Another brake question

In message , Mario Lanza writes

Are you sure you are looking at your brake fluid and not your engine coolant? Brake fluid should hardly vary with temperature.

Definitely brake fluid! My front brakes are squeeling as well. I had a service 2 months ago and the front pads were at 30% left, I wouldn't imaging they will be worn out yet.

My car is f*****d isn't it? Might have to get someone to nick it, gut it and claim on insurance lol.

Depends. If you are a heavy user of the brakes or drive mostly in town, it's quite possible.

Nope. Just needs standard maintenance.

Yeah but an inch difference in level is quite a lot of slack to be taken up in the system. I guess we need to know which car it is.

I doubt we can put much faith in the accuracy of the info from the OP as they don't appear to be mechanically minded to any extent.

There is no way that is the brake fluid.

It's the coolant.

Steve

Or engine oil :-/

...or Automatic gearbox oil or PAS fluid...?

Ok I'm no grease monkey and I admit I know next to nothing mechanicaly about cars but I'm not completely stupid!

The engine oil is marked with an oil can and funnily enough has a dirty great dip stick! (I have never had to add any oil but do check it)

The coolant is the green stuff in the big reservoir that I have just added a cup of water to the other day (coolant warning is now history).

I have added windscreen squirt on numerous occasions (to the windscreen wash reservoir).

The only yellow lid under the bonnet that I have never opened is the one marked "FL" on the side and is shown in my little car user manual as brake fluid.

It was well below the line the other day when the car was cold, when I topped up my windscreen wash about 3 days ago (the car was still hot after a 25 mile journey) it was well above the line. This kind off freaked me out a bit as I am aware that the fluid should only drop when the pads are worn (mine are but not so bad they need changing).

I'm hopefully going to part ex it before the tax is due (end of this month) but if I don't I will just have to take it in to be looked at.

Thanks to all the people who have tried to help.

the one you haven't mentioned is power steering fluid.

mrcheerful

It's not coolant or engine oil!!!!!!

It may be power steering fluid. Would that expand when hot?

Yes, lots!

Mario Lanza ( snipped-for-privacy@accessplus.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The other option _could_ be a fooked brake servo, p'raps?

(Bear in mind it's a long while since I've owned a car with a brake servo, and I've *never* had problems with one)

It would appear that I am a complete t**t!

I have just had a closer look just to prove it is brake fluid. The little lid says "Brake fluid only, use dot 3". When I was looking closer, however, I noticed that the level was actualy correct, I had been looking at a scummy line at the bottom of the reservoir thinking it was dark liquid. The liquid is actually very light (almost clear) and is sitting pretty near the max mark. My drive is on a small gradient so I guess when I looked the other day I thought it was way above max (it wasn't, it was a little bit above max at the front because of the slope).

Sorry for wasting anyones times! Just the squeeling pads and the blowing exhaust to sort out now :-(

Mario Lanza ( snipped-for-privacy@accessplus.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Fair play to you for having the balls to stand up and say so. It's an easy mistake to make.

The message from "Mario Lanza" contains these words:

Easily done. I tried to fill a lock once on the Grand Canal in Ireland - the water was so clear I didn't realise it was already full and couldn't work out why nothing was happening.

ROFL...not a problem. At least you actually found the brake fluid reservoir.

Sorry if you thought I was having a dig...that's not was my intent and=20 the regulars on here will tell you from past record that this wasn't=20 such a post.=20

Just merely pointing out that you're not quite yet au fait with "under=20 the bonnet" stuff so some discretionary reading between the lines is=20 needed.

As a helpful suggestion, ring your local colleges and se if any offer a=20 basic car maintenance course. It'll give you a decent insight into=20 maintaining your vehicle and save you a good few quid. For example, a=20 brake pad change which Kwik-Fit etc may sting you =A380-=A3100 can be done= =20 very easily yourself in an hour for around =A330-=A340. Stuff like that is= =20 easy to do once someone has shown you.

--=20 Conor

"No trilogy should have more than four books" - Arthur C. Clarke

you said it was in good condition.