looks brown or black, it is dirty. Clean brake fluid is colorless and clear – but sometimes even contaminated brake fluid still appears colorless. YOU CAN'T TELL BY LOOKING. Bring your car into Water Star Motors. We have a special tool to measure the amount of water in your brake fluid. A finding of 2% moisture or more is considered excessive.

Preventive maintenance is the key to the longevity of your vehicle and its brake system.

Most manufacturers recommend a brake fluid flush every two years. Higher-end cars recommend a flush once a year. A Brake Fluid Flush prevents potential damage to your brake system components, expensive repairs, and possible brake failure by clearing out the water and most of the dirt that builds up over time.

Have you had your Brake Fluid Flushed lately?

Brakes of the Matter

Brakes of the Matter

It is easy to take for granted that the simple act of applying pressure to the brake pedal will stop your car, a hunk of metal weighing hundreds to thousands of pounds. I can tell you, from personal experience, it comes as a great surprise when pressing on the brake pedal does not work! (Take a moment and mentally review where your emergency brake is located.)

How do brakes work? Just how does the pressure you apply with your foot to the brake pedal translate to actually slow and bring to a stop all of that forward motion? The force of your foot depressing the brake pedal is transmitted to the brakes via brake fluid and leverage. The brake pedal is designed to multiply the force from your foot several times before transferring it to the brakes. The brake pedal is connected to a pivot rod; pivot rod is connected to the brake booster; brake booster is connected to the brake master cylinder; the brake master cylinder sends out brake fluid to the four wheel cylinders to stop the car. Whew!

The brake master cylinder is the brains of the basic brake system. It distributes brake fluid to the four wheel cylinders in such a way that stops the car in a straight line (without the front or back of the car dipping or raising). This helps you, the driver; maintain control of the car while stopping with a minimal amount of effort.
More about wheel cylinders: The typical wheel cylinder is three times the diameter of the master cylinder. All together, the brake system increases the force of your foot by a factor of 36. If you put ten pounds of force on the pedal, then 360 pounds of force will be generated at the brake pads; squeezing the brake rotors mounted to the hubs of the wheels.

On most conventional brake systems, front brakes receive 60% of the braking power, while the rears receive 40%. This is the main reason why, if you have happened to notice, front brake pads need to be replaced more often than rear brake pads.

Brake Calipers & Rotors: Typically, today's cars have a four wheel disc brake system. Meaning the front and rear brakes have rotors – a.k.a. discs – and calipers to hold the brake pads. Calipers squeeze the brake pads against the rotors. This creates friction that slows the car down. The rotors are made of metal. They will need to be replaced about every third time the brake pads are replaced.

Interaction between the brake pad and rotor creates the famous “Brake Squeak” (sometimes without even applying the brakes). The Squeak comes from the caliper vibrating against the brake pads; dirt and worn out brake parts accentuate or worsen the problem.
Break Squeak is not always an easy problem to cure. Many special products are available to help eliminate brake squeak. At Water Star Motors we use the most tried and true up-to-date procedures and products to insure you the quietest brakes in Santa Cruz County.

Your Brake System is one of the most important safety features on your car. Please, be sure to have yours checked out regularly; especially if they begin to behave differently in any way.
PS: Happy Halloween!

Top Ten Tips for Fuel Economy!

Top Ten Tips for Fuel Economy!

 

Brought to you by Water Star Motors: Import Car Repair  
Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team and Small Business of the Year.
    Written by Henry & Lisa Carter

Every day folks are becoming more ‘in tune’ to being Green. Here are ten pro-active tips to help you drive it green from the ‘Serene, Green Auto Repair Team’.

1. Motor Oil. Top off and change oil as a regular maintenance routine can improve fuel economy by up to 2%. Changing the oil and filter regularly also affects the life of the engine. Oil, as it ages, thickens and the oil filter gets clogged. Replacing conventional oils with synthetics may offer even greater fuel economy benefits.
2. Air Filters. Have your air filter changed at the end of its recommended lifespan. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a vehicle’s gas mileage by up to 10%.
3. Engine Performance. A properly maintained vehicle gets better fuel mileage and puts out less smog producing fumes than a poorly running car. Having engines tuned and fresh spark plugs can make a world of difference in how efficient your engine runs. A single misfiring spark plug can cut fuel economy by up to 4%.
4. Brakes. Improperly maintained brakes can result in unwanted drag. This extra resistance can have the same effect as driving with your foot on the brake pedal.
5. Warning Lights for ‘Service Engine Soon’ or ‘Check Engine’. Ignoring these indicators may result in poor fuel economy performance and lead to expensive repairs. For example, a warning light may indicate a faulty oxygen sensor is sending more fuel to the engine than necessary, which can create a 40% fuel economy decline. Or perhaps it denotes a bad thermostat, which can prevent a cold engine from reaching its normal operating temperature, causing exorbitant injection of fuel.
6. Tire Wear. Replacing worn tires can save hundreds of dollars per year.
7. Tire Inflation Pressure. One well known thing is to check your tire pressures regularly and make sure they are not lower than factory specs. Some people say set tires higher than normal. This is ok if you monitor your tire wear, making sure the center of the tire treads are not worn. It is not very green to get merely half the life out of tires because the pressures are set too high. We do not recommend more than 2 to 4 P.S.I. (pounds per square inch) over factory specifications. Under-inflated tires require more energy to roll, meaning more fill-ups at the gas station.
8. Unnecessary Items that adds weight to the vehicle lowers fuel economy.
9. Evaporative Emission Controls such as a gas cap, charcoal canister and purge valve. When these items are functioning properly they capture the gasoline vapors and recycle them to the fuel tank. Faulty controls waste gas and degrade air quality.
10. Transmission. Properly operating transmission and drive components are critical to vehicle fuel economy performance. Routinely check proper fluid levels and schedule flushes every 30,000 miles.

It is good to be green! At Water Star Motors, a certified green business, we believe in keeping your car operating for a long, leak free, well-maintained life, with best fuel mileage as possible. Stop by and let us check your ‘Top Ten List’. 


Water Star Motors is at 318-A River Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. 831-457-0996
We want to answer your car questions through Rock, Paper, Car.
Send questions and comments to:  Henry&Lisa@WaterStarMotors.com