Brake lines M.O.T fail

[Fergalw204]

My facelift W204 has just failed its M.O.T with excessively corroded brake lines, offside front to rear and nearside front to rear.
I have been quoted £300 to change them. I am thinking of changing these myself if they are easy enough to route through, has anyone any knowledge of how these lines are routed or is it a pig of a job to do? There is a motor factors 2 mins walk away from me when the lines can be made up for me so its just about the access.

 

[MrGreedy]

Different car, same principles:

C207 2012 Brake Fluid Leak! | Parts, Maintenance & Servicing

Went out for quick 5 min drive to shops today and the brake pedal was feeling very spongey and travelling to floor. Once I got home I have brake fluid warning light. After trying pedal a few times I can see a small puddle of fluid on the ROS. Before I jack it up and take a look does anyone...

forums.mbclub.co.uk

 

[Tuercas viejas]

It might take you some time if you haven't done this before .
And beside you really don't want to empty the fluid reservoir nor ABS module which can be a chore to bleed as a DIY'r.
So a tip from Mexico
. Before tearing lines off, open a bleeder and depress the brake pedal to the floor. Block the pedal with something like a broom handle against the steering wheel.
Make sure its fixed & won't fly off.
With the pedal depressed in a permanent state, the fluid will not bleed down, nor empty itself through the master cylinder and the reservor pot will remain full.
Now change out ONE line at your leisure or pace .
Once the new line is installed, release the brake pedal & just purge the air out of that line through the bleeder, you can use gravity to do that.
Repeat for the otherside.
Then if you are inclined (as you should be) flush out the system with new fluid by the usual bleed & purge methods .
Es hamon Senor!
Tuercas Viejas

 

[Tuercas viejas]

Thanks Guys
I will pass the likes /thanks on to Armando from Zacatecas

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[BlackC55]

To bleed the system its always best to use a pressure bleeder as manual bleeding can ruin the master cylinder and it can be difficult to get the air out. Replacing brake pipes on your car is not difficult but make sure the flares are good and its neat. The copper replacement is easy to kink too.

How are the motor factors going to know what length to make them as they will need a flare both ends if you don't use a connector with an olive.

 

[vijilants]

Also before you start I would recommend using a syringe and removing the old brake fluid out of the resevoir and filling it up with new fluid. It will save time and effort on the bleeding as fresh fluid will come through quickly.

 

[sparky6840]

To bleed the system its always best to use a pressure bleeder as manual bleeding can ruin the master cylinder and it can be difficult to get the air out. Replacing brake pipes on your car is not difficult but make sure the flares are good and its neat. The copper replacement is easy to kink too.

How are the motor factors going to know what length to make them as they will need a flare both ends if you don't use a connector with an olive.

Hello BlackC55 Are you sure on that one, olives on brake pipes

 

[DSM10000]

My facelift W204 has just failed its M.O.T with excessively corroded brake lines, offside front to rear and nearside front to rear.
I have been quoted £300 to change them. I am thinking of changing these myself if they are easy enough to route through, has anyone any knowledge of how these lines are routed or is it a pig of a job to do? There is a motor factors 2 mins walk away from me when the lines can be made up for me so its just about the access.

For that price let them do it. It really isn't worth the hassle of doing this unless you have access to a lift and the tools plus the experience.

 

[Jobsworth]

I usually do one line at a time. I remove the connection at the abs unit and fit a blank into the vacant hole to stop the fluid running out. You can use a bleed nipple as a blank. Modern cars with esp should not be fitted with copper pipes, as the burst pressure is not high enough. Cupro Nickel is fine. If you want to splice in a new piece rather than replace the whole pipe, this can be done, but you must put a union and a flare on the steel pipe where you intend to splice. You will need a proper flaring tool for the steel pipe and you will need to remove the Teflon coating from the steel pipe first for about an inch and a half. The joining unions with an olive in them used to be illegal. I'm not aware if that stance has changed.

 

[Wolfie1]

I usually do one line at a time. I remove the connection at the abs unit and fit a blank into the vacant hole to stop the fluid running out. You can use a bleed nipple as a blank. Modern cars with esp should not be fitted with copper pipes, as the burst pressure is not high enough. Cupro Nickel is fine. If you want to splice in a new piece rather than replace the whole pipe, this can be done, but you must put a union and a flare on the steel pipe where you intend to splice. You will need a proper flaring tool for the steel pipe and you will need to remove the Teflon coating from the steel pipe first for about an inch and a half. The joining unions with an olive in them used to be illegal. I'm not aware if that stance has changed.

Are you sure about the copper pipe thing? I have worked in a garage for the past 28 years ang copper pipe is the industry standard for replacement, in my career i personally have changed hundreds and hundreds of brake pipes all of which being copper without 1 single problem, all my friends in the trade also use copper pipe too at their places of work, for the past 4 years i have been working at a main dealers and whenever we replace pipes we get given a roll of copper pipe from stores to make up new lines

 

[Jobsworth]

It isn’t illegal to use pure copper pipes for brakelines in this country, which is unusual because it is illegal in many other countries. Have a look at the Society of Automotive Engineers standard J1677 which approves cupro nickel for use in cars. The only certification you’ll find for pure copper pipes is a BS British Standard, which is only relevant to the manufacturing quality of the pipe itself.

 

[Bellow]

Which has the lower burst pressure - copper tubing or rubber flexibles?

 

[Jobsworth]

Which has the lower burst pressure - copper tubing or rubber flexibles?

SAE J1401 deals. Depending on bore, 7000psi for flexy hoses. I’ve read that pure copper can fail at 2000psi after repeated cycles

 

[Bellow]

SAE J1401 deals. Depending on bore, 7000psi for flexy hoses. I’ve read that pure copper can fail at 2000psi after repeated cycles

It would be interesting to know definitively which has the higher burst strength and the effects of age/useage.
Copper can be expected to (work) harden in use - obviating the criticism against it of being too soft. Flexibles must surely be on a one way ticket to failure from the point of installation.

 

[Petrol Pete]

If the bloody manufacturers used decent pipe in the first place they would last longer than the car.

Sorry , I had to get that of my chest.

As you were , carry on chaps.

 

[Tuercas viejas]

To chime in
Steel brake pipes were once flat steel strip ,rolled into tube & fuse welded. That's why they always seem to start corroding on the seam.
Cupro nickel is available on this side in rolls at autoparts stores but I/we simply buy made up lengths of the same steel pipe but coated in teflon.
Cut the pipe to size , form it then fit the nut & form the end.
Cupro nickel does have a habit of splitting slightly on some flair sizes, hence the preference for steel

Luckily where I am in high plains desert @ 6500 ft, corrosion is minimal & brake lines last the life of the vehicle.
No so those from the East Coast, or the US rust belt! (Cleveland /Chicago etc.)
Same oh, same oh, as the UK .
Tuercas Viejas

 

[Datadogie]

I found this to be the easiest flaring tool. Brake Pipe Flaring Tool Kit for 3/16" Pipes on or off the Vehicle by Mk1 Classic | eBay