Clutch and brake fluid

[DanEC]

Bob - I guess the DOT 3 or 4 recommendations for clutch and brake fluid in the manual is still the latest and most current info? I sure hate not being able to use DOT 5 that I use in my other cars.

Dan

[Jerry Clayton]

All tho Dot 5 won't hurt your paint, its the poorest choice for brake fluid

[strictlypersonl]

I haven't done any testing on Silicone-type fluid in some time. Wilwood doesn't recommend it, but mostly for its limitations for racing, but Tilton claims that DOT 5 will swell rubber seals. Conservative bottom line: Still not recommended.

[Bobcat]

Stay with DOT 3 or 4 . Had to rebuild all my wheel cylinders and master cylinder last year on my 63 1/2 427 Galaxie because of the DOT 5 silicon . Ate the seals and also caused them to swell .
Bob is correct .... I talked to both Tilton and Wilwood and they said absolutely stay away from it ( DOT 5 ) .

[Pete Munroe]

Dan,

I put Dot 5 in my 67' Corvette after it got new calipers/master cylinder years back...it was HORRIBLE...the pedal felt "sticky" and "jerky" as it was depressed...oddly like it needed lubrication. Maybe that was part of the destructive interaction with the seals.

Would endlessly entrain AIR...impossible to keep the brakes bleed. Drained the system, flushed the calipers and master cylinder and brakes work fine. Did not need to reseal the units, and the pedal action was normal again.

Note, apparently silicone will not take up water...sounds great until you realize any water will still collect and sit in pockets of condensate at low points...it aggravates corrosion.

Regular brake fluid takes up the water and you can then BLEED it out of the system when you bleed out the old brake fluid.

Silicone may have a place for show cars...only! Show cars are rarely, sparingly driven...mainly on/off the trailer.

May be safe for the paint but I think dangerous in a brake system.

Pete
.

[tkb289]

Dan,

I use the ERA recommended ATE Super Blue DOT 4 racing brake fluid in my FIA for both the brakes and clutch, works great. No issues with the seals or hoses.

- Tim

[Hans-Olof Blom]

I recently changed to DOT 5.1 for my brakes. DOT 5.1 is not of Silicon type as DOT 5.

[strictlypersonl]

Interestingly enough, the ATE Super Blue already exceeds the DOT 5.1 boiling temperature specs.

[cscobra]

Go with the DOT 4. My MG experience is consistent with all of the above--it had DOT 5 when I bought it. When I restored it, DOT 4 went in--superb brakes in comparison were the result (especially for a 1952 TD with drums all around).

Just don't spill it on your nice paint!

[FUNFER2]

DOT 5 is only,....for show cars as it doesn't pressurize well. The only use for cars is that it will not hurt paint. So, do NOT use it for driving.