Amsoil Brake Fluid ?
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I don't think there is much difference so long as it meets the DOT rating your car requires and its changed often enough...
I happen to use Amsoil DOT-4 in my Santa Fe, but haven't noticed any differences. The old stuff used to come out clean and so does this stuff.
If it's a good price buy it. I would use a synthetic BF over your average off the shelf one because up here it would give you better performance in the bitter cold weather I'm sure and be really good at keeping the ABS/TCS modules (if you have them) in better shape I would think.
I happen to use Amsoil DOT-4 in my Santa Fe, but haven't noticed any differences. The old stuff used to come out clean and so does this stuff.
If it's a good price buy it. I would use a synthetic BF over your average off the shelf one because up here it would give you better performance in the bitter cold weather I'm sure and be really good at keeping the ABS/TCS modules (if you have them) in better shape I would think.
Don't know... Is your fluid dirty or just for maintenance?
If it's just for maintenance you could just suction out whats in the master cylinder and put fresh fluid in.
Flush the brakes all around until the master cylinder is almost empty but not enough that it sucks in air and then top up with more fluid.
This will assure that the majority of the lines are filled with new stuff and so is your master cylinder.
If it's just for maintenance you could just suction out whats in the master cylinder and put fresh fluid in.
Flush the brakes all around until the master cylinder is almost empty but not enough that it sucks in air and then top up with more fluid.
This will assure that the majority of the lines are filled with new stuff and so is your master cylinder.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I don't think there is much difference so long as it meets the DOT rating your car requires and its changed often enough...
I happen to use Amsoil DOT-4 in my Santa Fe, but haven't noticed any differences. The old stuff used to come out clean and so does this stuff.
If it's a good price buy it. I would use a synthetic BF over your average off the shelf one because up here it would give you better performance in the bitter cold weather I'm sure and be really good at keeping the ABS/TCS modules (if you have them) in better shape I would think.
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
I don't think there is much difference so long as it meets the DOT rating your car requires and its changed often enough...
I happen to use Amsoil DOT-4 in my Santa Fe, but haven't noticed any differences. The old stuff used to come out clean and so does this stuff.
If it's a good price buy it. I would use a synthetic BF over your average off the shelf one because up here it would give you better performance in the bitter cold weather I'm sure and be really good at keeping the ABS/TCS modules (if you have them) in better shape I would think.
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
I am interested... I didn't know that... I thought some still contained more mineral oils where as Amsoil and some other so called high performance fluids were 99.9% synthetic.
Good to know... Thanks
Good to know... Thanks
Amsoil brake fluid may be a good idea, my experiences show that the cheap DOT3 stuff that is sold everywhere tends to turn foul quickly. DOT4 does not.
A good price/performance fluid that I use is Valvoline DOT 4. It can be had for less than 5 dollars a qt on sale.
SteveC is pretty sharp - must be a temporary brain fert about the synthetic brake fluid.
But buy a qt of what you will flush with. Don't get the little bottles.
But buy a qt of what you will flush with. Don't get the little bottles.
mechtech2,
Thanks for the compliment... I honestly never paid too much attention to Brake Fluid other than replacing it with what I thought was a high quality fluid... I honestly thought that there was more mineral content in the "off the shelf" brands with some synthetic fluids to meet the DOT rating.
I just assumed that Amsoil had more if not all (99.9%) Synthetic content.
To me, it's not important as engine oil... Changing it with something that meets the standard and doing it regularly is the most important as it doesn't see quite the abuse that your engine/transmission/cooling system sees IMO.
See, you learn something new everyday and I'm not afraid to admit to it. Even with over 5K posts
Thanks for the compliment... I honestly never paid too much attention to Brake Fluid other than replacing it with what I thought was a high quality fluid... I honestly thought that there was more mineral content in the "off the shelf" brands with some synthetic fluids to meet the DOT rating.
I just assumed that Amsoil had more if not all (99.9%) Synthetic content.
To me, it's not important as engine oil... Changing it with something that meets the standard and doing it regularly is the most important as it doesn't see quite the abuse that your engine/transmission/cooling system sees IMO.
