DOT 3 brake fluid

[edwardh1]

If I remember some are labelled synthetic- can those dot 3 fluids be mixed with dot 3 brake fluid that is NOT labeled synthetic??

 

[VK56VD]

I believe all brake fluid is synthetic. Yes, you can mix various brands of Dot 3 & 4.

 

[labman]

Some conventional oil base can be separated out of crude with no chemical change, thus not synthetic. If cracked from higher fractions, you can deceive the public by calling the same thing synthetic.

All except the silicone brake fluids are polyglycols, which have undergone several chemical changes. It is less deceptive to call them synthetic, but still marketing hype.

While you can mix any polyglycol based fluids, I don't. I pick a product and stick with it. I haven't used anything but Prestone DOT 4 since 1966. It was labeled disc brake fluid then.

 

[edwardh1]

My Nissan and Toyota both say use "dot3"
Napa sells both dot 3 regular and dot3 synthetic

 

[labman]

?????????? Extract more money from those that buy the synthetic while remaining competitively priced on the regular?

 

[edwardh1]

Probably - the syn is 33% more

 

[mechtech2]

sure - mix away any similarly rated brake fluid.
Avoid SILICONE brake fluid, and you'll be just fine.

I have never seen or heard of a problem with mixing brake fluids.