brake fluid temps

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May 21, 2014 | 06:04 PM
  #1  
I was just thinking it would be fun to talk about fluid temps for track and road use.

I installed motul 5.1 fluid with boiling points wet 185degrees c. (365F)
dry 272c (522F)

what is optimal for use on a typical track day ?

What temps do these brakes get to on a trackday?

which fluid would be best to prevent nasty fade
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May 21, 2014 | 06:06 PM
  #2  
I used to use Motul RBF 600. It boiled at Sebring in September. Now I use Castrol SRF. It's wet boiling point is near 500 degrees.
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May 21, 2014 | 06:25 PM
  #3  
Prospeed RS683 from good old colorado. 583° F dry boiling point and a wet boiling point of 394°.
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May 21, 2014 | 07:48 PM
  #4  
Best thing to do is figure out your own baselines. Get some temp paint like this: http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/p...perature_Paint

We're having a HUGE discussion on our local list on the topic as a guy with a new C7 Vette nearly wrote it off at one of our private track days last Monday from a sudden, catastrophic fade issue. Thunderhill T14, for those of you who know the track.

Ultimately, it's a matter of pad, rotor, ducting, fluid, AND driver. I've run "stock" brake fluid on an ER basis at times and been fine. I've had problems with brakes that have had all the "right stuff" installed, too.
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May 21, 2014 | 07:58 PM
  #5  
Quote: I was just thinking it would be fun to talk about fluid temps for track and road use.

I installed motul 5.1 fluid with boiling points wet 185degrees c. (365F)
dry 272c (522F)

what is optimal for use on a typical track day ?

What temps do these brakes get to on a trackday?

which fluid would be best to prevent nasty fade
It depends which brake setup that you have and how the car is driven and the track it is driven on.

I can on I used to monitor rotors temps on my car, back when it was ~2900# w/ RS brake package at LRP, Monticello and WGI.

I stopped when I realized that my rotor temps were roughly 1/2 what most other cars were seeing, the reasons; big rotors good cooling, relatively light weight, great bias. ATE 200 was sufficient under those conditions.

Stock brakes will certainly run hotter and there probably are more demanding tracks and heavier cars. The more stressed the brakes are and the hotter they run the better fluid is needed and the more often it needs to be replaced. I'd only look at the wet #s as it doesn't take long for the fluid to transition from dry to wet.

Leland West has a very nice summary of fluid thermal characteristics
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May 21, 2014 | 10:11 PM
  #6  
Bill and Ken couldn't be more spot on. Track, Tires, and Driver play the biggest roles known to Racing. Out of the three, I would venture to say Driver is probably the greatest variable. Braking hard and late will always be better "Temp" wise as opposed to long and soft. Also, consider what tire you are on. After all, the tire is the ONE gripping the surface. You put an "R" spec up against a regular "AS," you'll be surprised at the differences you'll see rotor/fluid wise.

A good instructor or "track-rat" can certainly get you pointed in the right pad/fluid and associated brake points for the track intended.
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May 21, 2014 | 10:49 PM
  #7  
Quote: I'd only look at the wet #s as it doesn't take long for the fluid to transition from dry to wet.
+1,000,000
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May 21, 2014 | 10:54 PM
  #8  
Great info. above. Also highly recommend bleeding brakes no further out than 2-3 days before an event. I use ATE Typ200 and have never* (knock on wood!) lost my brakes over many, many years at numerous tracks in all kinds of weather.
* Except at Sebring in early October when we drove down to attend BMW CCA OKTOBERFEST in a M635CSi with no opportunity to bleed at the track. (Pedal went to the floor as I was coming off the track!)
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Prospeed in the track car. Seems to work well with my big brake kit. I also have good cooling which makes a huge diff.
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