Brake fluid recommendations?

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Dumc87

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I'm positive there are a bajillion threads on "best brake fluid" on here, but the results yielded from searching "brake fluid" were very sporadic.

So I'll just get right to it; Which brake fluid brands/spec would you guys recommend for:

- 1990 Nissan 300ZX
- 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- 2009 Toyota Matrix

I typically stick with Dot3/4 Valvoline or Prestone, but after I've been browsing this forum again the last few days, I'm seeing new products I haven't heard of LOL so hopefully I can get some feedback here.

Thanks!
 
Can't really think of any criteria (other than price and maybe boiling point specs) on which to judge them.

I suppose the lubricity and corrosion inhibition may vary but I dunno if that info is readily available and I can't assess it myself.

I use CPC DOT3 because its cheaper than DOT4 and I've been changing it fairly often. Just works. I'd expect any other make would do the same.
 
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Can't really think of any criteria (other than price and maybe boiling point specs) on which to judge them.

I suppose the lubricity and corrosion inhibition may vary but I dunno if that info is readily available and I can't assess it myself.

I use CPC DOT3 because its cheaper than DOT4 and I've been changing it fairly often. Just works. I'd expect any other make would do the same.


For the 300ZX, a lot of people use to use ATE Blue brake fluid, but that's since been outlawed in the U.S.

I see Z1 Motorsports sells a DOT5 Motul fluid now, instead of the ATE fluid.

Not really sure my driving style requires any fancy brake fluid though LOL
 
Valvoline brake fluid is Dot3/4 and not to much more than just Dot3. Anything more than that is not worth it IMO unless you are racing or have other needs for much higher temps.
 
I do drive on Interstate 4 here in Orlando, FL quite a bit, so high temps may be a concern, but nothing like full out racing high temps.
 
I use Super Dot 4 as the car requires it, but the problem with that type of fluid is that it's more hygroscopic than Dot 3 so you need to flush it more often. Mine has a 2 year factory recommendation.
 
Originally Posted By: Dumc87
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Can't really think of any criteria (other than price and maybe boiling point specs) on which to judge them.

I suppose the lubricity and corrosion inhibition may vary but I dunno if that info is readily available and I can't assess it myself.

I use CPC DOT3 because its cheaper than DOT4 and I've been changing it fairly often. Just works. I'd expect any other make would do the same.


For the 300ZX, a lot of people use to use ATE Blue brake fluid, but that's since been outlawed in the U.S.

I see Z1 Motorsports sells a DOT5 Motul fluid now, instead of the ATE fluid.

Not really sure my driving style requires any fancy brake fluid though LOL


Hey, an American article that miss-spells breaks/brakes deliberately (I think).

Blue-so-you-see-the-change actually seems a fairly good idea, though not essential
 
Originally Posted By: Dumc87
Marketing label aside, this brake fluid seems interesting:

Throttle Muscle XTREME brake fluid


Personally I'm guessing the concerns about not using brake fluid from a carefully re-sealed container are exaggerated, and I do it, but I still wouldn't buy A GALLON of brake fluid, even if its just one of those wee toy US gallons.

Plus its called "Throttle Muscle". Snigger.

I mean, "Throttle Muscle"

C'mon.
 
My go to brake fluid for years was Castrol GT LMA DOT 4. It became hard to find so I switched to Valvoline DOT 4 which is availble at Wal-Mart.
The cars in my signature spec a DOT LV brake fluid. LV for low viscosity. I have a liter of Pentosin DOT 4 LV brake fluid on hand. Many newer vehicles have called for DOT 4 brake fluid for the past few years. Ford being one of them.
 
ATE Typ 200 DOT 4. It has much higher wet and dry boiling points than most other DOT 4 brake fluids, and it is designed so that it binds to water in such a way that wet boiling point is not changed by moisture. At least up to some point. IMHO, it's the best brake fluid for the money. But it will run you about $20/qt. The only brake fluids that are better are ones that cost 2-4 times as much.

If you have an aversion to ordering online, since you probably won't find ATE local unless you live near a speed shop, my second choice would be Pentosin Super Dot 4. It can be found at your local Autozone, and it is less expensive than ATE Typ 200. It can be had for about $14/qt.

Chances are, your Cherokee and the Matrix are never driven such that they will ever benefit from the superior brake fluid. But the 300ZX might. And you just as well have one brake fluid in the garage, that can be used in all three cars.

P.S. If anyone runs across a stash of ATE Super Blue, I'd pay a fair price for a few cans. And please, no one lecture me on how it is illegal. I don't want to hear about how effective of a bureaucracy the U.S. Government can be sometimes.
mad.gif
 
Actually Advance Auto also sells Pentosin Super Dot 4 and it's $14 before discount codes. The 40% off code will work on it so it's $8.40 a liter after coupon code.
 
Brand doesn't matter. Use any DOT 3 or 4 as specified in your manual. Don't get caught up using some expensive brand.
 
I don't see a benefit to running DOT5 in the ZX unless you regularly track it. Many folks online seem to do the switch over, but I just don't see a benefit. It won't eat the paint if spilled and it has a higher boiling point, but don't accidentally add it to something with ABS. Also, you want to make sure to get all of the old DOT3/DOT4 out. Just doesn't seem worth the hassle to me.

I'd personally stick with something you can use in all your vehicles. Supertech DOT3 is cheap and what I use.
 
Originally Posted By: BHopkins
ATE Typ 200 DOT 4. It has much higher wet and dry boiling points than most other DOT 4 brake fluids, and it is designed so that it binds to water in such a way that wet boiling point is not changed by moisture. At least up to some point. IMHO, it's the best brake fluid for the money. But it will run you about $20/qt. The only brake fluids that are better are ones that cost 2-4 times as much.

If you have an aversion to ordering online, since you probably won't find ATE local unless you live near a speed shop, my second choice would be Pentosin Super Dot 4. It can be found at your local Autozone, and it is less expensive than ATE Typ 200. It can be had for about $14/qt.

Chances are, your Cherokee and the Matrix are never driven such that they will ever benefit from the superior brake fluid. But the 300ZX might. And you just as well have one brake fluid in the garage, that can be used in all three cars.

P.S. If anyone runs across a stash of ATE Super Blue, I'd pay a fair price for a few cans. And please, no one lecture me on how it is illegal. I don't want to hear about how effective of a bureaucracy the U.S. Government can be sometimes.
mad.gif



Pentosin is interesting to me. I just wonder if using $14 (8.40 post discount) brake fluid versus $5 brake fluid will yield any significant difference in my vehicles.

The Jeep has the worst brakes of the cars. I upgraded the pads and rotors and did a brake fluid flush, which helped out quite a bit. I think I used Prestone or SuperTech. Something off the shelf at Wal Mart. I want to get stainless steel lines for the Jeep as well as the Matrix, as I feel that's the best brake upgrade one can do relatively easy. Once I get those, that is when I'd like to refresh the fluid with something nice
cool.gif
 
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