synthetic brake fluid
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi all does anyone on here us synthetic brake fluid, as im rebuilding me car and am sick of the brake fuid taking the paint of around the master cylinders where you cant reach to dry it, but ive heard somewhere that the synthetic fluid doesnt handle heat very well would love some feedback from someone who uses it.
ill get some pics up as the rebuild progresses also .

love that straight cut scream!!!
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Hi,
I've heard a few horror stories about synthetic fluid ruining seals. So I steered clear.
I know the silicon based fluids I use in RC have no lubricating properties, maybe the same applies to full scale brake fluid?
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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the silicon stuff is meant to be great

im trying in in all my cars at the moment, not had any probs in the last 6 months or so, i guess only time will tell

if it helps, the MOD use it in all their vehicles...and i imagine they wouldnt have done it blindly, although you never know...

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

Personally I use Dot 5.1 rather than silicone as, apart from the compatability issues with silicone, the spec of 5.1 is (on paper at least) slightly better.

Remember the numbering is all screwed up bigtime....

DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 are all 100% compatible glycol based in order of increasing performance whereas DOT 5 is (incompatible) silicone.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

cheers for that i take it the 5.1 being glycol based still removes paint, which are you trying Joey

love that straight cut scream!!!
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/___|_____
_ (@)___(@)

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Sounds like 5.1 is the way to go its not so much spilling it, it tracks up the filler on the clutch master cylinder then proceeds to remove the paint.

love that straight cut scream!!!
______
/___|_____
_ (@)___(@)

i use silicon stuff and have had 0 problems with it for the past 6 years, my braking system is in brillian condition even after all that time no rust or water integration into the system

"Can I legally marry people now that I am ordained in the Church of the SubGenius?" aka i know jack sh"t

i also make things

i love coming home to chrome

the problem i have now is that all me brake system is in working order but has all had dot 4 in im not willing to change eveything just to use dot 5 now.

love that straight cut scream!!!
______
/___|_____
_ (@)___(@)

I looked into this recently..

Synthetic brake fluid (such as Castrol LMA) is still glycol based, it always was synthetic but recently it has been packaged with the words "synthetic", there is in fact, no difference, can be mixed with "non synthetic" of the same DOT type

Sillicone brake fluid was the thing a few years ago with classic car people because it does not absorb water, but instead stories are that the water forms globs and rusts where the water collects. Biggest problem is that it does not tolerate high temps as well so recently it has gone out of favor, even if it does not strip the paint.
Basically the advice out there is not to use it for performance cars..

Terry

Edited by Turbo Tel on 2nd Jan, 2009.

website:- http://www.terryhunt.co.uk

Gavin Wakely uses it in his Speedster. The only problem he had (or I had) was when I resprayed the car and the paint fisheyed

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

I tried silicone brake fluid in an entirely new system, to give it the best chance, despite dire warning from others,including racers. I tried, I really did, but I could never get a hard pedal and finally I went back to Dot 4 and an immediate improvement. The answer to the paint stripping qualities of glycol based fluids is to be more careful !!.

Brake manufacturers do not recommend silicone fluid. Have a look at the AP Racing web site for all the reasons not to use it.

Geoff

well thats answered my question thanks for that lads dot 5.1 it is and dont spil it.

love that straight cut scream!!!
______
/___|_____
_ (@)___(@)

Silicone- paint not good. you say fish eyes in your paint i hope you mean in the engine bay only?
If not it probably isnt down to your brake fluid. use a good cleaning agent on all parts of the body before you apply any paint. Car cleaning products like wash n wash back to black tyre shine and gels all contain silicone and if you clean your car in the garage or leave you cloth hanging around you will get silicone lying around to, it gets blown around the garage and can travel just from the lightest breeze.
It will sit for months on any flat surface. always keep these things away from paint or prep work Read the label

I seriously doubt it!

i'd never run silicone fluid in brakes, most racing fluids we use are dot 4 but the dry boiling points are really good. never mix the 2 types in the system, the normal and silicone will simply not mix. its like oil and water.

i run silicone fluids only in clutch. here i get great results with it. a lot is purple coloured so easy then to tell if a leak is on brakes or clutch system.

Old fluid will get right in to the surface of ant paint so to remove you would need to remove all the paint from the inffected place ie round the cyilinders.
wash with good detergent use hot water, then pre clean with a solvent based product. good etch coat followed by a good primer coat and top caot.
Whatch the etch it is acid based and is really bad for you follow all directions on the tin, of any paint you use!!

Wiggy are you enjoying sucking these eggs? LOL

Druid - you have picked the wrong person to lecture to re bodywork!!!!

Edited by Scruffy on 4th Jan, 2009.

On 5th Sep, 2011 Vegard said:
I stand corrected. You should know

The points made though, are surely valid, for those who may be doing their own spraying and haven't encountered fisheye/silicone problems (yet)...

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???