Bad brake fluid?

[Z51JEFF]

Does brake fluid go bad with age?I changed the fluid in the reservoirs about a week ago and was going to change it again and noticed there is white spots in the fluid.It didnt make the fluid cloudy,the spots are suspended in the fluid.Never seen this before.Thanks.[IMG][/IMG]

[secondchance]

I don't know about going bad. They absorb water though - hydroscopic.

[tomtom72]

If the fluid is non-synthetic I believe the "white spots" are the product of water absorption .... I think that's right. I knowe that non-synthetic brake fluid is great for absorbing water.

I know if you put it in a glass and see what look like globs of less transparency floating around in the clear fluid, those globs are the water absorbed by the fluid.

[jimmac28]

Brake fluid absorbs moisture, just opening the cap and taking that picture is allowing moisture from the air into your brake fluid. New braking systems reservoirs are in plastic now and you can see the level with out opening the cap.

It's a very good idea to flush your system from time to time, I think 20 to 30 thousand miles would not hurt, because of moisture and over heating of the fluid.

Also once you open a new can of brake fluid it does not have a good shelf life, always use new when filling your system.