Brake fluid in a can ...

[par]

why most brake fluid in the US sold in a plastic bottle? As I travel around I've found that in Europe and Japan, its always sold in a real study can; you know (oldtimers!) the way it was sold many years ago.

For crying out loud; you can buy an 88 cent CAN of soup but something that you really depend on daily to stop your car is sold in a cheap plastic bottle.

The cost saving to the maker can't be all that great so why not a can?

 

[bdcardinal]

because the plastic is less prone to moisture getting inside. moisture can get in through the welds on a metal can. so its a safety thing. plus they are sealed on top.

 

[Brogy]

No way would I buy brake fluid in a can, you wouldnt be able to seal it when you're done with it!

 

[mechtech2]

Oil is generally sold in plastic nowadays - cans were popular, as were cardboard cans.
Progress, I guess.

 

[par]

these are better described as metal bottles, with screw on cap. These bottles are super heavy, and I would defy you to try to crush one like a can of soup. Believe me, if there was a can of brake fluid next to a plastic container with the same brake fluid then there would be question which one I would choose.

If moisture barrier is better with plastic then I accept this as the primary reason, but I sort of doubt that moisture entering these metal bottles is a significant factor. I suspect cost above all.

 

[BillionPa]

with the metal bottles if moisture is a problem they start to rust, offering a visual indicator.

 

[Kestas]

Plastic is permeable, and may allow moisture to migrate inward -- metal is impermeable.

Metal cans are considerably more reliable than they were decades ago. It's rare to find one with a leak. If moisture could get in, brake fluid could get out. A leak would be clue to a defective can.

 

[benjamming]

There are manufacturers that still sell it in a can. Neo is one.

Cost has got to be it. The boutique/speed shops cater to folks that will pay more as well.

 

[dailydriver]

Yes, Neo, Ate, Performance Friction Z, and I believe Castrol
SRF (BIG $$$$!!) are all sold in a metal container.

 

[Tones]

I agree. The top-quality boutique fluids are still in cans. The cans are less permeable but more expensive. I'm guessing, but I would bet the packaging costs the manufacturer more than the product when making in bulk. So getting packaging cost down would be significant savings.

 

[unDummy]

Thats because top quality boutique fluids sit in warehouses for years.
The local plastic bottles of brake fluid here never collect dust. They are restocked regularly.

Hows this for a choice? old fluid in a can or new fluid in a bottle?

I also don't believe in the permeable plastic argument. I've never seen a leaking plastic bottle of brake fluid. I would think that if moisture was absorbed, the bottle would either leak or expand. IMO, worthless hearsay slamming plastic bottles.

 

[PT1]

You should never "save" opened brake fluid for more than a few weeks as moisture begins to collect in it as soon as you break the seal on the bottle. Use what you need and throw the rest in your neighbors shrubs.

 

[par]

therefore, I can't accept that economics is the main factor.

 

[Kestas]

Quote:

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... I also don't believe in the permeable plastic argument...

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Plastic IS permeable. But whether brake fluid/moisture/air is significantly permeable in the specific plastic used for brake fluid is another matter. Your argument suggests that it's not that significant for the short time brake fluid sits on the shelf.

 

[tdi-rick]

Quote:

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I also don't believe in the permeable plastic argument. I've never seen a leaking plastic bottle of brake fluid. I would think that if moisture was absorbed, the bottle would either leak or expand. IMO, worthless hearsay slamming plastic bottles.

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sorry, but plastic is more permeable than metal. The new generation of refrigerant oils (POE's and PAG's) are so many times more hygroscopic than the old mineral oils that they are only sold and to be stored in sealed metal containers.
This is the published reason given by the oil companies and compressor manufacturers. The same theory holds for high end brake fluid that is used in racing.

 

[1040 WreckerMan]

Yep, never seen a bottle of refrigerant compressor oils in anything other than metal containers for modern POE and PAG oils. I don't keep brake fluid in plastic containers. I buy the closest size bottle to what I plan on using and dump the rest when I'm done.

 

[mechtech2]

With plastic brake fluid bottles, simply squeeze the bottle to emit as much air as possible, and then reseal it tightly. This will minimize any air inside [with it's potential water vapor] that can react with the unused fluid.

 

[dailydriver]

I store my unopened RBF 600 plastic bottles sealed in a zip lock bag with one of those 3lb. size silicate gel bags (used to dry out damp/moldy car interiors)I then put this in the most dry area of my place that I can find.

 

[Tones]

Quote:

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...I also don't believe in the permeable plastic argument. I've never seen a leaking plastic bottle of brake fluid...

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We are talking about gas/vapor permeability, not brake fluid permeability. The rubber/plastic reservoir, hoses, o-rings, and seals on your sealed brake system are all permeable and is one of the ways moisture gets into the system, although I am sure modern materials technology has greatly improved these items over the years.

I'm not saying your sacred plastic bottles of brake fluid are no good. I use them myself. I just wouldn't use one that has been sitting a while.

 

[cb450sc]

Are the brake reserviours of most cars not made of plastic? If there was a problem with them allowing air in, would the manuafacturers not use some type of metal instead?