Dot 4 Fluid??

[Smoky14]

What is the best "bang for the buck" Dot 4 brake fluid? I need it to be easily available.
Went to Checkers yesterday and lots of Dot3 but nada in 4.
Thanks Smoky

 

[ET16]

I like DOT 4 brake fluid. It seems to give a slightly firmer pedal. Some say that it absorbs more water than DOT 3.

 

[ET16]

I should add, also, that it depends on your system. Some specify DOT 4.

 

[drewjp]

My favorite is made by ATE.

They make it in two colors, Gold and Blue. Essentially the same DOT4 formula, but you're supposed to alternate colors each flush so you know when the old fluid is gone.

I have ATE Super Blue in the PT right now.

 

[ChiTDI]

I've been real happy with ATE also. The drawback is availability.
Napa has a Dot4 that is crystal clear seems to work well. No availability issue there.

 

[Asterix]

Castrol LMA has been good to me over many years. It's not available at every store, but it's easy for me to find.

Asterix

 

[labman]

I have been using Prestone since back when the label said disk brake fluid, not DOT 4, with never a problem. It is true the only place I have seen it recently is Wal-Mart.

 

[D-Roc]

What are the differences between Dot3 and Dot4?

 

[mechtech2]

Cheap brake fluid works fine, as long as it's rating is OK on the label.
I have found no difference in many years of dealing with the stuff.

 

[Rickey]

For those of us that drive really hard and are hard on the brakes...Dot 4 does make a difference.

Fluid that is heated beyond it's ratings (boiled) never really returns to normal.

This overheated fluid gives a soft pedal until it is flushed out.
Dot 4 will allow a bit more misuse before it "checks out"

Dot 5.1 (not silicone) is even better in this respect..quite a bit more expensive as well.

And for the average Joe this makes no difference.

Valvoline markets a Dot 3/4 synthetic fluid that is quite reasonably priced.

ATE SuperBlue at about $14.00 a liter gets the nod in my Solstice GXP.

Rickey.

 

[Rickey]

"What are the differences between Dot3 and Dot4?"

Boiling point for one:
The following are minimum specs.

DOT 3--- DRY 401 F--- WET 284 F


DOT 4--- DRY 446 F--- WET 311 F


Wet is defined as used fluid that has absorbed a certain quantity of atmospheric moisture, if I remember correctly 2 percent. This point can be reached in just a few years in many cars IMHO.

A good read regarding brakes and other things automotive.
http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html

Cheers,
Rickey.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Some cars do recommend DOT 4 fluid, my '00 E430 is one of those cars. But I find it unusual that Honda recommends DOT 3 fluid for S2000 and it work well on that car, the brake feel is great and stopping distance is fairly short.

The advantage of Dot 3 over DOT 4 is longer time to change, 3 years for DOT 3 as oppose to 2 years for DOT 4.

 

[artificialist]

Valvoline and Pennzoil are my favorite DOT4 fluids, because they are the least expensive and the easiest to find.

 

[cos]

Yep, "Valvoline DOT3,4" seems to be at almost auto parts store and "Prestone DOT4" at Wal-Mart. I use 'em both and like 'em a lot.

 

[STG]

You can buy Ate Super Blue / Type 200 for $10.95 / liter at OGRacing.com

Free shipping on orders over $100. Checked the price on Redline oils - pretty good 15W -40 diesel is $98 for twelve quarts = $8.20 per quart with no tax or shipping if you buy something elsefor $2!

 

[Smoky14]

Thanks for all the help. W/M is the best shop in this small town and this particular W/M doesn't even carry Shell RoT Syn. I managed to find Prestone4 at a local grocery store, it was mis-stocked.
Thanks Smoky

 

[mechtech2]

Well, yeah. Racing is a very small niche. We use silicone fluid in the wheelstander, because the brakes get red hot.

 

[MCompact]

I use DOT4 in all my cars, even though only three require it. I like ATE.