In todays local paper there was an article on this. Says to empty system with a baster a few times over a couple of weeks. Claims this will be sufficient to act as a fluid change. I thought brake fluid just traveled front to back without a recycle.

Anyone have the scoop on this.

Well, I suppose with the back and forth that goes on, over time, like about a million years, all the fluid would change out. If you did this just before the unsuspecting potentional buyer showed up, you could boast about how fresh the fluid is. You could also gravity-bleed the whole system in a day, open the bleeder at the farthest wheel and have a beer while watching it drip out, making sure the master res. doesn't run out, then go to the next-farthest wheel, until done. Personally, I'd leave the turkey baster in the kitchen. Just my 2 cents worth. Mike

It does not circulate in the brake system, so this suggestion doesn't flush the lines at all. The best way to do this is suck the fluid through each line till it comes out clean, and keep topping off the master resevior. Sorry, I don't subscribe to the gravity method either...if I'm going to get grimy, I want to just get it over with...so I pull a vacuum on each bleeder starting at the wheel furthest from the master.

Here is a link to the article. The "Auto Doc" column has been around for ever, atleast 10-15yrs. The mechanic is very well respected by all. Wonder how he got this one wrong?

http://www.newsday.com/business/auto...7483894.column

I agree it could take along time for a "gravity" bleed. Have a shop "pressure" bleed them or do it the old fashion way.

BTW, and off topic. I used a baster to change the PS fluid. Came out REAL grungy. I would run the car for a week and do it again till the fluid I pulled out was clean.

The correct way to flush the brake fluid is to use a baster to first empty the main reservoir. You do this so no contaminated fluid or loose particles are flushed thru our sensitive ABS system.
Then you fill the reservoir with fresh fluid and flush the fluid thru each wheel cylinder starting with the one furthest away from the master cylinder, until it comes out clean, ensuring the reservoir is always filled so no air comes thru.
Water tends to migrate down to the lowest point which are your wheel cylinders.

I do this every two years.

He didn't really get it wrong, he just didn't include a comprehensive set of instructions for changing all the fluid.
The idea of getting out the old fluid before you start the bleeding procedure makes sense, especially for the cars with expensive ABS parts. The turkey baster procedure is a simple, cheap, and effective method of removing the fluid that can be reached easily at the master cylinder reservoir.

He also says do do this a few times over a two week period. It would only have to be done once if his method was to then follow-up with a bleed. Leaving one to conclude that you can get most of the fluid by the turkey baster method alone. Meaning that the fluid in the brake lines gets inter-mixed with the fresh fluid.