Dot 4 lv versus super dot 4?

[SureshR]

Hi

Ford recommends dot 4 LV (motorcraft pm-20) for my car (ford ranger variant in India, called the Endeavour)

What I can find in parts stores is a Ford super dot 4 (ford branded not motorcraft) and assorted other brands of dot 4, dot 4 plus, super dot 4, just not dot 4 lv, for which the only brands available in India (and both currently out of stock in my city) are Brembo and Motul.

How “equivalent” are a super dot 4, which also points to low viscosity, and dot 4 lv?

As far as I can see ford super dot 4 is oem’d BASF hydraulan 404, which is also oem for a number of other car brands - such as Mahindra, whose oem fluids are ubiquitous in India.

(The ford dealers in my city are at least two hours from where I live, and with a large queue for service since ford left India and some of their dealers moved to other brands, so ..)

 

[sk_pete]

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Lv is mostly for esp and winter performance

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Do you need it right now, or can you wait until the Brembo and Motul come back in stock?

Do any stores have DOT 5.1? Make sure it's non-silicone DOT 5.1 and NOT the silicone DOT 5!

Super DOT 4 is slightly higher in viscosity than LV. It will probably work OK, but you should get the LV if possible. The lower visc helps with ABS performance.

 

[SureshR]

Yes the endeavour has quite a lot of esp hill hold and such and clearly specifies only LV

Waiting for the Brembo, though I wish we had Valvoline and friends in LV rather than plain dot4

Thanks!

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You could buy Liqui-Moly from Amazon, but it's only 250 mL, so you'll have to buy a few bottles

They also carry PM20

 

[barryh]

Hi

Ford recommends dot 4 LV (motorcraft pm-20) for my car (ford ranger variant in India, called the Endeavour)

What I can find in parts stores is a Ford super dot 4 (ford branded not motorcraft) and assorted other brands of dot 4, dot 4 plus, super dot 4, just not dot 4 lv, for which the only brands available in India (and both currently out of stock in my city) are Brembo and Motul.

How “equivalent” are a super dot 4, which also points to low viscosity, and dot 4 lv?

All those dot 4 LV etc designations are technically meaningless, they are marketing terms as there is no dot standard for low viscosity brake fluid. That's why each manufacturer is using a different designation. If there was a dot standard they wouldn't be. They almost certainly are all low viscosity brake fluids but if want to check a definitive specification on the bottle then you need to look for European ISO standard 4925 class 6 which specifies the low viscosity rating of 750 cSt @ -40 Deg C. Often it will just say class 6 and if you see that then its low viscosity fluid.

 

[SureshR]

4925 class 6 are available aplenty and as you say under various nomenclatures. Thanks! The pm20 fluid found on Amazon is an import (so several days delivery time and 4x the cost).

 

[edyvw]

I run regular DOT4 in all vehicles. VW Atlas still has OE brake fluid. BMW and VW Tiguan are both DOT4 LV, but I run ATE TYP200 in both as of now. In BMW I will switch to Motul RBF660 once track season starts.
Since I drive a lot on snow, I have never experienced issues running regular DOT4.