What Brake Fluid are you using?

I have used it for about 4 years now. What I really like is that it is available in gold also. Same exact fluid. I change mine probably4 times a year and I love being able to see the blue replace the gold or the gold replace the blue. You really know when you have it all out.

I have never had a single problem on the track

 

I used Prestone DOT 3 as called for by the manufacturer.

 

How much fluid does it usually take to flush the 308?

 

I also use Ate Super Blue in my car. As for quantity needed to flush the system I use the entire one litre can that it comes in.

I always change my brake fluid annually per recommendation from Mercedes-Benz. They're known for 'overkill' maintenance recommendations so that applies to my Ferrari as well!

Cheers;
Aaron
'82 GTSi

 

I use Motul . . doesn't it have a higher wet and dry boiling point than the ATE?

 

I use ATE Super Blue also. As noted, it is also available in amber color for the same price. You can alternate colors or stick with one (I just use the blue, not amber). For normal street use, bleeding the brakes every 2 years is fine. If you do it annually as part of your maintenance routine, there's nothing wrong with that, and you know it is done. I find it takes about 1/2 a 1 liter can to bleed the brakes, but if you use more, no big deal. Once the can is open, I mark the date that it is opened on it, and only use it to top up the reservoir, if it needs it, or do a bleed if needed within one year of opening it. Otherwise, for the 2 year bleed, I use a new can. Because I use Super Blue in all my cars, the cans tend not to last very long anyway.

 

They are pretty close. As a practical matter, for street driving, just about any decent, brand name brake fluid, DOT 3 or 4, will work just fine. The only time you really need to worry about racing fluid is if you take the car on the track or do a lot of autocrossing, where you are likely to cook the brakes. Otherwise, in street driving situations you are unlikely to heat the brakes up enough to boil any brake fluid no matter what the rating, particularly if you change the fluid every year or two. Personally, I use Super Blue in all my cars because I buy it by the case and it's easier to just use one fluid for brakes and clutch on all the cars then trying to keep track of which fluid I'm using in which car.

 

Yep . . . all true . .. haven't had to upgrade to big front brakes yet using Motul and race compound brake pads on the track.

For a car that never saw the track or aggressive driving I'd probably use the same fluid I put in my '87 Ford diesel work truck . .. Autozone $5/qt.

Sean

 

I'm a firm believer in DOT 5, have used it for years with -no- worries, including a number of 308 track days.

There's a lot of old wives tales out there about this stuff - lots of folks (like me) swear by it, while others swear about it.

Cheers - DM

 

Silicone and regular don't mix at all. You do need to start fresh. In other words, I don't care how "flushed" things are, you need to pull things off and throw away the old lines. At least that's what people have told me who work with this fluid. The Military uses it I think because it can go so long without needing changing but I have also heard that they are switching back in some cases. I don't know why.

It is nice in that you don't have a water absorbing problem or paint stripping problem but considering the effort vs what's gained to move to a silicone from regular, it just isn't worth it in my opinion. Cheaper and just as dependable to stay with 3 or 4.

 

Having worked as a mechanic on everything foreign from Alfa to Zagato for forty years have picked up a couple things that have worked pretty well. Most all of the older foreign cars with Girling and ATE brake components used rubber, rather than neoprene (or similar) seals. Consequently brake fluid designed for American cars such as the Prestone sold at your local Pep Boys works great in the Ford truck, but over a period of time will destroy the seals in the foreign stuff. I paid my way through college working on Ferrari and Jaguar brake systems that the owners had topped up with us spec fluid and then several months later the pedal became "soft".

In the past I always used, and recommended to others Castrol Girling GT. When the Ate Blue became available I switched. Not only are the compounds in this fluid compatible with all types of seals, but the higher viscosity seems to help older components give a better (more solid) feel. Additionally I use this in my Porsche race car, and both the Ralt formula atlantic, and March indy cars. These cars are all very hard on brake components. I have never had any problems with brake fade due to the fluid boiling. I have a case of Motul brake fluid in the shop that is rarely used unless a customer specifically requests it.

Just my 2 cents...

Scott

 

ATE Super Blue here. I track my car, upgraded brake system using factory calipers and rotors Porterfield R4s pads, braided SS lines. So yes my brakes get hot...but I always have solid pedal, no fade whatsoever.

 

NEVER SILICONE BRAKE FLUID

Thank You

 

Dr TC. No disrespect intended but what you said about the DOT 5 Silicone brake fluid is misleading. I no longer have any financial interest in the brake fluid business but one of our businesses (which we sold years ago) did private label packaging of DOT 5 Silicone. You are correct that DOT 5 and DOT 3 or 4 do not “mix” but that does not mean they are not compatible. They will in fact work just fine when “mixed” in the system. The two different types of brake fluids will not attack each other or set up any undesirable chemical reactions. I am not trying to convince anyone to use DOT 5, the DOT 3 or 4 will work fine. If you change the fluid every year you are not likely to have a problem with water buildup in the brake fluid, which is the problem the DOT 5 fluid was designed to fix (DOT 5 fluid does not absorb water). I have had DOT 5 brake fluid in a lot of cars for a lot of years, from a ’32 Ford coupe (with a 39 brake system) many Ferrari and Lamborghini and even my Lotus Esprit, never had any problems. Just my 2 cents.

