What Brake Fluid?

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Jun 30, 2002 | 10:48 PM

Xracer

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Safety Car

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From: Rochester NY

What Brake Fluid?

Hi All,

I am finally getting to the point of putting the news brakes on the 80. I have a new master cylinder, new brake lines and new Vette Brakes O-ring calipers. Since everything is new what should/could I go with for brake fluid?

Joe

Jun 30, 2002 | 10:52 PM

PrarieShark

Melting Slicks

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From: The cure for the blues is eight cylinders roaring

Re: What Brake Fluid? (Xracer)

DOT4 is common. has a higher boiling point than 3.

Jul 1, 2002 | 08:29 AM

mrvette

Team Owner

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From: Orange Park Florida

Re: What Brake Fluid? (Xracer)

X, why in hell use anything but DOT5, 3-4 are basically the same with that water absording charactoristic....in fact I can't figger even why they are on the market, other than planned obsolescence....

GENE

Jul 1, 2002 | 09:48 AM

mountainmotor

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Re: What Brake Fluid? (Xracer)

For what it is worth I use Castrol LMA "Low Moisture Activity" it exceeds DOT 4 Specs and has a very high boiling point.

Jul 1, 2002 | 09:57 AM

mrvette

Team Owner

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From: Orange Park Florida

Re: What Brake Fluid? (mountainmotor)

Mountainmotor, you mean someone finally addressed the issues with dot3-4 fluids??? jeez been my entire automotive life and much more, and they FINALLY got it right??? took long enough....
only thing I ever knew about was dot5 as a cure for rusty brakes...

matter of fact, it's been well known that using say power steering oils or STF would destroy the brake seals in short order....well my thoughts for decades go to making seals that will take the ATF....what the hell, it's done for transmissions O ring seals, just use that compound for the brake seals and fill er up with ATF and have done with it.....
I don't understand why my solutiion there wouldn't work.....any smart brake guys out there???
seems it should even work with ABS systems which dot5 supposedly will not....
afterall, ATF causes no foaming problems with a tranny pump and torqueconverters, and tons of valves switching back and forth constantly...

all they ever needed to do was change the damn rubber compounds to same as a tranny.....yet we keep using that damn dot3-4 garbage....what gives???

GENE

[Modified by mrvette, 8:03 AM 7/1/2002]

Jul 1, 2002 | 01:33 PM

SmokedTires

Le Mans Master

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From: B'Ville NY

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St. Jude Donor '05

Re: What Brake Fluid? (Xracer)

If your looking for a good racing brake fluid, I recommend the FORD High Performance brake fluid. Suppose to be VERY good in this environment and I haven't had any problems running it on the street :) .

Jul 1, 2002 | 04:15 PM

Wrecked82

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From: Texas

Re: What Brake Fluid? (mountainmotor)

I'm with Mountainmotor. Castrol GTLMA - actually Low Moisture Absorption.

Jul 1, 2002 | 04:30 PM

Fevre

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From: Living in the Hartland

Re: What Brake Fluid? (Larry82)

Do they make different colored brake fluid so you can tell when you have bleed all the old stuff out? If not can you mix in some type of coloring? Seems that would make it a whole lot easier and less waste. Was thinking food coloring but that is water base and that would be a no no.