High Performance Brake fluid comparasin

[Moose]

High Performance Brake Fluid Comparison:


The Dry Boiling Point is the temperature at which a brake fluid will boil in its virgin non-contaminated state. The highest temperature Dry Boiling Point available in a DOT 3 fluid is 572 F

The Wet Boiling Point is the temperature a brake fluid will boil after it has been fully saturated with moisture. The DOT 3 requirement for wet boiling point is a minimum temperature of 284 F.

When fluid \"boils\" the fluid vapourises and causes gas pockets ... these gas pockets are compressible, brake fluid in liquid format does not compress. As a result of these gas pockets, you get a \"spongy\\\" pedal feel at best, at worst you have NO brakes. Basically when you press the pedal all you are doing is compressing the gas, not the fluid thus not the brakes pads against the rotors.

There are many ways for moisture to enter your brake system. Condensation from regular use, washing the vehicle and humidity are the most common, with little hope of prevention. Glycol based DOT 3 & 4 & 5.1 fluids are hygroscopic; they absorb brake system moisture, and over time the boiling point is gradually reduced.

If you bleed / flush your brakes religiously then the wet boiling point is less of an issue, as you are removing the water loaded fluid, but if you are like most of us who do not flush/bleed that often then a high wet boiling point fluid is important


Highest to lowest DRY --------Dry / Wet----Amount---List Price in USD

Project U G4-335---------------671 / 429-----1L--------$50.00
Neo Super DOT 610-------------610 / 421-----340ml-----$15.00
MOTUL RBF 600----------------594 / 421-----500ml-----$15.00
CASTROL SRF------------------590 / 518-----1L--------$70.00
AP-Super 600------------------590 / 410-----500ml-----$18.00
Pentosin Racing brake fluid------572 / 393-----1L--------$26.00
Willlwood 570-------------------570 / 284-----340ml-----$8.00
PFC Z-Rated-------------------550 / 284-----500ml-----$10.00
Ford HD------------------------550 / 284-----500ml-----$3.50
ATE Super Blue / Type 200------536 / 396-----1L--------$12.00
APE 551------------------------528 / 288-----500ml-----$12.50
Motul DOT 5.1------------------509 / 365-----500ml-----$6.50
Valvoline Synpower-------------503 / 343-----500ml-----$5.00
Castrol LMA--------------------446 / 311-----500ml-----$3.50



The Best Wet AND Dry perfomance vs Price, and the easiest to find is the Motul RBF 600 ... But if you can find the NEO then itis a good low-cost option.

Moose

[MaxRPM]

I disagree, the Ford is the best bang for the buck. @ 3.50 you can afford to change it religously and always have fresh fluid. This coming from someone who flushed the whole system with RBF600 before each track day.


Originally posted by Moose


High Performance Brake Fluid Comparison:


The Dry Boiling Point is the temperature at which a brake fluid will boil in its virgin non-contaminated state. The highest temperature Dry Boiling Point available in a DOT 3 fluid is 572 F

The Wet Boiling Point is the temperature a brake fluid will boil after it has been fully saturated with moisture. The DOT 3 requirement for wet boiling point is a minimum temperature of 284 F.

When fluid \"boils\" the fluid vapourises and causes gas pockets ... these gas pockets are compressible, brake fluid in liquid format does not compress. As a result of these gas pockets, you get a \"spongy\\\" pedal feel at best, at worst you have NO brakes. Basically when you press the pedal all you are doing is compressing the gas, not the fluid thus not the brakes pads against the rotors.

There are many ways for moisture to enter your brake system. Condensation from regular use, washing the vehicle and humidity are the most common, with little hope of prevention. Glycol based DOT 3 & 4 & 5.1 fluids are hygroscopic; they absorb brake system moisture, and over time the boiling point is gradually reduced.

