ford motorcraft dot3 brake fluid

[tc2468]

can anyone comment on why motorcraft dot3 fluid has a higher temperature rating than dot4 fluids?
is it better than the dot4 stuff?

maybe all the terminology is confusing me.

I'm planning to flush out my brake/clutch fluids soon.

 

[ewetho]

Dot 4 is basically the same fluid built to more stringent standards. Ford does not require DOT4 on anything I am aware of so if they spec a fluid that could be called a DOT4 it is no biggie. They are not advertising the stuff so why bother.

It is really good fluid though.

 

[Big Jim]

The DOT rating has more to do with the WET boiling point, not the DRY boiling point. Ford DOT 3 when fresh has a 550 F DRY boiling point, but as it ages and picks up moisture the WET boiling point is too low to qualify as DOT 4.

 

[mechtech2]

I've found that Motorcraft 'anything' is good to great quality.

 

[hominid7]

It is my understanding that DOT 3 absorbs less moisture than does DOT 4. Perhaps that has something to do with it?!?

I agree with the other posters, Ford/Motorcraft tends to choose decent quality products to put their brand on. I've been very happy with Motorcraft products i've used.

 

[Doc8404]

not sure, but I started using SynPower....too soon to know if it's worth it.

 

[tc2468]

the motorcraft fluid was highly recommended by some racer gearheads friends a few years ago.
Ive tried it before on my suzuki and had no complaints but I also did a complete brake upgrade (ss lines, rotors, pads)so I couldnt tell if the fluid was better or not. Maybe any fresh fluid would have been good.
just wondering if the oil guys had any insight to the make up of this dot3 and why those guys swore by using it instead of the dot4 stuff.

 

[Doc8404]

their grease for U joints, etc. supposedly has the highest drop temp around....higher than any synthetic I've seen out there....
so I'm not sure how accurate their stats are IMHO.

 

[dailydriver]

Quote:

---

the motorcraft fluid was highly recommended by some racer gearheads friends a few years ago.
Ive tried it before on my suzuki and had no complaints but I also did a complete brake upgrade (ss lines, rotors, pads)so I couldnt tell if the fluid was better or not. Maybe any fresh fluid would have been good.
just wondering if the oil guys had any insight to the make up of this dot3 and why those guys swore by using it instead of the dot4 stuff.

---

I believe the logic is that it was a cheap/high spec alternative to the exorbitant boutique fluids (Castrol SRF is what, like $75.00/ltr. now!!

). If you are changing it completely every race, and bleeding it every session, I guess the rationale is that it's just as good.

 

[Lorenzo]

Here is everything you can want to know about brake fluid, including the answer to DOT3 vs. DOT4.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakefluid_1a.shtml

It also includes a helpful comparison of brake fluids and their boiling points. At about $6 a quart Valvoline Synpower provides superb high temp performance for very little money which is why I use it everywhere except my track bike.

 

[bdcardinal]

Ford's DOT 3 was very very very good. the part number changed and some of the temps changed. there were huge threads about this on svtperformance.com among the road racers.