Brake Fluid Leak

[Jackwarwins]

Hey everyone, I have a break fluid leak somewhere in my car. I know it's not the storage tank for it because it only leaks whenever I drive. I have to refill the tank with brake fluid about every 1-2 months now. It's not super annoying, but it's enough to worry me. I can provide pictures of the bottom of my car later (I think I might've found one source of the leak).

Does anyone have any suggestions to fix up this leak?

 

[mtbtim]

Short answer is find the source of the leak and fix the problem whether it's tightening a fitting, replacing one of the lines, or maybe replacing a bad caliper or wheel cylinder.

If you park in a regular spot, are you noticing an accumulation of fluid anywhere under your rig that would give you an idea the general area where it could be leaking from? If not, start at the master cylinder and check the connections there. If no leaks, follow the lines down to each of the front wheels and check for leaks along the lines and at any connections all the way to each caliper. There is a line that runs from the front along the driver side frame rail to the rear of the vehicle. Check the length of that line for any leaks. Then, check the connections and lines from the area above the rear differential, to the fitting that splits to each wheel on top of the differential and then to each of the rear wheel cylinders.

While you're searching for the leak, it would helpful if somebody is applying pressure to the brake pedal so the leak will be easier to notice.

If it's a slow leak, it might be hard to find. There is a dye material that is supposedly safe to add to brake fluid. You could add the recommended amount of dye to your master cylinder and then check every day or so with a UV light and special glasses to see if you can spot the leak. It may take a while for the dye to work it's way to the area of the leak so you'll have to check on a regular basis until it shows up.

Here's the dye I was talking about:
https://www.grainger.com/product/SUPERCOOL-UV-Leak-Detection-Dye-4LTU8

 

[Jackwarwins]

Okay, thanks for the help!