Castrol GT LMA synthetic brake fluid ....

UberxG · Feb 27, 2009

Anyone use/experience this stuff ?

im going to change my break pads next week so i went in pepboys today and got a quart of Castrol GT LMA syn fluid as im going to bleed my brakes and replenish the old nasty fluid.

Since its synthetic is there any potential damage to the seals in the master cylinder or brake lines, there's no leaks and my car is a 2000 honda accord with the 4 banger, the manuel says to use DOT3 or DOT4 fluid, the castrol fluid is recommended for both applications

Any input would be appreciated !

Thanks
Greg

J_Myler · Feb 27, 2009

Don't do it your car will blow up! Just kidding my Dad has me use that when he makes me bleed the brakes in his car every spring and it works really well. Use it and sleep well at night

d00df00d · Feb 28, 2009

Agreed.

I really liked GT LMA when I had it in my old car.

Audi Junkie · Feb 28, 2009

All brake fluid is "synthetic" and premium fluid is overrated. Why would you put race fluid in an Accord? It lacks decent levels of anti-corrosion etc. Jeez.

CharBaby · Feb 28, 2009

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
All brake fluid is "synthetic" and premium fluid is overrated. Why would you put race fluid in an Accord? It lacks decent levels of anti-corrosion etc. Jeez.

Yes, all brake fluid is synthetic! Im not sure if primium brake fluid is any better than the cheapest strore brand ie;(AAP, ProLine, AutoZone, SuperTech etc.)

Audi, I have to ask because I don't know but, what do you mean by "race fluid". I thought that the GT LMA just represents "Low Moisture Absorbtion". Is it a high performance brake fluid also? Are LMA fluids used in racing applications as compared to DOT 5?

UberxG · Feb 28, 2009

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
All brake fluid is "synthetic" and premium fluid is overrated. Why would you put race fluid in an Accord? It lacks decent levels of anti-corrosion etc. Jeez.

I did not know that lol

<3

UberxG · Feb 28, 2009

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

Yes, all brake fluid is synthetic! Im not sure if primium brake fluid is any better than the cheapest strore brand ie;(AAP, ProLine, AutoZone, SuperTech etc.)

Audi, I have to ask because I don't know but, what do you mean by "race fluid". I thought that the GT LMA just represents "Low Moisture Absorbtion". Is it a high performance brake fluid also? Are LMA fluids used in racing applications as compared to DOT 5?

thats what ive read on the bottle so i figured it was a good product, why not give it a try

Alan · Feb 28, 2009

Used this stuff in a 1979 BMW 320i with no problems.

mechtech2 · Feb 28, 2009

With brake fluid for street cars, get the cheapest that meets your specs.

Real racing is very different.

Big Jim · Mar 1, 2009

Castrol GT LMA is an exceptional street brake fluid. Use it with confidence. Certainly not the only brake fluid I've used, but also certainly one the the best I have used.

tom slick · Mar 1, 2009

how would you qualify it as better than the others you've used?

I also like to use "the good stuff" but come to think of it, when I've used "the cheap stuff" I didn't notice any difference. This is in street driven conditions.

Craftsman · Mar 1, 2009

Spec wise it makes sense. Price wise it makes more sense for me - it's cheaper than the NAPA fluid at NAPA!

wgtoys · Mar 1, 2009

LMA has been around an long time and has an excellent reputation as a high quality brake fluid. No, brake fluids are not all the same.

Ken2 · Mar 2, 2009

The quality in brake fluid is how high it holds its boiling point over time when moisture is absorbed. LMA is one of the better ones.

UberxG · Mar 2, 2009

Looks like i picked up the right stuff!

Now for brake pads any recommendations ??

Raybestos, Duralast , Prostop, etc.

One more thing, would ceramic pads be better for my accord ?

tom slick · Mar 2, 2009

Originally Posted By: Ken2
The quality in brake fluid is how high it holds its boiling point over time when moisture is absorbed. LMA is one of the better ones.

I understand that but in a normal service situation do you notice a difference? do parts seem to last longer? did you begin to experience brake fade at the end of the fluid's life? Did the "feel" change?

MCompact · Mar 3, 2009

Originally Posted By: UberxG
Looks like i picked up the right stuff!

Now for brake pads any recommendations ??

Raybestos, Duralast , Prostop, etc.

One more thing, would ceramic pads be better for my accord ?

I like Axxis pads on street-driven cars. Either ULT or Deluxe would work fine. I'd check with Dave Zeckhausen. He's a good guy who knows his stuff.

Bror Jace · Mar 7, 2009

UberxG, careful with the really high-performance brake pads. A decade and a half ago, I sold brake pads and industrial friction material. The stuff has come a long way since then but some principles still hold true:

1) Some ceramic and carbon fiber pads can be very abrasive and may eat your rotors.

2) Even mild racing pads often have to have heat built up in them before they grip properly. So, a panic stop you might have have to perform early in your trip/commute may not end well.

3) High-performance friction can often squeal and otherwise be annoying.

For an older Accord, I would go with a shimmed, long-life pad unless you are autocrossing. These pads will give you good service and will have plenty of stopping power for the occasional panic-stop.

What you get with a racing pad is something that is designed to take the heat of repeated hard stops ... and more noise and rotor wear to go along with it.

Don't get cheap pads. You might get lucky ... but you will more likely get something that squeaks, wears quickly and or makes a terrible mess of your car with excessive dust. I don't recommend Wagner, EIS, Duralast, Satisfied, etc ... for this reason. Some of their stuff is decent, some is utter garbage. I'm not sure about Pro-Stop.

Taking a quick look, I would probably give Raybestos "Advanced Technology" brake pads or the equivalent from Bendix a try. OEM pads will also work very well, of course. Try ordering from Manchester Honda or similar on-line outfit for a significant discount over the local dealership.

MCompact · Mar 7, 2009

Check out the link that I posted; the Axxis pads that I recommended are not aggressive "racing" pads.

Bror Jace · Mar 8, 2009

MCompact, is Axxis the new name for the pads previously sold under the Mintex/Repco brand? If so, they will probably be another excellent choice: low dust, fade resistant and relatively long life.

Castrol GT LMA synthetic brake fluid ....

Similar threads