Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel

punto_ · 2nd May 2011, 09:08

Urgent help please. I accidentally put small glass of water in brake fluid in my punto diesel. I'm on a tour in mysore, pls let me know if that ll be a major issue?

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks.

jyobeb · 2nd May 2011, 09:16

Yes, it will be an issue. Brake fluids are basically hygroscopic and we need to change them periodically due to this very nature. Please get the car to a workshop and get the whole baking system bled.

anujmishra · 2nd May 2011, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by punto_

urgent help please.... i accidentally put small glass of water in brake fluid in my punto diesel. im on a tour in mysore... pls let me know if that ll be a major issue.?

First time I heard such situation. Anyway, you immediately need to visit to nearest Fiat after sales service and get the brake system bled. It will not take much time.

csateesh · 2nd May 2011, 09:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by punto_

urgent help please.... i accidentally put small glass of water in brake fluid in my punto diesel. im on a tour in mysore... pls let me know if that ll be a major issue.?

Concur with jyobeb and anuj - Please visit the FIAT A.S.S and bleed the brake circuit.

This is the only solution

Cheers

mac187 · 2nd May 2011, 09:49

Add to the above suggestion. Do not drive your car to the service station. Get it towed.

Turbanator · 2nd May 2011, 10:00

Quote:

i accidentally put small glass of water

Maybe you thought this as windshield washer container ..

Yes you will have to get the whole line bled - nothing to worry if you don't use your brakes with water in the line - you can get this done with any good mechanic - he will simply take out all oil + water from line & add new oil - I will advise you to do this process at least twice so that you are sure that there is no water left as it may damage master cylinder gaskets / rubber parts .

SS-Traveller · 2nd May 2011, 10:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyobeb

...get the whole baking system bled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anujmishra

...get the brake system bled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by csateesh

...bleed the brake circuit.

@punto_: Bleeding a brake circuit is done to remove air trapped within the pipelines and not to remove water (Brake bleeding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). This is not going to be a solution for you. But now that you have put in water, don't worry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac187

Do not drive your car... Get it towed.

Keep driving for the moment, nothing really bad is going to happen to your car (just don't go racing and braking hard, or you'll get brake fade). It's a hydraulic system, where the hydraulic fluid (brake oil) has been partially replaced by you with another fluid, i.e. water. It's an emergency measure that a lot of people employ to get home when they don't have brake oil handy, and the oil may have leaked out - take a look here. And water is quite miscible with brake oil too. As and when you can get to a service station / FNG, have them drain out the brake fluid entirely, flush with some fresh brake fluid, and finally fill up again & bleed the system.

DieselFan · 2nd May 2011, 10:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Keep driving for the moment (just don't go racing and braking hard, or you'll get brake fade), nothing really bad is going to happen to your car. It's a hydraulic system, where the hydraulic fluid (brake oil) has been partially replaced by you with another fluid, i.e. water. It's an emergency measure that a lot of people employ to get home when they don't have brake oil handy, and the oil may have leaked out - take a look here. And water is quite miscible with brake oil too. As and when you can get to a service station / FNG, have them drain out the brake fluid entirely, flush with some fresh brake fluid, and finally fill up again & bleed the system.

I Agree with this. One doesn't need to take any drastic measures of getting the car towed. You can drive the car to the nearestr Service Station and get the fluid bled and replace it with the right specs Brake fluid.

SS-Traveller · 2nd May 2011, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselFan

...get the fluid bled...

Persistent bad usage of a term?

Turbanator · 2nd May 2011, 11:07

Quote:

Keep driving for the moment, nothing really bad is going to happen to your car (just don't go racing and braking hard, or you'll get brake fade). It's a hydraulic system, where the hydraulic fluid (brake oil) has been partially replaced by you with another fluid, i.e. water. It's an emergency measure that a lot of people employ to get home when they don't have brake oil handy, and the oil may have leaked out - take a look here (Get-me-home tips in case of breakdowns)

sorry - i beg to differ - water is surely gong to affect the rubber parts in Master Cylinder -it will be better if brakes are not at all used and Oil + water is taken from the pipe line at earliest - in fact one of the main reasons of changing brake oil is increase of moisture contents and here we are talking of water in brake oil .

sgiitk · 2nd May 2011, 11:46

I agree with most of the replies. Brake fluid is Hygroscopic (also the same is in the clutch). To put you at ease once I was advised by the owner of a HA$$ that if I need fluid on the readside, then I am better off with water than with the brake oil you get on the roadside.

What you need to do i the thoroughly flush out the fluid from the system, replacing it with now fluid. Make sure that you really get the old stuff out. Just to refresh you start with the remotest wheel (rh Left) move closer to the source (RH rear) and then the front!

DieselFan · 2nd May 2011, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Persistent bad usage of a term?

Not bad usage but is a wrong usage. Bled is a right word but has not been used in the right way here.

Correcting myself flush the system completely, add brake fluid and bleed it.

SPIKE ARRESTOR · 2nd May 2011, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Keep driving for the moment, nothing really bad is going to happen to your car (just don't go racing and braking hard, or you'll get brake fade). ---------
As and when you can get to a service station / FNG, have them drain out the brake fluid entirely, flush with some fresh brake fluid, and finally fill up again & bleed the system.

Agree! Yes, water is an enemy of rubber parts / seals in the brake circuit, in such situations you don't have any option, isn't it? Replenish with fresh brake fluid and never refill with used brake fluid- It may contain minute air bubbles entrapped within.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Just to refresh you start with the remotest wheel (rh Left) move closer to the source (RH rear) and then the front!

Rear left I presume.

Spike

sgiitk · 3rd May 2011, 10:25

Sorry, it should be rear left, my mistake. I am glad you get the gist.

jyobeb · 3rd May 2011, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Persistent bad usage of a term?

I don't think so!
I think the usage is perfectly acceptable!

2nd May 2011, 09:08	#1
punto_ BHPian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 330 Thanked: 491 Times	Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel Urgent help please. I accidentally put small glass of water in brake fluid in my punto diesel. I'm on a tour in mysore, pls let me know if that ll be a major issue? Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks. Last edited by benbsb29 : 2nd May 2011 at 13:01. Reason: Removed excessive dots from post.
	() Thanks

2nd May 2011, 09:16	#2
jyobeb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 1,009 Thanked: 705 Times	Re: Urgent help please - Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel Yes, it will be an issue. Brake fluids are basically hygroscopic and we need to change them periodically due to this very nature. Please get the car to a workshop and get the whole baking system bled.
	() Thanks

2nd May 2011, 09:49	#5
mac187 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 695 Thanked: 820 Times	Re: Urgent help please - Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel Add to the above suggestion. Do not drive your car to the service station. Get it towed.
	() Thanks

2nd May 2011, 11:46	#11
sgiitk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,971 Thanked: 4,808 Times	Re: Urgent help please - Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel I agree with most of the replies. Brake fluid is Hygroscopic (also the same is in the clutch). To put you at ease once I was advised by the owner of a HA$$ that if I need fluid on the readside, then I am better off with water than with the brake oil you get on the roadside. What you need to do i the thoroughly flush out the fluid from the system, replacing it with now fluid. Make sure that you really get the old stuff out. Just to refresh you start with the remotest wheel (rh Left) move closer to the source (RH rear) and then the front!
	(1) Thanks

3rd May 2011, 10:25	#14
sgiitk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,971 Thanked: 4,808 Times	Re: Accidently put water in Brake Fluid - Punto Diesel Sorry, it should be rear left, my mistake. I am glad you get the gist.
	() Thanks