What brake fluid?

Yumann

Full Member
May 17, 2002
1,638
0
Glasgow
So whats the best fluid for an lcr?

I read some post and people go for dot 4 as it gives better pedal feel

However is this safe with abs as 5.1 is recomended for cars with abs?
 

edc

Blue Leather & Shiny Bits
Feb 8, 2002
8,142
0
Surrey
www.clairecoileytrust.com
Why do you say that? DOT4 is standard stuff on most cars with lower engine' cars even using DOT3. You can use ABS perfectly ok with DOT4. Super DOT4 is the equivalent as DOT5.1
 

ibizacupra

Jack-RIP my little Friend
Jul 25, 2001
31,333
19
glos.uk
none of them are "compressable" - liquids after all.. BUT the differantiator between performance is their boiling temps.. boiled fluid IS compressable cos there's gas pockets created, henc elong to no brake pedal.. which is a scarey thing from personal experience. :(
 

ibizacupra

Jack-RIP my little Friend
Jul 25, 2001
31,333
19
glos.uk
dot 5.1 is the common fluid used. Avoid silicon one like the plague.

Super Dot4 from Castrol is pretty good stuff.

How hard do you use your brakes?
What colour are your disks?
 

Mitchy

TTRS
Oct 12, 2004
2,310
0
I went for castrol super dot 4 as opposed to dot 5.1.

I'm not too sure on the differences but believe the super dot 4 to have a better quality and a higher boiling point than 5.1. Both are better quality than dot 4.

I was also advised to stick with a brand name such as castrol etc and not cheap crap 5.1 or super dot 4.
 
Last edited:
May 16, 2008
506
0
southampton
none of them are "compressable" - liquids after all.. BUT the differantiator between performance is their boiling temps.. boiled fluid IS compressable cos there's gas pockets created, henc elong to no brake pedal.. which is a scarey thing from personal experience. :(

when i drive my car hard i have no brake pedal it goes all soft and compresses really easy its major brake fade could this be the dot4 fluid causing this .. i used to run comma dot 5.1 and seem fine

now just reading this made me think
 

vwbassett

Joined the Dark Side
Aug 13, 2007
963
53
Surrey
karl whens the last time it was changed and how heavy and regularly are you going on the brakes? Fluid replacement is recommended at 2 years as it absorbs water which reduces its hydraulic properties. Fluid that is opened long before it is to be used is just as bad as it should be used immediatly, if it sits on the shelf after the foil lid is popped i wouldnt hold onto for more than a year as it will be absorbing moisture the whole time its there. Good super dot 4's can often be better than cheap 5.1's. As my LCR doesnt get hammered on the brakes regularly ive gone for the febi dot4 plus from vwspares as its £5 a litre and is rated at 260deg dry which isnt far off the castrol super dot4 at 280 deg and at that price i can afford to replace it more regularly.
 

ibizacupra

Jack-RIP my little Friend
Jul 25, 2001
31,333
19
glos.uk
when i drive my car hard i have no brake pedal it goes all soft and compresses really easy its major brake fade could this be the dot4 fluid causing this .. i used to run comma dot 5.1 and seem fine

now just reading this made me think

sounds like air in there..
 
May 16, 2008
506
0
southampton
i have bleed them loads and even a garage bleed them for me and still no better it happens when i sit in traffic and on off on off the pedal it goes spongey , also if i do hammer it round it compleatly gose soft
 
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