 

2Na, so what is the reason behind this? Curious.

What do you use? I need to flush my brakes soon.

 

I've had a few cars with faulty master cylinders that had silicone fluid in them.

If silicone was such an improvement wouldn't it have replaced glycol?

I use Castrol GTLMA DOT4 in street cars.

These are my personal preferences.

I have used Wilwood Racing fluid in race cars but it is changed DAILY

 

On a car that's notorious for inadequate brakes isn't the extra 20-30 deg protection from Motul worth something?

Maybe I don't understand what's happening when brakes overheat . .. thought there were 2 things you're trying to prevent . .. the pads/rotors overheating (exceeding optimum temp) and the fluid boiling. Is it that these fluids operate at such a high temp that if they boil the pads are baked anyway?

What makes race pads different besides friction coefficient? Don't they operate and withstand higher temperatures? Not meaning to hi-jack, just want to understand a bit more. I have the full race Porterfield pads.

FWIW I used inexpensive brake fluid in my car for the first 10 years I owned it . ... now that I track it I see the value in the more expensive fluids but if I was tight for $$$ and not tracking it wouldn't bother me to use it again . .. my calipers were rebuilt in '95 and I've never touched my master cylinder . .. my name is Lucky though .

Sean

 

I have been tracking my 308 for over a decade. 2/3 were on stock front brakes ( I have the Brembo setup now) and I am extremely agressive. I have NEVER had a brake overheating problem. Not once and I mean Alabama in Aug at a track that will use up a set of V700s in one day. All with Dot 4.

If you are getting a long pedel, you have not bled your system well. And if you are getting it on the street, well you ave really got some problems...

 

I don't have brake problems . . . thought the concensus was the stock brakes are junk (not my opinion). Curious why you upgraded if no issues . .. if the brakes will lock the wheels under track conditions what more do you need? If they're not locking the wheels doesn't that mean they're fading? (as compared to locking easily when warm which mine do with street tires . .. not slicks).

Sean

edit/PS . .. I can get the upgraded baffle to starve on the street when I don't overfill and yes . .. I've been told I've got some problems

 

ATE Blue. Upgraded brakes w/factory rotors & calipers, I track my car, they get HOT, never fade. End of story.

 

I never had fluid/fade issue. I ran Porterfields on the stock setup which are excellent for Ferrari Club Track days with a car as slow as a 308 (yes it's a "slow" car guys. It's not 1984 anymore. They have Subarus that hit 60 in 5 flat now...). I bought the Brembos when they came out more or less as a fun upgrade. pretty big difference but it is a pain to balance the car out now. Mike C has about got it figured out. If you have something like Carbotech pads on the Brembo and stock whatever on the rear, you don't want to brake as late as I do. The fronts just grab so well.

My point was simply that you are not going to boil brake fluid in a 308 on the street unless there is old fluid in there. You don't need to run high end silicones, etc. to prevent that issue on a 308. I just can't imagine EVER driving a 308 on the STREET long , hard, and fast enough to actually exceed a dot 4 boiling point.

 

That's my point exactly.

On a "street-driven" car, if you change the fluid annually, DOT4 fluid (what the system was designed for) will work fine.

 

I just thought there was a lot of talk on here about how weak the 308 brakes are and I have always disagreed.

Regarding overheating on the street, you haven't followed me down Palamor Mountain . .. but then again no one has About 30 hairpins all with 100 ft straight aways before them . . . I got the race pads to stink and fade but I don't think the fluid boiled. Just a real world experience and I wasn't being unsafe .. . it was a research session. I had my infared with me and wanted to get a temp of the rotors but the reflection screws up the reading . . . think I read the hat at like 550 degrees. Will a good infared read rotor temp? What temp is optimum for race vs. street pads (generally . . .obviously differences in manufacturers, etc.)

My 308 does 0-60 in 5.5 sec (naturally aspirated) and autocrosses toe to toe with Boxsters . .. don't have the balls to push it on the big tracks like that but my car is not slow . . . my P car is a 1973 and eats everything (even Z06 Vette's) on the track (it's street legal) so I think you guys are off on year comparisons when it comes to the track and what is fast . . . air conditioning comparison well that's a different topic.

I'm going to run the 308 on big Willow and the Street of Willow beginnig of March. The Streets is a "relatively" slow technical track that I can drive fast . .. will be a good time for me to see what the 308 can do compared to the P cars with official timing.

Sean