Brake Fluid Leak
- Thread starter TOME
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
You should probably buy the stock brake line that runs from the bracket in the first picture to your wheel cylinder, remove old and replace with new. That's assuming I'm understanding your photos correctly. In any case, you either have to buy stock brake line pieces and replace or cut out the leaky part and splice together generic line from the parts store. Here's a link to doing the latter on a VW: Tom's VW Pages - Steel Brake Line Repairs
X2 gas hog
- Thread starter
- #7
I have no idea which one it is 2mbb. I will ckeck to see if it is a rubber line or steel later when I get home. I see a major problem though... when i take the hose off to replace, all my brake fluid will be rushing out of where the hose should be and all over the place. any way to prevent that?
I can't really tell what exactly is leaking.....
Just replaced the hardlines on the front axle - it really wasn't that bad, once I used quality tubing w/correct end nuts/flares. If it's a cracked rubber line - NAPA 38009 will work, and also extend the lines about 4".
If it's a hard line issue - you can either A.) Buy precut/flared lines
B.) Buy a flare tool/line/nuts and learn how to flare tube...
IMHO, if I had to do it again I would have flared myself - with the precut ones you'll be trying to throw in additional bends and twists or stretching lines, since they aren't quite stock length.
For the fluid leak when you pull the line - it all depends where the leak is. If it was a leak on the axle lines, I'd say to use a pair of vise grips to crimp the rubber line - and minimize the amount of air that'll enter the system, than remove the leaky line. If it's a leak on the frame somewhere - there pretty much is no way around losing fluid and having to re-bleed.
If you have any doubts about being able to do this, than don't do it. If it was a leaky radiator hose - I'd say jump right in and fix it. Our brakes operate north of 1000 PSI. If a line is not installed correctly - you won't have a slow fluid leak - you'll have a catastrophic brake failure.
Not trying to be a dick, or scare anyone - brakes are important, and I KNOW how frustrating this can be.
- jake
Just replaced the hardlines on the front axle - it really wasn't that bad, once I used quality tubing w/correct end nuts/flares. If it's a cracked rubber line - NAPA 38009 will work, and also extend the lines about 4".
If it's a hard line issue - you can either A.) Buy precut/flared lines
B.) Buy a flare tool/line/nuts and learn how to flare tube...
IMHO, if I had to do it again I would have flared myself - with the precut ones you'll be trying to throw in additional bends and twists or stretching lines, since they aren't quite stock length.
For the fluid leak when you pull the line - it all depends where the leak is. If it was a leak on the axle lines, I'd say to use a pair of vise grips to crimp the rubber line - and minimize the amount of air that'll enter the system, than remove the leaky line. If it's a leak on the frame somewhere - there pretty much is no way around losing fluid and having to re-bleed.
If you have any doubts about being able to do this, than don't do it. If it was a leaky radiator hose - I'd say jump right in and fix it. Our brakes operate north of 1000 PSI. If a line is not installed correctly - you won't have a slow fluid leak - you'll have a catastrophic brake failure.
Not trying to be a dick, or scare anyone - brakes are important, and I KNOW how frustrating this can be.
- jake
You are going to have to bleed the system any way. and you should be flushing the fluid every two years or so. I suck the fluild out of the reservoir with a turkey baster, Then just use a drip pan when I'm breaking open the hose.
I agree with flushing every two years or so...break fluid draws moisture. keeps the bleaders limber as well
- Thread starter
- #11
alright now i feel like an idiot. That line was the differencial breather :whoops:. But i still was leaking brake fluid, brakes squealing/barely working, and no parking brake even after adjustment. I decided that before i got in way over my head i would at least run it in to NTB and have them tell me whats broken. Their answer- EVERYTHING!!!!!! calipers, pads, rotors, 2 slave cylinders, shoes, drums, etc. etc. I decided that this was too big of a project for me to handle mainly because I cant be without my baby running for too long. so they are fixing it. for $1170 
