Ford brake fluid is often regarded as being good quality for DOT 3, very high dry boiling point, wet boiling point is decent but not as impressive, so do a swap of fluid at appropriate intervals.
Best DOT 3, 4 Brake Fluid?
- Thread starter Cooper
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ATE super blue. Makes it easy to see that you have flushed the system.
Will most people get the brake temps up more than the lowest temp rating?
most people wont no. after a hotlap session in my mustang the rotors were about 1100 degrees F. those were 2000 Cobra R brakes, 13" vented rotors and 4 piston calipers. after that i decided brake cooling ducts were a good idea, although i never had any fade. i used the valvoline DOT 3/4.
Originally Posted By: Cooper
It is the same thing, just new packaging. They are no longer using the Synpower name on it. But, the product data sheet has the excact same specs.
The web site says one thing (480/311), the spec sheet another (503/343 -- same, as you say). What does the bottle say?
Good to know it might not have been downgraded, but I hate it when companies don't get their data straight. Sometimes it's just miscommunication, other times, it's indicative of a future change that has yet to occur, or just multiple versions of an outwardly identical product, which is the worst.
It is the same thing, just new packaging. They are no longer using the Synpower name on it. But, the product data sheet has the excact same specs.
The web site says one thing (480/311), the spec sheet another (503/343 -- same, as you say). What does the bottle say?
Good to know it might not have been downgraded, but I hate it when companies don't get their data straight. Sometimes it's just miscommunication, other times, it's indicative of a future change that has yet to occur, or just multiple versions of an outwardly identical product, which is the worst.
Originally Posted By: Carmudgeon
Originally Posted By: Cooper
It is the same thing, just new packaging. They are no longer using the Synpower name on it. But, the product data sheet has the excact same specs.
The web site says one thing (480/311), the spec sheet another (503/343 -- same, as you say). What does the bottle say?
Good to know it might not have been downgraded, but I hate it when companies don't get their data straight. Sometimes it's just miscommunication, other times, it's indicative of a future change that has yet to occur, or just multiple versions of an outwardly identical product, which is the worst.
Yes, I now see on Valvolines Dot 3/4 main page were the temp specs are different than the product spec page. I am now guessing that they downgraded their Dot 3/4 brake fluid and have not updated the product sheet yet. The product sheet still says Synpower on it, which I didn't notice last time I looked.
I would venture to say Valvoline has produced an inferior brake fluid to their previous Synpower brake fluid. But, that is just assumtion, and everyone knows what that means.
Originally Posted By: Cooper
It is the same thing, just new packaging. They are no longer using the Synpower name on it. But, the product data sheet has the excact same specs.
The web site says one thing (480/311), the spec sheet another (503/343 -- same, as you say). What does the bottle say?
Good to know it might not have been downgraded, but I hate it when companies don't get their data straight. Sometimes it's just miscommunication, other times, it's indicative of a future change that has yet to occur, or just multiple versions of an outwardly identical product, which is the worst.
Yes, I now see on Valvolines Dot 3/4 main page were the temp specs are different than the product spec page. I am now guessing that they downgraded their Dot 3/4 brake fluid and have not updated the product sheet yet. The product sheet still says Synpower on it, which I didn't notice last time I looked.
I would venture to say Valvoline has produced an inferior brake fluid to their previous Synpower brake fluid. But, that is just assumtion, and everyone knows what that means.
Originally Posted By: MinivanMauler
"Brake fluid is incompressible, so one brake fluid should not feel softer than others. A softer pedal feel could mean that you got air in the system. When I used the Synpower brake fluid, I got a firmer pedal."
I know that this is theoretically correct, but I had a similar problem on my pickup when I switched the clutch over to DOT4. I bled it... and bled it again... and bled it again.
I finally thought that the slave cylinder must have blown a seal, but before springing for a new one, I decided to switch it back to DOT3, which instantly solved the problem.
I have no explanation for it. But I can assure you that there was no air in that system.
I have found that occasionally my pads wear to the point that the pedal has to travel farther to engage them, but the pedal has not traveled to the point that it lets more fluid enter the system. When this happens, it feels like a softer pedal, but its actually not and does go away when the pedal travels a little farther.
"Brake fluid is incompressible, so one brake fluid should not feel softer than others. A softer pedal feel could mean that you got air in the system. When I used the Synpower brake fluid, I got a firmer pedal."
I know that this is theoretically correct, but I had a similar problem on my pickup when I switched the clutch over to DOT4. I bled it... and bled it again... and bled it again.
I finally thought that the slave cylinder must have blown a seal, but before springing for a new one, I decided to switch it back to DOT3, which instantly solved the problem.
I have no explanation for it. But I can assure you that there was no air in that system.
I have found that occasionally my pads wear to the point that the pedal has to travel farther to engage them, but the pedal has not traveled to the point that it lets more fluid enter the system. When this happens, it feels like a softer pedal, but its actually not and does go away when the pedal travels a little farther.
I was at the parts store today and can verify the new Valvoline DOT 3/4 brake fluid no longer has the same specs as the old Synpower, per the label on the bottle.
