Break Fluid

[hdavis]

I did a search on break fluid and flushing, and found almost nothing.

How often would you say a break system should be flushed, I drive my car less than 1,000 miles a year.

What kind of break fluid do you all use?

Thanks

[Steve@Rennsport]

Hi Henry:

I would strongly recommend annual brake fluid flushes to prevent corrosion.

I think you would be happy using ATE Type #200 (amber) or its cousin, ATE Super Blue racing brake fluid. These are LMA fluids and absolutely identical except for the color.

[hdavis]

Thanks Steve, I guess it's time to flush

[Neunelfer]

I agree.

In an open system like a brake fluid system air can get at the fluid. Where there's air there's water (except here on Planet Utah)

As the moisture content increases in your brake system it will tend to collect around the moving parts (pistons.) There's all sorts of other reasons you want to change annually.

Trust me, I've seen the insides of 100's of calipers. Steve is spot on. The ones that get changed annually will likely "never" need a rebuild. They look like new. The ones that never get changed look like this:



We call those caliper worms. The fluid is so bad it solidifies and gums up the inside of the caliper.

S-Calipers will almost always fail if the fluid isn't changed regularly. The pistons were plated to avoid the dissimilar metal issue. The plating is usually flaked off where the side of the piston meets the bore seal.



Change regularly.

[Neunelfer]

P.S. Use "Brake" fluid instead of "Break" fluid.

[Gearbox]

P.S. Use "Brake" fluid instead of "Break" fluid.

LOL Yeah, I saw that too but didn't want to be rude so I waited for someone else to mention it.

[hdavis]

P.S. Use "Brake" fluid instead of "Break" fluid.

Excellent point

[Mudi]

Stay with the traditional fluids and change yearly..

[Neunelfer]

I'm just an agreeable guy... I agree with Mudi as well.

These cars are 40 years old. I like DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 (not DOT 5)

-and-

DON'T MIX THE TWO

[Mudi]

My brother messed up this week and put dot5 in a 356 race car of my dads, and just realized his mistake.. Now does he reflush it with non silicone or live with it until he can take it all apart, that's the question....