Hello, ALL!

I started my brake caliper painting job, and well...I didn't like the brush on look :rolleyes: so I took off the calipers :D now I need to do something about the brake fluid...

My question is two part...does it matter if you mix brake fluid? And is there a particular brand of brake fluid that I should buy?

Thanks,

Mac

 

Since I regularly track my car, I change the entire set of fluid twice a year (clutch included).

Brake fluid is hydroscopic (water loving) and can absorb water vapor out of air! in a desert! through the seals in the calipers! Water in brake fluid does two things, neither good. A) it corrodes brake parts, B) it lowers the temperature at which the fluid boils. Boiling point is critical for high performance braking. Once the fluid boils, stopping distance goes up A LOT!

For a performance car like the Vette and any spirited driving you want a fluid with over 500 dF dry boiling point. There are plenty of them around. I use ATE super blue/gold as it allows me to visually see when the last of the old is out of the system.

It does matter if you mix the fluid. Old fluid with a lot of water in it will degrade new fluid within hours! Its not actually the fluids problem, its the water it (loves and) carries that degrades teh new fluid.

If your only street driving and will never see a track, 2 years for a complete flush. On you first trip to a road racing track, complete flush. Then a complete change every set of brake pads. Some top track drivers bleed the brakes after each run session.

 

ATE Blue!

 

Mitch, I believe you mean hyGroscopic, not hyDroscopic. Very different! And yes, non-silicone brake fluids are very hygroscopic and I agree with everything else Mitch wrote. The ATE Superblue is good stuff and at ~$10/liter pretty reasonably priced - enough so that regular flushing of the system won't break the bank (and where the ATE helps by being able to switch between the amber and blue each time to tell when fresh fluid is coming thru the bleeder). The ATE also has very respectable dry AND wet boiling points.

As has been written on these fora many times by many people, do yourself a favor and get some speedbleeders to assist with the job. Turns a tedious, 2-person affair into a simple 1-person job.

One more thing - you ask about what not to mix. Don't mix DOT 5 with anything else! DOT 5 is silicon, all the others aren't - and they do not mix at all. There's really not much reason to consider DOT 5 anyway but just so you know.

If you choose not to go with the ATE one other thing to keep in mind - different container types are better for longer term storage than others once opened. If you choose a fluid that comes in a metal can you are safer keeping a partially full can around than you are with a plastic can (these are generalizations - YMMV, yadda yadda). ATE comes in metal cans, at least all that I have ever bought has.

 

Hi,
All DOT3 fluids are compatible by design. Some DOT4 fluids are compatible with DOT3’s.

I use Valvoline SynPower brake fluid on my street cars because it is cheap and available at AutoZone. It is an ABS friendly DOT4 with a dry temp of 502F that is compatible with any DOT3 fluid. The wet boiling point is good at 343F. I think the wet temp is more important than the dry on a street car because it is so hard to keep water out of the system and most of us don't change the fluid often enough.

But if your going racing, do some research.
Good luck,
Steve
:seeya

Picture thanks to DRM catalog




[Modified by SNW Vette, 2:38 PM 8/29/2003]

 

Just picked up a bunch of Motul 600 today from one of the vendors..

And while speeders are cool.. http://www.toolsource.com/ost1/produ...sp&pf_id=89696 is cooler..

ryan

 

I am going with SRF this weekend at the track :thumbs: