Lets talk Brake Fluid
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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Lets talk Brake Fluid
I was talking with one of my friends the other day and I mentioned something about me using the Valvoline synthetic brake fluid. He said that it's junk and it draws moisture so fast that it's essentially useless overnight. Unfortunately my friend gets a lot of bad information from the internet.
Does anybody know of any websites that have done good side by side comparisions of different brake fluids? I don't really care if he's right or wrong, I'd just like to know.
Does anybody know of any websites that have done good side by side comparisions of different brake fluids? I don't really care if he's right or wrong, I'd just like to know.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Don't have anything scientific but my Valvoline Synthetic brake fluid did pretty well for me on Road Atlanta. The kind I used before that boiled itself straight out of the top of the master cylinder 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Fluid debate
Mine did the same boil kept getting fluid around the cap.But I went with Prestone synthetic DOT3 and it needed bled anyway.MC fluid looked pretty dark when I started and no more fluid around the cap.Brakes work much better too.I imagine it will get better after the next bleed too
http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...asp?product=51
Originally Posted by VictorRussell'92
Don't have anything scientific but my Valvoline Synthetic brake fluid did pretty well for me on Road Atlanta. The kind I used before that boiled itself straight out of the top of the master cylinder
Mine did the same boil kept getting fluid around the cap.But I went with Prestone synthetic DOT3 and it needed bled anyway.MC fluid looked pretty dark when I started and no more fluid around the cap.Brakes work much better too.I imagine it will get better after the next bleed too
http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...asp?product=51
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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Originally Posted by Dynabob
Don't know where your friend is getting his info.
Team Owner
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From: Athens AL
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I had a link somewhere with testing of different synthetic fluids, Valvoline was midrange, and most of those that won out are fluids you'll need to buy from online sources and are rather expensive in comparison. I think the one that did best, that I have ever seen in stores, was the Ford Blue stuff. I didnt see it when I changed my fluid last year.
This valvoline stuff hasnt boiled on me yet though, better than the old generic stuff that was in there.
This valvoline stuff hasnt boiled on me yet though, better than the old generic stuff that was in there.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
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From: Edmonton AB
Originally Posted by Nathan Plemons
Does anybody know of any websites that have done
good side by side comparisions of different brake
fluids?
good side by side comparisions of different brake
fluids?
Edit: I came across this site several years ago but I
just checked and I see several of the links on the page
above are now dead players - Sorry. Still, the Dry and
Wet Boiling info in the chart is pretty much straight
from the mfrs and useful for comparison.
I use Valvoline Synthetic, for my purposes it is a good
price/performance choice. Fresh fluid is always near
at hand, locally.
If you need to check, there are several different tools
for evaluating fluid: dip strips, refractometers and
electrolytic meters are available depending on your
budget.
(BTW - Keep in mind that you are known by the
company you keep.)
.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: San Pedro CA
Originally Posted by Nathan Plemons
Sometimes I honestly think he gets it from the dumpster. He's a great guy but some of the stuff that he believes just because he read it on the internet is insane.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 9,036
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From: Edmonton AB
Here, I found this at StopTech's site.
Carroll Smith wrote the first part, that's good enough
for me.
Bogus, thanks for the correction on the name,
'Valvoline SynPower.' It is synthetic, but I always
get the actual name wrong.
.
Carroll Smith wrote the first part, that's good enough
for me.
Bogus, thanks for the correction on the name,
'Valvoline SynPower.' It is synthetic, but I always
get the actual name wrong.
.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Director of Bands
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by Dynabob
Don't know where your friend is getting his info. I flushed my system with the Valvoline syn. and it's working great. That was over five months ago.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,170
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From: Littleton CO
St. Jude Donor '07
Been running Synpower for years and always have recommended it for an inexpensive easy to obtain brake fluid. Never had any problems with is. I bleed it often and change it out regularly.
More recently I have switched to Motul 600 since it has a higher boiling point.
More recently I have switched to Motul 600 since it has a higher boiling point.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81
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From: Loveland CO
I know of several guys at the track using the Valvoline and have not boiled it, but I use the Motul as well.
It's important to flush out all the old fluid! Not doing so could very well compromise the rated boilng point.
It's important to flush out all the old fluid! Not doing so could very well compromise the rated boilng point.
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Originally Posted by Nathan Plemons
I was talking with one of my friends the other day and I mentioned something about me using the Valvoline synthetic brake fluid. He said that it's junk and it draws moisture so fast that it's essentially useless overnight. Unfortunately my friend gets a lot of bad information from the internet.
Does anybody know of any websites that have done good side by side comparisions of different brake fluids? I don't really care if he's right or wrong, I'd just like to know.
Does anybody know of any websites that have done good side by side comparisions of different brake fluids? I don't really care if he's right or wrong, I'd just like to know.
I used to flush my brakes twice a year, maybe more often depending on when I saw gray color in the MC
Now, I change it once a year only since I feel guilty if I don't!
I used to run the Dragon and surrounding roads and turn the fluid black in 1300 miles
Now I run the dragon and no change The stuff just desn't overheat or burn or absorb moisture
seeya
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
I have boiled the Valv synpower ! Granted it was 8 months old, but I boiled it at watkins glen.
In comparision, I have never boiled Castrol LMA, and I used Castrol LMA for many years, in many cars.
Now I moved up to the ATE blue, but I would certainly use Castrol LMA again. Where as I would never use Val synPower again.
Your friend might have read my original post
In comparision, I have never boiled Castrol LMA, and I used Castrol LMA for many years, in many cars.
Now I moved up to the ATE blue, but I would certainly use Castrol LMA again. Where as I would never use Val synPower again.
Your friend might have read my original post
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
Originally Posted by wht_slvr_86
has anybody ever boiled their fluid with just some spirited street driving?
