Tip: Brake System Maintenance

Here's a trick I forgot about until a friend reminded me today...

If you need to remove your calipers or wheel cylinders or replace brake lines or hoses, you usually end up with a big mess of fluid - plus you end up having to refill the lines and bleeding the master cylinder.

If you don't need to replace all the fluid, simply remove the master cylinder caps and place two layers of good quality Saran Wrap over the resevoirs and then replace the caps. This will not allow any air to enter when you undo the fittings from where you are working. With no air entering up top, no fluid will come out. Once you get things back together - it is a much easier job to simply bleed the brakes.

Works on the same principle as holding your finger over the top of a straw.