[Ragnar]

Anyone using synthetic brake fluid? If yes, what brand? And does this stuff also have to be changed every year?

 

[GSXR1255JIMMY]

ANY BRAND IS GOOD, I WOULD CHANGE EVERY YEAR

 

[Mr Gixxer]

SBS sent me a bunch of 5.1 to try out (yes I know it is not synthetic)

Racing Brake Fluid

Long life and consistent performance under all conditions

High boiling point 280oC/548oF – Wet boiling point 201oC/392oF

Suitable for anti-lock brake systems including carbon/carbon

Suitable for all hydraulic brake/clutch systems (except where mineral oil is required)

Complies with FMVSS 116

Net contents 250ml/US fluid Oz 8.45

 

[Ragnar]

That stuff looks pretty good Mr.Gix, maybe I don't need synthetic. I did find that Motul makes a fully synthetic DOT4 or long-life 5.1 that I may try, but the boiling points are slightly lower. I do like the fact that the stuff isn't a threat to all my new, ungodly expensive, plastic.

 

[somejeffguy]

Originally posted by Ragnar:
That stuff looks pretty good Mr.Gix, maybe I don't need synthetic. I did find that Motul makes a fully synthetic DOT4 or long-life 5.1 that I may try, but the boiling points are slightly lower. I do like the fact that the stuff isn't a threat to all my new, ungodly expensive, plastic.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">you're kidding, right? any polyalkylene glycol ether based brake fluid (3/4/5.1) will harm paint. being synthetic or not has nothing to do with it.

silicone based brake fluids (dot 5), on the other hand, will not harm paint, but it has other disadvantages.

 

[turbinator]

Yeah Ragnar , Don't u know anything???

. U got 4 weeks 2 get that load finished! Super Sunday!!!

 

[Ragnar]

It may be the maiden voyage, but she'll be ready.

 

[Ragnar]

you're kidding, right? any polyalkylene glycol ether based brake fluid (3/4/5.1) will harm paint. being synthetic or not has nothing to do with it.

silicone based brake fluids (dot 5), on the other hand, will not harm paint, but it has other disadvantages.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No I wasn't kidding at all, thats why I am trying to learn

Are you saying that the stuff that Motul is calling Synthetic is not? I guess its base is not. On second thought I think this could get pretty deep, just plain what type is the best to use!!??

 

[FastCat]

Originally posted by Ragnar:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"> you're kidding, right? any polyalkylene glycol ether based brake fluid (3/4/5.1) will harm paint. being synthetic or not has nothing to do with it.

silicone based brake fluids (dot 5), on the other hand, will not harm paint, but it has other disadvantages.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No I wasn't kidding at all, thats why I am trying to learn

Are you saying that the stuff that Motul is calling Synthetic is not? I guess its base is not. On second thought I think this could get pretty deep, just plain what type is the best to use!!??

</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">No, jeff and Motul are both telling you the correct info... there is a difference between "synthetic" and "silicone-based" brake fluid, that's all. Just because a specific brake fluid is synthetic doesn't necessarily mean that it's silicone-based. The Silicone stuff seems like a good idea, until you actually go to use the stuff... it feels "mushier" than the other type (synthetic or not) and the only manufacturer using it OEM (that I know of) is Harley. One other thing, if you *do* decide to play with the silicone-based stuff, the materials for the seals (o-rings, etc) isn't necessarily compatible between the two different types of fluid. I've always used the D.O.T. 4 Castrol stuff, I've never had any troubles with it, and I only change my fluid (bleed new stuff completely through) once every two years.

 

[Ragnar]

Thanks guys, learned a lot. I definitely don't want to use anything described as mushy or endorsed by Harley-Davidson.

 

[somejeffguy]

Originally posted by Ragnar:
Are you saying that the stuff that Motul is calling Synthetic is not?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">no, what i was saying was that you seemed to be under the impression that it (i assume you were referring to motul 600 which is a dot 4 synthetic) wouldn't harm paint, but in reality it'll eat your paint just as well as a non-synthetic dot 4.

 

[Ragnar]

Understood. I think I'll go with the Motul DOT4, unless you think the 5.1 is better for some reason?

 

[somejeffguy]

in general, dot 5.1's have higher wet and dry boiling points than dot 4 (which are better in that respect than dot 3), but motul 600 is an exception....its dry boiling point is very close to 600°f even though it's dot 4.

you really can't go wrong with any good dot 4 or 5.1 fluid.....although i think motul 600 (being intended as a racing fluid) may be more hygroscopic (attracts water). if this is the case, it may need to be changed a little more often.

[ 03-26-2002, 07:28 AM: Message edited by: jeff ]

 

[bcjohn]

I had to laugh, especially since HD uses Dot 5 silicon squish fluid only. Just read the other day that Dot 5 was developed for military use as a brake fluid for vehicles that could go extreme lengths of time between maintenance. Makes sense for the military.

 

[somejeffguy]

i think hd uses dot 5 primarily because of its harmlessness to paint and chrome.

it's also good for very long maintenance interval applications because it doesn't attract water the way dot 3/4/5.1 fluids do.....however, if water DOES get in a dot 5 brake system, it won't mix with the brake fluid (as it would with dot 3/4/5.1). since silicone-based brake fluid is lighter than water, the water'll eventually end up at the lowest points of the braking system - almost always the calipers. leave it sitting too long, and you'll have nice corroded caliper pistons (if they're steel). not to mention that if the brake fluid gets hot enough, it will cause the water to boil causing some serious sponginess....

 

[bcjohn]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#6A7FB8" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#2f2f4f">Originally posted by Mr Gixxer:
SBS sent me a bunch of 5.1 to try out (yes I know it is not synthetic)

Racing Brake Fluid

Long life and consistent performance under all conditions

High boiling point 280oC/548oF – Wet boiling point 201oC/392oF

Hah!! I piss on your pitiful wet boiling point!!! My 421 degree wet Earl's will destroy you on the field of battle.....hey wait a minute, mine is a poseur street bike and I actually paid for this stuff

. Hmmmm - 260,000km on my Civic wagon and one flush...uh oh. Like the better quality of fluids in the wet Pacific Northwest, but imagine that the yearly flush makes much more diff than whether its dot 4, 5.1 or over the top.

Suitable for anti-lock brake systems including carbon/carbon

Suitable for all hydraulic brake/clutch systems (except where mineral oil is required)

Complies with FMVSS 116

Net contents 250ml/US fluid Oz 8.45</td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>