What is your prefered Brake fluid???

[95sprtcpedrvr]

I read somewhere about somebody changing their brake fluid to this...blue something or another. So I thought I'd ask to see what the experienced drivers use.
If you could post what you use and maybe some info that would be great.

Thanks everyone.

[Snymo]

I read somewhere about somebody changing their brake fluid to this...blue something or another. So I thought I'd ask to see what the experienced drivers use.
If you could post what you use and maybe some info that would be great.

Thanks everyone.

Sounds like you are talking about Super Blue. It's supposed to be pretty good stuff and a lot of people really like it. However, I prefer Motul RBF600. Since it's not blue, but tea colored and pretty clear, you can tell when it starts to get old and spent. I've used it for 5 years without problems. In a pinch, Castrol SRF works very well also, but it's super expensive.

Rick

[Bottoz]

ATE Super Blue is what I've used since the first NASA event in Pueblo. Since then, I've had it thru 3 more days at PMI. Its good stuff. :)

[BVinson]

RBF600 Motul

[ker]

wilwood 570

[bpanther]

For a light car where you don't use the brakes (i.e. Spec Miata): Valvoline Synthetic. About $2/pint:D.

[JLMounce]

Another vote for the ATE Super Blue. It's worked well for me at teh PMI track day and is also very good on the street in my experiance.

[Kai]

I use SRF.

Only downside is the price.

[Coloradomark]

I also like the Motul - but have been using the ATE blue because the place that I buy my pads from always throws in a couple of tins of it for free. It seems to work well, but I worry about it staining everything that it comes into contact with.

[eric16v]

i rotate between super blue and ate typ 200 which is the same as super blue, just a different color. So when I do a flush, I know that I have the new fluid due to the color.

[Mustcone347]

I use SRF.
Its like driving a Viper, Its for rich folks who must "have the best" at least in their own mind.

motul RBF 600 is the best for the money....the SRF is no better no worse just more expensive......I speak from experience on this one.

[DarkGift]

Até Super Blue/Typ 200 should work for 99% of the people. If you want higher boiling points, here is what I dug up (note that various sites differed by a few degrees on some of the products):


Dry Wet
DOT3 401 284
DOT4 446 311
Super Blue 536 392
AP600 590 410
Motul RBF600 593 420
Castrol SRF 590 518


Also Castrol SRF was reported to be highly hydroscopic and needed to be changed more frequently. I've run the Até fluids for years without a problem, but will be trying out Motul this weekend.

[95sprtcpedrvr]

This has been very helpful guys! I think I'll give motul a try, but I'll keep taking info.

Thanks again.

[bobcowan]

Brake fluid is like a lot of parts, you can't really choose the correct one until you know the application.

The fluid grade (2,3,4) is mostly dependant on the heat they will handle before vaporizing (turning to steam). Steam in the brake calipers is a bad thing. The higher the grade, the more heat it will handle. Specialty fluids like those mentioned above can handle more heat than other brands of the same grade. Doesn't make sense, but there you are.

DoT 5 is synthetic, the others are not. It can handle more heat, and will not damage paint. However, it is synthetic. It is hydrophobic, and the others are hydrophyllic. That means 5 will repel water, rather than absorb it. It will cause the water to pool together. This collection of water can cause rust inside the system that you can't see. Also, the pooled water will vaporize at a much lower temp. 5 can be used in a street car, but you need to flush it through every so often to keep the water out. If you flush 5-6 times a year for track days, 5 will be fine.

Most Harley use 5; I flushed mine every 2 years. If I lived in a wet climate, I'd do it every year.

You cannot use 5 in a system that has 4 in it. They are not compatable. Only use synthetics in a system that is brand new.

There's a new fluid around, but it's expensive and hard to locate. DoT 5.1. It has all the properties of synthetic 5, but it's not synthetic. It can be used in a stock system, or a system that previously had 3 or 4.

If your brakes get mushy and seem to fade when hot, and firm up when cold, flush them out and go to the next grade up.

I use NAPA DoT 4 without any brake fade. Last year I ran PPIR with a track temp nearly 150*.

[Kai]

Its like driving a Viper, Its for rich folks who must "have the best" at least in their own mind.

motul RBF 600 is the best for the money....the SRF is no better no worse just more expensive......I speak from experience on this one.


Hi Malcolm.

Yes, when it comes to brakes, I don't mind paying to use the best fluid.

Although, in practice, the SRF isn't much more expensive. I've found that the SRF holds up more than twice as long compared with the Motul 600RBF I was using. The Motul 600 would degrade and go brown pretty fast (sometimes after a single track weekend.) With the SRF, I'm bleeding/flushing less often, and using less fluid as a consequence. I've spent less on brake fluid since I switched to SRF even though SRF costs more per liter.

[Mikecolosprings]

I have a 1988 stang and I've talked to some people about Brake fluid. They told me I can't use Synthetic brake fluid. I was wanting to know if Super blue is ok for my car. Also I wanted to know How much I need For Each Flush/Fill, Obviously not Exact.