See, you learn something new everyday and I'm not afraid to admit to it. Even with over 5K posts
In general, DOT 3 is needed to flush every 3 years and DOT 4 every 2 years.
I do mine once a year when I take my snow tires off, I bleed the system and I service the caliper sliders etc. and have a look at my brakes. I do 50K KM a year (30K Miles) I also have all the tools to make the job easy and I think it's a worth while investment in time!
Originally Posted By: Big Jim[/quote
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
There were no synthetic fluids in the 1930's
From internet: What’s new in brake fluids?
Non-silicone based synthetic brake fluids. Sometimes referred to as DOT 5.1, it is compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids. This fluid is advertised as “synthetic” but has much the same characteristics as DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. This biggest advantage is its higher boiling point of over 500 degrees F, similar to silicone-based fluids. As long as the container says it is compatible with DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids, you can mix it or top up the brake system with this synthetic fluid. Better yet, take the vehicle in for service and have the old fluid bled out and new fluid installed in your brake system. The brakes will perform better, and you will have delayed the onset of more costly brake repairs.
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
There were no synthetic fluids in the 1930's
From internet: What’s new in brake fluids?
Non-silicone based synthetic brake fluids. Sometimes referred to as DOT 5.1, it is compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids. This fluid is advertised as “synthetic” but has much the same characteristics as DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. This biggest advantage is its higher boiling point of over 500 degrees F, similar to silicone-based fluids. As long as the container says it is compatible with DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids, you can mix it or top up the brake system with this synthetic fluid. Better yet, take the vehicle in for service and have the old fluid bled out and new fluid installed in your brake system. The brakes will perform better, and you will have delayed the onset of more costly brake repairs.
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Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: Big Jim
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
There were no synthetic fluids in the 1930's
From internet: What’s new in brake fluids?
Non-silicone based synthetic brake fluids. Sometimes referred to as DOT 5.1, it is compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids. This fluid is advertised as “synthetic” but has much the same characteristics as DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. This biggest advantage is its higher boiling point of over 500 degrees F, similar to silicone-based fluids. As long as the container says it is compatible with DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids, you can mix it or top up the brake system with this synthetic fluid. Better yet, take the vehicle in for service and have the old fluid bled out and new fluid installed in your brake system. The brakes will perform better, and you will have delayed the onset of more costly brake repairs.
Right, because glycol ethers are naturally occurring, right? If it's not a naturally occurring element and is created through a chemical process, it can be considered synthetic. Any company that advertises it is simply using it for marketing purposes. Go to the store an see how many DOT 4 or even DOT 3 fluids are being advertised as synthetic.
Originally Posted By: Big Jim
You may be interested to learn that all brake fluid is synthetic. It has been for decades. IIRC, sometime in the 30s.
There were no synthetic fluids in the 1930's
From internet: What’s new in brake fluids?
Non-silicone based synthetic brake fluids. Sometimes referred to as DOT 5.1, it is compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids. This fluid is advertised as “synthetic” but has much the same characteristics as DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. This biggest advantage is its higher boiling point of over 500 degrees F, similar to silicone-based fluids. As long as the container says it is compatible with DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluids, you can mix it or top up the brake system with this synthetic fluid. Better yet, take the vehicle in for service and have the old fluid bled out and new fluid installed in your brake system. The brakes will perform better, and you will have delayed the onset of more costly brake repairs.
Right, because glycol ethers are naturally occurring, right? If it's not a naturally occurring element and is created through a chemical process, it can be considered synthetic. Any company that advertises it is simply using it for marketing purposes. Go to the store an see how many DOT 4 or even DOT 3 fluids are being advertised as synthetic.
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"Dr. Hermann Zorn of I.G. Farben Industrie in Germany actually began to search for lubricants with the properties of natural oils but without the tendencies to gel or gum when used in an engine environment. His work led to the preparation of over 3500 esters in the late 1930s and early 1940s including diesters and polyol esters and banana oil."
So technically, there were some in the thirties.
So technically, there were some in the thirties.
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