brake fluid jelly problem

Ok I had a problem last year my brake pedal went stiff and it was like my brakes was constantly on, Took it to mechanics he noticed the brake fluid was like jelly, So I got him to change the fluid and clean out the system. The car has been fine for the past 4 months then today it does it again I check the fluid and its turn to jelly.... AGAIN, I suspect its the cold weather and there must be a seal gone or something. What could it be that keeps turning it to jelly.

Ok I had a problem last year my brake pedal went stiff and it was like my brakes was constantly on, Took it to mechanics he noticed the brake fluid was like jelly, So I got him to change the fluid and clean out the system. The car has been fine for the past 4 months then today it does it again I check the fluid and its turn to jelly.... AGAIN, I suspect its the cold weather and there must be a seal gone or something. What could it be that keeps turning it to jelly.

Sorry mate cant help you. Mine was changed recently and its was black !! but it was still liquid, if a bit thick. Its was probably 15years old, so needed a change.

Mines turned from a nice thin liquid to jelly in about 4 months. Something not right there.

This is a text book symptom of mixing DOT 5 (silicone based fluid with normal Glycol or synthetic DOT 3 , 4 or 5.1 fluid. The brakes are now unsafe and need fully stripping, cleaning and ideally re rubbering. On something like a Rolls or a Citroen it's often costly enough for the car to be a scrapper, although in their cases the fluid incompatibility is somewhat different. It's a very common mistake for people to think DOT 5 and DOT 5.1 are mixable, and whoever gave a radically different, (and potentially dangerous to intermix), brake fluid the same moniker as the common type, plus only a .1 suffix wants shooting.

I am not sure if I posted this before, but I do a very quick and simple test if I even SUSPECT a car has had DOT 5 put in it. Syringe out about half the fluid in the reservoir and put it in a clean glass jar. Add roughly the same volume of water. Shake the jar for a few seconds, then leave it standing for 30 minutes. If the liquids separate out into 2 layers you have the dreaded DOT 5 and need to take great care to top it up with only more DOT 5, assuming you are 110% sure that mixing hasn't already taken place. If the mix doesn't separate out, it's not DO 5 and you can top up and bleed with DOT 3 , 4 , or 5.1 with some confidence.

In all cases dispose of the stuff in the jar, DON'T put it back in the reservoir!!!

You can buy fancy electronic testers, but the above is very simple and costs sod all.

As usual very helpfull thanks, Im gonna try the Jar thing on my dinner break.

Ok did that test chris and the fluid did not separate, It kinda just mixed together. The strange thing is today the fluid looks runny like it should be.

They may have already been mixed....The test is meant to be done BEFORE any mixing, I am not sure if the water test would be meaningful once the two types of fluid have been mingled, sorry.

Ah right.