Brake Fluid Question
05-26-2004, 01:13 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
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Originally posted by Bob Rouleau
Robin - there are two downsides to using racing brake fluid, cost and longevity. Top grade racing fuids like Motul 600 and Castrol SRF cost a lot more than conventional brake fluid. They also outperform them on a track by a big margin. Racing fluids provide a much higher boiling point than a regular fluid. Most are more likley to absorb water which affects the boiling point. Racing fluids should be changed every six months. Conventional fluids go for two years before a flush is needed. If you track your car, a better brake fluid like ATE Super Blue/Amber might be a good idea. It is not as expensive as Castrol SRF and changing it every six months is not a big expense. On the other hand, I ran my GT2 using the factory fluids with no problems (not with the brake fluid anyway).
Regards,
Robin - there are two downsides to using racing brake fluid, cost and longevity. Top grade racing fuids like Motul 600 and Castrol SRF cost a lot more than conventional brake fluid. They also outperform them on a track by a big margin. Racing fluids provide a much higher boiling point than a regular fluid. Most are more likley to absorb water which affects the boiling point. Racing fluids should be changed every six months. Conventional fluids go for two years before a flush is needed. If you track your car, a better brake fluid like ATE Super Blue/Amber might be a good idea. It is not as expensive as Castrol SRF and changing it every six months is not a big expense. On the other hand, I ran my GT2 using the factory fluids with no problems (not with the brake fluid anyway).
Regards,
What happens if you don't change it? I have never changed fluids that often unless it boils.
In street only cars that haven't been on the track I can't ever remember chanding the brake fluid.
05-26-2004, 01:17 PM
#17
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Originally posted by bob_dallas
FWIW, I haven't encountered a mushy pedal with SRF in both cars.
FWIW, I haven't encountered a mushy pedal with SRF in both cars.
05-26-2004, 02:11 PM
#18
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Guys,
Thanks for the feedback, I haven't experimented with SRF myself. I use Motul which I can procure more conveniently. I'll question the guys who gave me the "loss of pedal feel" story.
GJ - I'm still puzzled. I have been told that moisture gets into the brake system no matter what fluid you use. It gets in via the rubber hoses, seals, breather etc. Brake fluids are designed to absorb the water instead of letting it sit someplace for obvious reasons. So, if the fluid does not absorb the water, where does the water go?
Lastly, a call to the parts guy at the local dealer confirms that the factory spec fluids for Porsches are Pentosin. Maybe that's a Canadian thing? For customers who demand better they now stock Motul fluids. They used to have ATE but discontinued it because (and this is nuts) the ATE Super Blue is not DOT approved because it's blue! I guess they had a liability concern about supplying a fluid which was not DOT approved. I like the ATE stuff because it came in two colors making it easy to know when you had flushed the syetem.
Rgds,
Thanks for the feedback, I haven't experimented with SRF myself. I use Motul which I can procure more conveniently. I'll question the guys who gave me the "loss of pedal feel" story.
GJ - I'm still puzzled. I have been told that moisture gets into the brake system no matter what fluid you use. It gets in via the rubber hoses, seals, breather etc. Brake fluids are designed to absorb the water instead of letting it sit someplace for obvious reasons. So, if the fluid does not absorb the water, where does the water go?
Lastly, a call to the parts guy at the local dealer confirms that the factory spec fluids for Porsches are Pentosin. Maybe that's a Canadian thing? For customers who demand better they now stock Motul fluids. They used to have ATE but discontinued it because (and this is nuts) the ATE Super Blue is not DOT approved because it's blue! I guess they had a liability concern about supplying a fluid which was not DOT approved. I like the ATE stuff because it came in two colors making it easy to know when you had flushed the syetem.
Rgds,
05-26-2004, 03:57 PM
#19
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Originally posted by GJ
A) it absorbs water and somehow encapsulates it chemically so as to minimize degradation of the boiling point?
NO
A) it absorbs water and somehow encapsulates it chemically so as to minimize degradation of the boiling point?
NO
Here's the quote: "Castrol SRF reacts chemically with the absorbed water to reduce its adverse effects"
All that aside, the net of it is.... IMHO - SRF is the sh*t and I'm fairly certain you agree....
05-26-2004, 04:02 PM
#20
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Originally posted by Bob Rouleau
GJ - I'm still puzzled. I have been told that moisture gets into the brake system no matter what fluid you use. It gets in via the rubber hoses, seals, breather etc. Brake fluids are designed to absorb the water instead of letting it sit someplace for obvious reasons. So, if the fluid does not absorb the water, where does the water go?
GJ - I'm still puzzled. I have been told that moisture gets into the brake system no matter what fluid you use. It gets in via the rubber hoses, seals, breather etc. Brake fluids are designed to absorb the water instead of letting it sit someplace for obvious reasons. So, if the fluid does not absorb the water, where does the water go?
To answer the other part, as I understand it, non-DOT5 fluids will absorb the water. DOT5 fluids will not -- you just end up with little bubbles of water mixed in about as well as oil and water.
05-26-2004, 04:25 PM
#21
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I have been using Castrol SRF for about 3 year now. I change my fluid after every track event and it does get a little pricey, but I know that I have the best stuff. As a side note to changing the fluid. I have also gone 1.5 years without changing the SRF on a street car and it was fine. I actually only changed the fluid cause I changed pads, other then that I would have left it alone.
05-27-2004, 12:23 PM
#22
Burning Brakes
Anyone tried AP 5.1? It is supposed to be lower in viscosity re:works well with ABS and performs comparitively well in regards to temperature needs. I've used this in my Corvettes and found this to be a good street/track alternative. It is not silicone based and is compatable with standard dot4 fluids.
05-27-2004, 12:33 PM
#23
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I haven't used AP5.1 but I used to use AP600 in my previous car. Worked GREAT but was a pain in the butt to get stable initially. It's incompatible with existing fluid so it took a couple of flushes and an ABS flush to get it pure. Once I got it stable it was great - they say it's track only but I used it for street/track for about 3 years.
05-27-2004, 12:40 PM
#24
Burning Brakes
Re: Brake Fluid Question
Originally posted by Weng
What type of brake fluid are you guys using? The local dealer is putting "Porsche factory supplied Super DOT 4 fluid" in my car. No boiling fluid problems to date and I'm wondering who makes this stuff (ATE?) - its seems to be pretty good fluid.
Recently had an off track excursion caused by brake failue in my F360. Blame was placed on the Shell fluid (DOT4) used by Ferrari which is supposedly good only for street use. Will be trying out ATE Super Blue racing fluid next (Castrol SRF is not available locally).
What type of brake fluid are you guys using? The local dealer is putting "Porsche factory supplied Super DOT 4 fluid" in my car. No boiling fluid problems to date and I'm wondering who makes this stuff (ATE?) - its seems to be pretty good fluid.
Recently had an off track excursion caused by brake failue in my F360. Blame was placed on the Shell fluid (DOT4) used by Ferrari which is supposedly good only for street use. Will be trying out ATE Super Blue racing fluid next (Castrol SRF is not available locally).
you can get SRF from Andy Tan over at Espace Service Centre in UBI. His # is 6-7483430. Tell him I sent you. He imports SRF privately from UK and is also the local distributor for AP Racing. He serviced and worked on my cosworths and STi. Still use him for work on my GTR.
-f
