Silicon or Regular Brake Fluid?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,625
Likes: 0
From: Cut n Shoot TX
Silicon or Regular Brake Fluid?
Can someone tell me how to tell the difference between silicon and regular brake fluid. I know that you cannot mix the two, and I need to add some fluid, but want to make sure I am using the right product. :confused:
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Re: Silicon or Regular Brake Fluid? (theandies)
Silicone doesn't absorb moisture so water forms little droplets and when it gets hot it boils making a big oll air pocket. These little droplets of water also cause rust in steel lines...
Dot 3 is good for cars that get the brake fluid hot on a regular basis...
Dot 3 is good for cars that get the brake fluid hot on a regular basis...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Silicon or Regular Brake Fluid? (427V8)
DOT3-4 is good for race cars that never see the street very often, and as such get their brakes looked at very often...and don't sit for long either....
maybe over the winter, then it's spring tune up....but in the real world of vette ownership where about 99% of vettes are stored or street driven, without ABS, which is not a shark option, use of DOT3-4 is plain silly, that moisture is soaked into the brake fluid and stays there, rusting everyting internally...
now that few specs of water seen in a DOT5 silocone kept system will just stay there and spot a bit of steel in the caliper...heavier than oils/silicones after all....better that than a whole lot more water being absorbed though out the system.....and rusting everything in site....
GENE
maybe over the winter, then it's spring tune up....but in the real world of vette ownership where about 99% of vettes are stored or street driven, without ABS, which is not a shark option, use of DOT3-4 is plain silly, that moisture is soaked into the brake fluid and stays there, rusting everyting internally...
now that few specs of water seen in a DOT5 silocone kept system will just stay there and spot a bit of steel in the caliper...heavier than oils/silicones after all....better that than a whole lot more water being absorbed though out the system.....and rusting everything in site....
GENE
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,268
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke Virginia
Re: Silicon or Regular Brake Fluid? (Wrencher)
Well, to see if you have DOT 3 or 5, take a little out of the MC and put it in a cup, one that you will throw away. What's the consistency like? DOT 3 will be more "watery" while DOT 5 will be a little thicker. Then take about the same amount of DOT 3, add it to the cup, and stir. Let them sit for a while (overnight). If you mix DOT 3 and DOT 5 you will get a milky mixture that has a greenish tint to it. I know this from experience :mad :smash: :cuss
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