[leggwork]

super blue is a dot 4 fluid - not synthetic (see the post above about dot 4, 5 and 5.1) You buy it by the quart and that will be plenty for a flush. You don't really want to keep the opened remainder because it will absorb water once opened.
bruce


I have a 1988 stang and I've talked to some people about Brake fluid. They told me I can't use Synthetic brake fluid. I was wanting to know if Super blue is ok for my car. Also I wanted to know How much I need For Each Flush/Fill, Obviously not Exact.

[95sprtcpedrvr]

I was mainly wanting to get a high temp brake fluid and I didn't like using the synthetic for the specific reasons previously stated. I'm just a beginner track driver and I have experienced serious fading and had to pull off the track before the time limit was up. Thats when I realized what I have been using isn't going to cut it, this was a fresh change of DOT 3 (haha) the previous nite. I've also realized the need to upgrade some components. But i thought I'd start with something easy.

:D I'm cheap.

[leggwork]

try using your brakes harder but for a shorter duration - i.e. don't be tentative when braking. That gives them longer to cool off.
cheers,
bruce

I was mainly wanting to get a high temp brake fluid and I didn't like using the synthetic for the specific reasons previously stated. I'm just a beginner track driver and I have experienced serious fading and had to pull off the track before the time limit was up. Thats when I realized what I have been using isn't going to cut it, this was a fresh change of DOT 3 (haha) the previous nite. I've also realized the need to upgrade some components. But i thought I'd start with something easy.

:D I'm cheap.

[95sprtcpedrvr]

try using your brakes harder but for a shorter duration - i.e. don't be tentative when braking. That gives them longer to cool off.
cheers,
bruce
That brings up another question, my car has ABS and under hard braking like you suggested the system is activated and I have to repump the pedal to get my braking back which kills my times. When I drive the car to stay off of the ABS is when I think overheats the brakes. Do you think I should try or would it be safe to disable the ABS the next time I go out? This is my first car I've taken out on a road track.

Any suggestions on upgrades? I've been looking at getting a set Baer Decelarotors and a set of Hawk pads. and yes I'm still on stock parts. I have some new hoses on the way in.

[leggwork]

Rick Snyder (snymo) is the man to ask about Neon upgrades - he's at MMP this weekend.
cheers,
bruce
That brings up another question, my car has ABS and under hard braking like you suggested the system is activated and I have to repump the pedal to get my braking back which kills my times. When I drive the car to stay off of the ABS is when I think overheats the brakes. Do you think I should try or would it be safe to disable the ABS the next time I go out? This is my first car I've taken out on a road track.

Any suggestions on upgrades? I've been looking at getting a set Baer Decelarotors and a set of Hawk pads. and yes I'm still on stock parts. I have some new hoses on the way in.

[Mikecolosprings]

I use NAPA DoT 4 without any brake fade. Last year I ran PPIR with a track temp nearly 150*.

Did You Literally use Napa Brand Dot 4 or did you use A different brand that you Bought at Napa?

I'm from Napa California, I know it has nothing to do with this but I love Napa

[CMC#35]

That brings up another question...Do you think I should try or would it be safe to disable the ABS the next time I go out?

Caveat: I drive a Mustang, not a Neon, so my experience may not be applicable to your car.

In CMC, Mustangs are not allowed to use their ABS. Eventually, I will completely remove mine, to save the weight. But for now, I simply unplugged it, and there was no problem.

-chris

[95sprtcpedrvr]

Caveat: I drive a Mustang, not a Neon, so my experience may not be applicable to your car.

In CMC, Mustangs are not allowed to use their ABS. Eventually, I will completely remove mine, to save the weight. But for now, I simply unplugged it, and there was no problem.

-chris
That is something I'll definitely chieck into and see if the PT class allows ABS. That would make that decision easy.

[MHISSTC]

I use Ford brand Heavy Duty brake fluid in my '96 SVT Cobra and flush it through once a year for my own piece of mind. It was recommended to me by other SVT Cobra folks as a high quality and inexpensive brake fluid for street/track cars. I've been pleased with it so far.

[JLMounce]

The Ford HD fluid has changed recently according to a couple people I've talked to. Both the dry and wet boiling points have been reduced and the wet boiling point is quite a bit less than the old stuff.

I'll see if I can find the specs for the new stuff.

[Mikecolosprings]

Hey Jlmouce do you use Napa brand Or another brand you got at napa?

[JLMounce]

I've never purchased any fluid from Napa. I think that was Bobcowen that mentioned Napa on the last page.

I use teh ATE Super Blue fluid. Works well for me.

[raybob9289]

Motul

[95sprtcpedrvr]

Well I feel pretty good about starting this thread.:D

I have some motul being shipped in being that no one in Pueblo carries it. But still for less than $20 for (shoot I can't remember how many ounces it said) enough to flush my system and to have some higher temp fluid is not a bad price at all. I'll let you guys know what I think about it when I get it put in.

[FOXBAT]

I have run ATE Super Blue, but when it's all gone will try Motul 600. Why? DOT 4 rating.