where is my brake fluid going

i have to add brake fluid once a week and i don't see it leaking anywhere. any ideas where fluid is escaping from? brakes work great and are always firm. hopefully somebody can help

Gotta be going somewhere...... Check your vacuum booster. One of the failures is the seal going out in the M/C and dumping there. And make sure it's not running down the firewall and dissolving the wiring connection block.

The plumbing for the brake lines really isn't that extensive. You have to crawl around some, but you can inspect all the brake lines with a flashlight in a half an hour. Part of my yearly inspection, I look for stains, rust and pits, something that may catastrophicaly fail. I've had a brake line burst, something I never want repeat. Often when a fitting has been seeping for awhile, there will be a crusty rust buildup around that fitting. Brake fluid sucks up moisture and accerates oxidation, rust and corrosion.
A couple of likely spots to check are at the hard line connection at the rear wheel cylinder. The center "T" in the rear. And always the rear wheel cylinder. The fluid can leak into (behind) the dust shield on the wheel cylinder and hardly leak into the rear brakes at all. When it does leak into the rear brakes, it can collect awhile before the leak becomes evident from the stain running out between the backing plate and the drum.
If the master cylinder is leaking into the booster it may be harder to find. If the inspection doesn't show up anything obvious, I'd seperate the master cylinder and the booster. Brake fluid has a unique smell, I've followed my nose before and found leaks.

how bad was it when they burst? my brake lines are rusty, chipped, and look terrible. no leaks, but especially the elbow towards the rear i could probably snap with two fingers.

how difficult is a full brake line replacement??

bacelaw said:

how bad was it when they burst? my brake lines are rusty, chipped, and look terrible. no leaks, but especially the elbow towards the rear i could probably snap with two fingers.

how difficult is a full brake line replacement??

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I had six people in the XJ (most of our softball team) passing a Combine on a two lane road, slightly uphill. Pulled out to take a look, decided to pass, got about half way and changed my mind, hit the brakes to pull back in behind the combine and the rear brake rubber line let go. Pedal went to the floor. I downshifted, looked to the left (ditch) floored it and made it around the combine and an oncoming truck by a couple of inches on both sides. If the combine driver hadn't been alert and braked, we probalby would have all died.
I've been fairly religious about brake line inspections ever since. Brakes are one thig, I don't procrastinate on.
Brake lines can be a beatch, but there are some tricks. Plan on trouble with something. The rears are actually easier, though the run is longer. Getting the old fittings out is tricky. Got to have good tools and be patient. My most used tool is Vice grip pliers.
Pits are more dangerous than rust. Clean it up with a brass brush and look closley. Coating all the fittings witha glob of grease once or twice a year, during the inspections, really helps when something has to be serviced or replaced. Coating the fittings with grease, is actually in the book someplace. One of those things most everybody has learned, but largely ignores.
I worked in a shop (Raybestos when it was owned by Ray). We would retube a brake system quick and fairly reasonably (brake lines in bulk and a whole wall of fittings). Check out a truck garage at a major service center (independant).