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Dot 5 brake fluid
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 8:26 am
Author: nealblath
anyone ever used it in a Z?
supposed to be non corrosive, ie, won't damage paint. Just wondered because I have had to touch up the paint on the calipers already where a small amount of fluid drippeed onto the calipers while bleeding them.
not recommended for ABS brakes but should be fine on a Z
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 8:34 am
Author: Eric Frith
Dot 5 is non corrosive and will not harm the paint, Dot 5.1 is corrosive though.
I use Dot 5 wherever possible
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:03 am
Author: nealblath
Eric Frith wrote:Dot 5 is non corrosive and will not harm the paint, Dot 5.1 is corrosive though.
I use Dot 5 wherever possible
yes I noticed that Eric.........apparently 5.1 has additives that make it corrosive
just ordered a bottle of Dot 5
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:30 am
Author: zed1015
You can't just re-bleed the system with dot 5.
You must totally strip the braking system and remove all traces of dot 4 if going over to 5.
Also you will most likely have to replace all the seals too in the calipers and master cyl.
4 and 5 don't play well together (glycol v/s silicone) and will mix to form a sludge even in the tiniest amounts.
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 12:56 pm
Author: nealblath
zed1015 wrote:You can't just re-bleed the system with dot 5.
You must totally strip the braking system and remove all traces of dot 4 if going over to 5.
Also you will most likely have to replace all the seals too in the calipers and master cyl.
4 and 5 don't play well together (glycol v/s silicone) and will mix to form a sludge even in the tiniest amounts.
ok Rob........will strip system fully down first
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 7:01 pm
Author: Rich
seconded for new seals and full strip
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:03 pm
Author: jimmock
Rich wrote:seconded for new seals and full strip
I quite fancy the "full strip" part!!
Jimmock.
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:35 pm
Author: Garn 1
NealB, a question I have often asked and never received a logical answer.
If dot 5 is so good, why doesn't all new bikes have it?
Perhaps, it is as you say "not recommended for ABS brakes".
Is that the only reason?
RegardZ
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:42 pm
Author: HowieD
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 11:35 pm
Author: Garn 1
Thanks HowieD, good explanations, particularly from BMW GS forum. I'm in the market for a F800Gs 2009 -2010... one day!
RegardZ.
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:18 pm
Author: gray
On the other hand....
15 years ago I owned a Corvette stingray ( '69 L46 350/350 smallblock T roof) with terrible caliper corrosion so I got a stainless calipers kit from the US. Came with litres and litres of silicone brake fluid and I had plenty left over at the end so i got most of the old fluid out of my Z9 and refilled with the new stuff.
No problems at all , and it didn't "age" and go murky and cloudy like Dot 3/4 does. No problem with the seals and I wasn't superfastidious about the changeover. only went back to dot4 when i ran out of it .( so that was 35-40K miles of use.)
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:42 am
Author: hx35w
Garn 1 wrote:NealB, a question I have often asked and never received a logical answer.
If dot 5 is so good, why doesn't all new bikes have it?
Perhaps, it is as you say "not recommended for ABS brakes".
Is that the only reason?
RegardZ
Dot 5 will be spongy because it will compress more than glycol based fluid.
Dot 5 is more likely to draw more condensation than other fluids.
Dot 5 is prone to having microscopic bubbles more easily in-trained witch adds to the spongy feeling. Not to mention, It's not cheap.
Does have a higher boiling point.
It also works as a grate replacement for armor all. It will last much longer and make rubber,vinyl, and engine paint look new.