If you bleed / flush your brakes religiously then the wet boiling point is less of an issue, as you are removing the water loaded fluid, but if you are like most of us who do not flush/bleed that often then a high wet boiling point fluid is important


Highest to lowest DRY --------Dry / Wet----Amount---List Price in USD

Project U G4-335---------------671 / 429-----1L--------$50.00
Neo Super DOT 610-------------610 / 421-----340ml-----$15.00
MOTUL RBF 600----------------594 / 421-----500ml-----$15.00
CASTROL SRF------------------590 / 518-----1L--------$70.00
AP-Super 600------------------590 / 410-----500ml-----$18.00
Pentosin Racing brake fluid------572 / 393-----1L--------$26.00
Willlwood 570-------------------570 / 284-----340ml-----$8.00
PFC Z-Rated-------------------550 / 284-----500ml-----$10.00
Ford HD------------------------550 / 284-----500ml-----$3.50
ATE Super Blue / Type 200------536 / 396-----1L--------$12.00
APE 551------------------------528 / 288-----500ml-----$12.50
Motul DOT 5.1------------------509 / 365-----500ml-----$6.50
Valvoline Synpower-------------503 / 343-----500ml-----$5.00
Castrol LMA--------------------446 / 311-----500ml-----$3.50



The Best Wet AND Dry perfomance vs Price, and the easiest to find is the Motul RBF 600 ... But if you can find the NEO then itis a good low-cost option.

Moose

[Moose]

Ford Spec USED to be my fluid of choice ... BUT I found that I had to bleed it at least once a day if not multiple times when I was racing my old car (HPDE/Solo-1) The pedal got lower and lower, mushier an mushier throiugh out the day ... when I changed to Pentosin I did not have to bleed very often ... a couple a time a a SEASON ... The RBF has similar charateristics to the Pentosin and it is still pretty cheap ... granted not as cheap as Ford Spec.


Bottom line in my eyes ... The Ford is cheap and better than OE ... but there is better options avaiable. You pick the option based on your budget and on what is avaible to you thru your suppliers.


Cheers

Moose

[MaxRPM]

I never said it was the best, just best bang for your dollar! That\'s why I used RBF, best bang for my dollar and a heavy car that would generate alot of heat. :-) Never had an issue with RBF, good shit!


Originally posted by Moose



Ford Spec USED to be my fluid of choice ... BUT I found that I had to bleed it at least once a day if not multiple times when I was racing my old car (HPDE/Solo-1) The pedal got lower and lower, mushier an mushier throiugh out the day ... when I changed to Pentosin I did not have to bleed very often ... a couple a time a a SEASON ... The RBF has similar charateristics to the Pentosin and it is still pretty cheap ... granted not as cheap as Ford Spec.


Bottom line in my eyes ... The Ford is cheap and better than OE ... but there is better options avaiable. You pick the option based on your budget and on what is avaible to you thru your suppliers.


Cheers

Moose

[thekid]

Originally posted by MaxRPM


I disagree, the Ford is the best bang for the buck. @ 3.50 you can afford to change it religously and always have fresh fluid. This coming from someone who flushed the whole system with RBF600 before each track day.



IMO if you have to change the fluid before each track day then it isn\'t the best bang for the buck... as an avid track person I know that you can go almost an entire season on Motul RBF600 wihtout needing to bleed the brakes once, when I used to use Ford HD, I\'d easily go through 5 bottles per summer with all the track and lapping days I\'d do, having to bleed the brakes after every or every other track day. The time saved is worth the cost alone for the Motul brake fluid.

[MaxRPM]

Maybe you could go an entire season without changing the RBF, but I couldn\'t without a degradation in \"feel\". Yes I could go more then once, but it was never as good as a complete flush/bleed. Thus I changed it before every track day.

Remember you are driving a lightweigfht Mazda, when I was going to the track regularly, 16 times in 2003, I had a heavy Maxima, big ass brakes, combined with faster entry speeds to scrub off, a lot more heat is generated and transfered to the fluid.

While I never used the Ford fluid before, I am sure I would not have noticed the difference between the two. I know several people who use without complaint. But hey they change it every time.



Originally posted by thekid



Originally posted by MaxRPM


I disagree, the Ford is the best bang for the buck. @ 3.50 you can afford to change it religously and always have fresh fluid. This coming from someone who flushed the whole system with RBF600 before each track day.



IMO if you have to change the fluid before each track day then it isn\'t the best bang for the buck... as an avid track person I know that you can go almost an entire season on Motul RBF600 wihtout needing to bleed the brakes once, when I used to use Ford HD, I\'d easily go through 5 bottles per summer with all the track and lapping days I\'d do, having to bleed the brakes after every or every other track day. The time saved is worth the cost alone for the Motul brake fluid.