Mixing brands of brake fluid / gear lube

[SureshR]

I'd bought Amsoil brake fluid and gear lube for my cars - DOT4 brake fluid and a 75w90 API GL5 MT1 for the gear lube. For my 2nd car (the Fiesta) I ran short of both these by about a quart of gear lube and half a quart of brake fluid, so topped up the Amsoil with

1. 3/4th of a quart Shell Spirax and a quarter quart Mobil GX both 80w90 API GL4
2. Half a quart of KBX Super 5 DOT4 (this is a brand from Chassis Brakes International - which bought Robert Bosch's gears and lubes business out)

I doubt it is going to make any significant difference especially as India has hot tropical weather and no extreme cold conditions, but will (and how will) this affect the change interval for these lubes? DOT4 to DOT4 mix isn't as much a concern as mixing GL4 with GL5 MT1.

 

[rubberchicken]

I have zero concern with the DOT4 to DOT4- nothing to worry about. I am not sure about the GL4 and GL5 mix, so I will let somebody with more knowledge give their opinion.

 

[BobGoblin]

Why did you topped brake fluid? Is it below minimum? If not, it is normal, when brake pads wear, piston in caliper is going further in the caliper so more brake fluid is used. If you top up to maximum, and next time when you change your brake pads with new ones, and when you push your piston in calipers your brake fluid will spill over from the bottle.

 

[SureshR]

I didn't topup. I drained and replaced the brake fluid, gear lube (and coolant) on both my cars.

Brake fluid and gear lube have to be changed once in 4 years / 40k kilometers according to the manual.

The Ford service centers in my city are both miles from where I live, so I didn't take my car there.

 

[SureshR]

Bumping this. Anyone?

thanks
-srs

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by BobGoblin
Why did you topped brake fluid? Is it below minimum? If not, it is normal, when brake pads wear, piston in caliper is going further in the caliper so more brake fluid is used. If you top up to maximum, and next time when you change your brake pads with new ones, and when you push your piston in calipers your brake fluid will spill over from the bottle.

Nothing wrong with that. Better than running fluid too low.