Brake fluid added to coolant?

[fdcg27]

I haven't tried this and don't really plan on it, although it might be a good experiment with an aged beater, but could you safely dispose of an old, already unsealed half-full quart of brake fluid in an engine cooling system?
AFAIK, DOT 3&4 fluids are glycol with some adds, like coolant.
Just asking about a random thought that came to me while driving home from work one day.
I know there are those here who'll know the answer complete with any game-stopping pitfalls.

 

[Warstud]

Just mix it with your old oil.

 

[The_Jeff]

Why not mix a little out of the car?

DOT 3 is hygroscopic, absorbing of water, and I expect it would suck the water out of mixed coolant, making an unholy globby mess.

 

[NHGUY]

It would attack the rubber hoses.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

take it to AAP or Autozone and dump it in with the oil

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
although it might be a good experiment with an aged beater,


You own several aged beaters. Use it in one of them.

 

[fdcg27]

Those living in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks.

 

[BalticBob]

Mixing brake fluid in the coolant system will cause engine overheating when braking.

 

[JHZR2]

Take it to a proper disposal location.

 

[Shannow]

Been there done that...don't.

When I was at Uni, was doing a coolant flush and didn't have enough straight antifreeze (IMO), so used all the left over brake fluid in it as well.

Didn't work well, it sort of "split" into an oily looking sludge around the filler neck.

Funny annecdote from 2016 regarding tipping it in with the engine oil...we had ignition support fuel (power station start-up uses 40-60,000 gallons, putting a coal mill in or out of service takes about 500 gallons), this year we used a product that's 60% post use, partially re-refined oil (there's VOAs of the mix around somewhere, LOTS of used engine oil.

Had problems with 25um filters blocking, even 'though the refinery had 5um finishing folters as the truck are loaded.

Turns out that the glycols survived the re-refining temperatures, and then agglomerated all the fine solids into gunk with the look like thorite sand, but could be crumbled.

They upped the temperature of the column, and broke the glycols, fixing the issue.

 

[crazyoildude]

Why not just throw it away?

 

[rustypigeon]

I must be missing something. Why would anyone want to do that?

 

[demarpaint]

I mix it with waste oil and bring it to AAP. Beater or not I wouldn't add it to my coolant.

 

[DoubleWasp]

So a coolant leak rips the paint off of everything? No thanks.

 

[Chris142]

Who comes up with these crazy ideas?

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Who comes up with these crazy ideas?

By someone still feeling the effects of New Years eve.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Why not mix a little out of the car?

DOT 3 is hygroscopic, absorbing of water, and I expect it would suck the water out of mixed coolant, making an unholy globby mess.



+1

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

WHY?

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Who comes up with these crazy ideas?


Apparently me and Shannow.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Who comes up with these crazy ideas?


Apparently me and Shannow.


At least only one of us actually did it, and the other can learn from my example.