Valvoline DOT 3/4 Brake Fluid Seal Compatiblity

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I have read some various posts around the web stating that Valvoline DOT 3/4 Brake Fluid caused seal/hose degradation, especially in some older vehicles. I found nothing conclusive, but it does raise a concern. I thinking of running this in a '94 Dodge Stealth R/T w/o ABS which specs DOT3 or 4.

Not sure when this happened, but looks like Valvoline branded Brake fluid is no longer made by Valvoline. A company called Niteo Products owns the brand . Their sell sheet claims " Valvoline DOT 3 & 4 Brake Fluid is designed for natural rubber (NR), styrenebutadiene rubber (SBR), or and a diene (EPDM). Not sure if the formulation changed recently for better or worse. Anyone with experience running this fluid in an older vehicle?
 
Sounds like the usual internet [censored]. I have the same fluid in my 73 Chevy and have not had any issues. I flushed the entire system so its 100% Valvoline Dot 3/4 brake fluid.
 
That spec PDF is useless. The product is called DOT 3&4 yet it lists different boiling points for DOT3 and DOT4. It's like they gave the secretary the job of producing the spec sheet, she copied and pasted a bunch of stuff, and never had an engineer proof read it.

I've been running it in 3 different vehicles for 3 years, no problems.
 
I've been using the Valvoline product for years. DOT 3/4 is DOT 3/4 and compatible with brake systems designed to use that fluid. You'll get basically the same brake fluid no matter what brand you purchase. The wet and dry boiling points may vary somewhat but DOT 3/4 is DOT 3/4. Period.
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I've been using the Valvoline product for years. DOT 3/4 is DOT 3/4 and compatible with brake systems designed to use that fluid. You'll get basically the same brake fluid no matter what brand you purchase. The wet and dry boiling points may vary somewhat but DOT 3/4 is DOT 3/4. Period.
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Unless you know what all e seals in your brake system are made from, it's a gamble.

You'll either spring a leak, or you won't, but without material testing beforehand there's no way of knowing.
 
Believe it or not, DOT brake fluid has to meet FMVSS standards, including material compatibility.

As they say, correlation does not imply causation, so any observed degradation, especially in "older" vehicles of unspecified type, does not necessarily point to Valvoline fluid being the problem. Old seals are old seals, and can leak.

A DOT brake fluid used in a vehicle that calls for DOT fluid should present no compatibility issues, and I doubt that Valvoline, or the company they license their brand to, is going to open themselves up to all sorts of potential liability from putting product on the market that presents a potential safety risk.

As mentioned in another thread, FMVSS 116 dates back to the early 70s, so those must be some mighty "old" vehicles.
 
This is true, but the FMVSS 116 is an endpoint material property spec. including compatibility you mentioned. It does not specify the formulation. Nearly every brake fluid manufacturer has its own additive package and that may affect even some newer brake systems.

For instance, certain model 2005-06 Toyotas experience master cylinder leaks when servicing with non-OEM SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT3 brake fluid and were recalled. The OEM factory fill fluid contained a polymer additive as a lubricant which was either not present or in enough concentration in the aftermarket fluid.

Also, in an email I sent to Pentosin they stated that my vehicle in not on their application list for Super DOT 4 fluid even though it meets SAE J1704 FMVSS No.116 - translation don't use Super DOT 4 in this vehicle.

Non-compatibility should not happen with the FMVSS 116, but there are some cases in out in the field. Your right correlation does not imply causation, but short of running an experiment this is this info I have.
 
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Sometimes, I swear that a lot of manufacturers don't give this stuff as much thought as we do, at least with us being all OCD. My G37 for instance, calls for DOT 3 specifically. We've heard the arguments here that DOT 4 is compatible in DOT 3 applications, and we've also heard warnings, too, such as you just mentioned.

For my case at least, the Infiniti/Nissan dealership sells only DOT 4, not DOT 3 nor DOT 3/4. Go figure.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
For my case at least, the Infiniti/Nissan dealership sells only DOT 4, not DOT 3 nor DOT 3/4. Go figure.


As far as I can tell from scanning through FMVSS 116, any DOT 4 that meets the lower maximum low-temp viscosity limit of a DOT 3 also qualifies as a DOT 3. Similarly, all DOT 5.1 fluids also qualify as DOT 3 and DOT 4 (low-temp viscosity limit for 5.1 is lower than for either 4 or 3). So, your dealer's fluid is not automatically 'out of spec.' Perhaps you could find an SDS for the fluid they sell, and verify what the typical low-temp viscosity of their fluid is.
 
That's how I've always understood it. What I was referring to were the "horror stories" and ambiguous warnings we've heard where a DOT 4 might not somehow be optimal in a DOT 3 application. I've never had a problem using a DOT 4 option a a DOT 3 application. Considering I get Castrol LMA DOT 4 at something like $4 a pint, that's all I'm using.
 
Yes. My Honda pickup specifies DOT 3, and many of the Honda wonks in cyberspace are adamant that my pickup will entirely melt, explode, rust, AND fail to ever stop again even if hit by a meteorite, if I use anything but Honda Heavy Duty brake fluid. I pay no attention to them. (-:
 
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