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Discussion Topic:
Brake fluid
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sarahcecelia |
08-20-2017 @ 3:06 PM
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Senior
Posts: 1190
Joined: Mar 2013
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Dot3 and 4 are glycol/ether(alchohol), and are hydroscopic, meaning they absorb water from the atmosphere. That's why they say to flush and re-plenish the fluid every year, or couple of years. Dot5 is synthetic/purple, oil based(silicone),and is hydrophobic- meaning it doesn't absorb water from the atmosphere. Mike "Kubes"is right, it gives a little spongier pedal,(I had always read that the opposite was true) but the avantages outway the negatives, and all new cars use silicone based brake fluid to keep the water out! It messes with the boiling point and is detrimental to the metal in the system.
Regards, Steve Lee
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TomO |
08-21-2017 @ 7:40 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7252
Joined: Oct 2009
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Dot 5 fluid cannot be used in an ABS system and most modern cars have ABS. http://www.freeasestudyguides.com/dot-5-brake-fluid.html
Tom
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supereal |
08-22-2017 @ 2:12 PM
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Senior
Posts: 6819
Joined: Oct 2009
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My new Ford pickup came with DOT5 in it. The first thing I noted was the brake pedal was "spongy". Later I found this is common in most Ford trucks, so I learned to live with it. It does have ABS. I cycled it with our ECM tool, but it passed the test. I don't use DOT5 in my old cars. It is expensive and very hard to bleed completely. Every couple of years I connect our power bleeder and run fluid out until it is clear to remove all signs of contamination.
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sarahcecelia |
08-22-2017 @ 8:51 PM
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Senior
Posts: 1190
Joined: Mar 2013
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I did my research on it on "Google" and it said that all modern cars use silicone, DOT 5?? Where did you get your info?? Regards, Steve Lee
This message was edited by sarahcecelia on 8-22-17 @ 8:52 PM
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TomO |
08-23-2017 @ 9:04 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7252
Joined: Oct 2009
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Check out the ASE Guide link that I posted. The owners manual in my 2007 Buick and my 2913 Equinox, specify DOT 3. Steve, please post a link to the site that says "most new cars use DOT 5 brake fluid"
Tom
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