The spec sheet, even though it's only a couple months old, apparently is already out of date. Pity.
The spec sheet, even though it's only a couple months old, apparently is already out of date. Pity.
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
Did you try to bleed the brake with Mityvac fluid extractor and the brake bleeding kit you got a while ago ?
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Did you try to bleed the brake with Mityvac fluid extractor and the brake bleeding kit you got a while ago ?
That kit is junk. I switched back to my pressure bleeder.
Did you try to bleed the brake with Mityvac fluid extractor and the brake bleeding kit you got a while ago ?
That kit is junk. I switched back to my pressure bleeder.
You're probably not going to change his mind on brake fluid from 4 years ago, though.
Originally Posted By: surfstar
You're probably not going to change his mind on brake fluid from 4 years ago, though.
?
You're probably not going to change his mind on brake fluid from 4 years ago, though.
?
DOT5 apparently IS somewhat compressible.
What do I use for the street?
Anybodys' DOT3-4.
If you havd ABS, use what the manual says to - some systems are picky.
What do I use for the street?
Anybodys' DOT3-4.
If you havd ABS, use what the manual says to - some systems are picky.
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Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
Strange coincidence, my pedal is soft right now.
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
Strange coincidence, my pedal is soft right now.
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Did you try to bleed the brake with Mityvac fluid extractor and the brake bleeding kit you got a while ago ?
That kit is junk. I switched back to my pressure bleeder.
I used Mityvac 7201 without the brake bleeding kit to bleed my car's brake system and it worked much better then Motive power brake bleeder.
I had the one with several adapters for European and Asian brake systems, I sold them all on Ebay and Craigslist.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Did you try to bleed the brake with Mityvac fluid extractor and the brake bleeding kit you got a while ago ?
That kit is junk. I switched back to my pressure bleeder.
I used Mityvac 7201 without the brake bleeding kit to bleed my car's brake system and it worked much better then Motive power brake bleeder.
I had the one with several adapters for European and Asian brake systems, I sold them all on Ebay and Craigslist.
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
Strange coincidence, my pedal is soft right now.
Today, I did a brake flush flush on my mother's DD, which is a 2010 Altima V6 with 17k.
I used the white-bottle Valvoline DOT 3/4, two quarts of it, with my Motive Pressure Bleeder at 20-22 psi. Pedal is indeed firmer and the mushiness that had recently developed is now completely gone.
So, if you are getting a soft pedal after the flush, then there was a problem with the procedure.
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: Cooper
I am getting ready to do the brakes on my Nissan Altima. What is the best DOT 3,4 brake fluid available. I have used Valvoline stuff before, and it makes the brakes feel a little mushy. What are some opinions?
One of my buddies uses Valvoline DOT3/4 fluid at his shop (white bottle) exclusively. I've always felt that the brake pedals on his customers' cars felt a bit soft after a flush with a pressure bleeder, but he insists that the feel was normal for the make/model. This isn't the first post that I've read about Valvoline DOT3/4 causing a softer pedal. Very odd.
Strange coincidence, my pedal is soft right now.
Today, I did a brake flush flush on my mother's DD, which is a 2010 Altima V6 with 17k.
I used the white-bottle Valvoline DOT 3/4, two quarts of it, with my Motive Pressure Bleeder at 20-22 psi. Pedal is indeed firmer and the mushiness that had recently developed is now completely gone.
So, if you are getting a soft pedal after the flush, then there was a problem with the procedure.
The soft pedal could be due to the viscosity difference, esp between the old vs new fluid. In other words, just less resistance during braking. That has been my experience between the OEM old dot 3 fluid and the new DOT 3/4 fluid.
The pedal feeling soft has nothing to do with the viscosity of the fluid used. The compression does not change from brand to brand.
If you have more pedal travel or a 'softer' feel then you still have issues somewhere with air, leaks, excessive play/travel, etc.
If you have more pedal travel or a 'softer' feel then you still have issues somewhere with air, leaks, excessive play/travel, etc.
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
The pedal feeling soft has nothing to do with the viscosity of the fluid used. The compression does not change from brand to brand.
If you have more pedal travel or a 'softer' feel then you still have issues somewhere with air, leaks, excessive play/travel, etc.
Unless there's moisture, I suppose. There's a rumor that water in the fluid will cause a change in pedal feel, but I have never been able to verify this.
When I was doing the brake flush, I did tap on the caliper and saw a couple of very, very tiny bubbles escape from each caliper. This may or may not have contributed to the firmer pedal.
The pedal feeling soft has nothing to do with the viscosity of the fluid used. The compression does not change from brand to brand.
If you have more pedal travel or a 'softer' feel then you still have issues somewhere with air, leaks, excessive play/travel, etc.
Unless there's moisture, I suppose. There's a rumor that water in the fluid will cause a change in pedal feel, but I have never been able to verify this.
When I was doing the brake flush, I did tap on the caliper and saw a couple of very, very tiny bubbles escape from each caliper. This may or may not have contributed to the firmer pedal.
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