RFJ

I would like to know what the experts think of Motul brake fluid and in general what is your favorite and why (of what ever kind you use }For me its not that critical as most of my driving is on the road at subsonic speeds.But still i want a good quality fluid. thanks,Ray

mark kibort

I think they are all the same when you get above superblue ATE.
motul, torque, stoptech, and the rest are all good..... all have high wet and dry boiling points and are good quality fluid.. not only for racing but street too. the main things is that you change it to something new.

123quattro

Anything new is better than what is in your car assuming it hasn't been changed in the last two years. If you aren't tracking the car any DOT 3/4/5.1 fluid will be fine.

Gary Knox

I always used ATE blue for track driving, but for street/highway, I prefer Castrol GT LMA. Data I saw a long time ago indicated it had lower hygroscopic characteristics than many others. I change every 3 years for street/highway, and in spring and late summer for the ATE blue (track season from April to November).

Castrol GT LMA is hard to find locally here, so I buy 3-4 liter bottles via the internet to lower shipping costs per liter.

dr bob

I use the same DOT-4 GT LMA Castrol that Gary recommends. I've also used the Valvoline synthetic DOT-4 with similar good results. This is for street driving with the infrequent sprited mountain dash. For all but serious track use, virtually any good fresh off-the-shelf DOT-4 fluid will be fine.


I'll speak against using hi-perf racing fluids like the Motul for street-only duty, unless you are ready to go to a six-month flush cycle. Those fluids have a higher boilng point, but are more generally hygroscopic than the better street fluids. Since you won't be testing the boiling point limits in street driving, I can't think of a reason to spend more money on a fancy fluid that just gathers moisture faster.

WallyP

For my driving, Castrol LMA.

GlenL

Go with a no-frills quart of DOT 3. It's all your car needs for off-track driving no matter how spirited you do that.

It's more important to change the fluid than it is what fluid you change with. Using more expensive fluid means you're disposing of more expensive fluid next time the brakes are flushed or you open a brake line for service.

jheis

I'll second dr bob's recommendation of Valvolene Synthetic. High (480*F dry) boiling point and available everywhere - cheap.

Also second Glen's point that regular flushes are important for healthy brakes.

James

z driver 88t

+1 on the Valvoline Synthetic. Cheap, good dry boiling point, and found everywhere. I've used it at a couple track days (club stuff - 15 minute sessions, nothing extended or endurance oriented) and been very happy with the results.

dr bob

Porsche recommends DOT-4, with the higher boiling point requirement. Don't know if I need that margin as I just rumble around at less than the speed limit, but the cost difference is pennies vs. the DOT-3 so that's what I use.

My maintenance and fluid-change philosophy has been to double the factory-recommended change intervals for everything on the car. On top of that, an experienced mechanic shared that hydraulic systems like this will last forever if the fluid is kept clean and dry. So I'm not at all uncomfortable swapping in a liter or so of fluid every year, whether it "needs it" or not. In our older cars with some brake parts going to stratospheric cost and some at virtual unavailability, it only makes sense to change the fluid, if only to protect the investment in all those parts. Means the clutch system too, 5-speed owners. Good brake performance is a plus too, of course...

GlenL

We're both right. DOT 3 and DOT 4 are both mineral oils with the difference being boiling point.

Copied from 1984 Owners Manual:

If brake fluid must be added to the reservoir, use only new and unused DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid that meets SAE specification J1703 and conforms to Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116.

dr bob

Kills off my little-used low-miles brake fluid resale business.

Or do we have to "replace after every use!"?

---

I was just reviewing the forty pages (!!) of additional language that's added to my professional liability insurance. An extremely long and contradictory list of everything they don't cover. Maybe I'm too cynical these days, taking all these instructions and limitations too literally.

GlenL

Now I'm wondering how new is "new." and how to read the codes on the cans.

erioshi

Unfortunately now ATE Super Blue isn't allowed into the states any more because of the blue color. Apparently only brake fluids that are amber or clear are approved for road use in the United States. ATE Typ 200 fluid is reportedly the same formulation as Super Blue, but in an approved color. It's my understanding that this restriction began to affect ATE imports somewhere in mid 2013.

I've been an ATE Super Blue / Typ 200 user for years. I've always liked the lower hygroscopic properties and higher wet boiling points of these fluids (when last I researched them) over most of the competitors with slightly higher dry boiling points.

I do usually bleed of a bit of old fluid from every caliper after every track day, and change the fluid at least annually on a casually used track car. Race cars are their own special case.

Fogey1

Hmmmmm, are there any dyes that can be added to a brake fluid if you want a visual indication that the line from the master cylinder is fully flushed?