Hydraulic fluid preferences
07-08-07, 08:18 PM
#51
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DOT 5.1 has a different composition than that of DOT 3 or DOT 4. I'm not quite sure what it has it in that makes it specifically for ABS braking systems, but I'm kinda leery about using it in a non-ABS car.
I've never heard anything about needing to heat up DOT 4 to make it feel right. I use DOT 4 right now and have no problems with it compared to anything else I use.
I'm still not sure what brake fluid to go with. I wish there were more people posting in this thread about what's compressible and what's not. That's the main selling point at this time on a brake fluid for me.
I've never heard anything about needing to heat up DOT 4 to make it feel right. I use DOT 4 right now and have no problems with it compared to anything else I use.
I'm still not sure what brake fluid to go with. I wish there were more people posting in this thread about what's compressible and what's not. That's the main selling point at this time on a brake fluid for me.
07-09-07, 06:38 AM
#52
I use DOT 4 right now and have no problems with it compared to anything else I use.
This sounds like you change out hydraulic fluid every week and have a lot of data for comparison...
I'm still not sure what brake fluid to go with. I wish there were more people posting in this thread about what's compressible and what's not. That's the main selling point at this time on a brake fluid for me.
This sounds like you change out hydraulic fluid every week and have a lot of data for comparison...
I'm still not sure what brake fluid to go with. I wish there were more people posting in this thread about what's compressible and what's not. That's the main selling point at this time on a brake fluid for me.
This is a street car, right?
Unless you run Deal's Gap to and from work, I'll bet you couldn't distinguish the difference between $3/ bottle Castrol and $20/ bottle Motul in a blind test.
Hell, just changing and rebleeding the system once a year will make more difference than your choice of fluid.
If you "have no problems" with the DOT4 you're currently using what benefits are you expecting by changing to something else?
07-09-07, 07:05 AM
#53
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Like I said, DOT 5.1 appears to be a different composition than 3 or 4, and it says it's designed specifically for ABS brake systems. No, that's not like saying you shouldn't run synthetics because synthetic oils aren't designed specifically for one type of oil system, whereas the DOT 5.1 appears to be designed for ABS brake systems and not non-ABS.
No, I do not change out the fluid once a week and try different things. The poster before asked about having to heat up DOT 4 fluid for it to function properly and I was commenting that I've had no problems like that compared to any other fluids I've used before, including DOT 3. It's not like I've only had 1 car in my lifetime and never changed the brakes on it. I figure since I'm changing quite a few things on the brake system that I'm going to go with a quality fluid instead of gas station ****.
Has anyone ever used the Motul DOT 4? Anyone else used the ATE Super Blue?
No, I do not change out the fluid once a week and try different things. The poster before asked about having to heat up DOT 4 fluid for it to function properly and I was commenting that I've had no problems like that compared to any other fluids I've used before, including DOT 3. It's not like I've only had 1 car in my lifetime and never changed the brakes on it. I figure since I'm changing quite a few things on the brake system that I'm going to go with a quality fluid instead of gas station ****.
Has anyone ever used the Motul DOT 4? Anyone else used the ATE Super Blue?
07-10-07, 10:36 AM
#54
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Here is a nice thread talking about the Ford HD, ATE Super Blue, and Castrol GTLMA fluids:
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5597
Another great thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1296407
Well, I've narrowed my choices down to these:
Ford HD -
Dry Boiling Point: 550
Wet Boiling Pont: 290
It seems like as long as the Ford HD doesn't get contaminated, it is an excellent fluid, and if you change it once per year, you shouldn't have problems. Since it is rated as a DOT 3, it will be more hygroscopic than any DOT 4 rated fluid. But then again, it's good to bleed your brakes at least once a year anyways to keep fresh fluid in there.
Motul DOT 4 -
Dry Boiling Point: 473
Wet Boiling Point: 317
I'm pretty sure that Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible since all other fluids that just say DOT 4 on them are regular street fluids. As long as the Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible and is slightly hygroscopic it'll be better than the Prestone DOT 4 due to it's higher boiling points. Also, it would be a better fluid than the Castrol GTLMA too.
ATE Super Blue -
Dry Boiling Point: 536
Wet Boiling Point: 392
ATE Super Blue is an excellent fluid if the compressibility doesn't bother you, but the brake response obviously isn't going to be as good. At least it's very slightly hygroscopic and doesn't need changed often at all.
Castrol GTLMA -
Dry Boiling Point: 446
Wet Boiling Point: 311
An excellent fluid for daily driver/street cars that don't see a lot of track activity. As long as the Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible and you have the money to spend, Motul DOT 4 is a better option for performance. But for price and being easy to obtain, this is the brake fluid to go with.
I know for sure that all of these are very slightly hygroscopic so they won't absorb moisture and need changed often, which is something important to me. All of the other fluids I looked at either weren't hygroscopic and didn't absorb moisture at all, or they were very hygroscopic and sucked moisture up badly. It seems that anything that's rated for race standards is going to be compressible and either not hygroscopic or very hygroscopic. Those are something I definitely don't want for a street car, keeping in mind that's what I have.
Anyone have testimonials on the Motul DOT 4? Anyone else have suggestions on what I should use?
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5597
Another great thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1296407
Well, I've narrowed my choices down to these:
Ford HD -
Dry Boiling Point: 550
Wet Boiling Pont: 290
It seems like as long as the Ford HD doesn't get contaminated, it is an excellent fluid, and if you change it once per year, you shouldn't have problems. Since it is rated as a DOT 3, it will be more hygroscopic than any DOT 4 rated fluid. But then again, it's good to bleed your brakes at least once a year anyways to keep fresh fluid in there.
Motul DOT 4 -
Dry Boiling Point: 473
Wet Boiling Point: 317
I'm pretty sure that Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible since all other fluids that just say DOT 4 on them are regular street fluids. As long as the Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible and is slightly hygroscopic it'll be better than the Prestone DOT 4 due to it's higher boiling points. Also, it would be a better fluid than the Castrol GTLMA too.
ATE Super Blue -
Dry Boiling Point: 536
Wet Boiling Point: 392
ATE Super Blue is an excellent fluid if the compressibility doesn't bother you, but the brake response obviously isn't going to be as good. At least it's very slightly hygroscopic and doesn't need changed often at all.
Castrol GTLMA -
Dry Boiling Point: 446
Wet Boiling Point: 311
An excellent fluid for daily driver/street cars that don't see a lot of track activity. As long as the Motul DOT 4 isn't compressible and you have the money to spend, Motul DOT 4 is a better option for performance. But for price and being easy to obtain, this is the brake fluid to go with.
I know for sure that all of these are very slightly hygroscopic so they won't absorb moisture and need changed often, which is something important to me. All of the other fluids I looked at either weren't hygroscopic and didn't absorb moisture at all, or they were very hygroscopic and sucked moisture up badly. It seems that anything that's rated for race standards is going to be compressible and either not hygroscopic or very hygroscopic. Those are something I definitely don't want for a street car, keeping in mind that's what I have.
Anyone have testimonials on the Motul DOT 4? Anyone else have suggestions on what I should use?
07-11-07, 10:49 PM
#55
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I believe I have made my decision and am going to go with the Ford HD. For the price and performance you can't beat it. I do plan on flushing my brakes now once every 6 months, so I shouldn't have to worry about the fluid getting very contaminated and keeping it near the high dry boiling point that it has. It's nice since it's not compressible and will absorb moisture in the brake system at a slightly faster rate than most, but at least this way I won't have to worry about the calipers getting water in them and as stated above, flushing once every 6 months should keep the water contamination to a very minimum.
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