I'm planning on doing a brake job and flushing the brake fluid in my my 2004 Sabb 9-5 this weekend. It calls for DOT 4. The only DOT 4 I can find locally is a NAPA brand product. What do you think? Is it worth mail ordering a different/better brand?
What do you guys think of NAPA DOT 4 Brake Fluid?
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I have used it... Works ok. For the price though I would rather buy Amsoil. They make it too and it works good from my experience.
I also see no problem with it. As long as it meets/exceeds what your menufacturer calls for, I'm sure it'll do just fine
I used and liked the Napa Dot 4. It was crystal clear and very easy to determine when the old fluid had been flushed from each bleeder.
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Wal-Mart sells a Prestone brand DOT 4 brake fluid.
Aren't there risks involved with running DOT 4 in DOT 3 designed system?
No, there are no risks in using DOT4 in place of DOT3 system. But you need to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3, 2-3 years for DOT4 instead of 3-4 years for DOT3.
Wal-Mart sells a Prestone brand DOT 4 brake fluid.
Aren't there risks involved with running DOT 4 in DOT 3 designed system?
No, there are no risks in using DOT4 in place of DOT3 system. But you need to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3, 2-3 years for DOT4 instead of 3-4 years for DOT3.
If a brake fluid has the rating you need, use it. Go for the cheapest price, as a matter of fact.
Really.
Really.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Wal-Mart sells a Prestone brand DOT 4 brake fluid.
Aren't there risks involved with running DOT 4 in DOT 3 designed system?
No, there are no risks in using DOT4 in place of DOT3 system. But you need to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3, 2-3 years for DOT4 instead of 3-4 years for DOT3.
Why do you have to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3?
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Wal-Mart sells a Prestone brand DOT 4 brake fluid.
Aren't there risks involved with running DOT 4 in DOT 3 designed system?
No, there are no risks in using DOT4 in place of DOT3 system. But you need to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3, 2-3 years for DOT4 instead of 3-4 years for DOT3.
Why do you have to flush DOT4 more often than DOT3?
Dot3 is more hygroscopic - it holds more water. So the thinking is that Dot4 holds less, and should be changed more frequently.
But this is not a big deal. Water ingestion is not a huge factor.
It is why GM says NOT to change brake fluid. Testing shows an extremely minimal amount of water contamination in healthy systems.
That said, I like changing brake fluid for a bunch of other reasons. Flush every 2 years or less. For a simple quickie help, suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and fill with fresh.
But this is not a big deal. Water ingestion is not a huge factor.
It is why GM says NOT to change brake fluid. Testing shows an extremely minimal amount of water contamination in healthy systems.
That said, I like changing brake fluid for a bunch of other reasons. Flush every 2 years or less. For a simple quickie help, suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and fill with fresh.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
For a simple quickie help, suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and fill with fresh.
IMHO that's a bad idea.
First, this defeats the low fluid warning that usually means that the car needs new brake pads (if you remove the old fluid in the reservoir and "fill with fresh")
Second, and correct me if I am wrong, the fluid that you replace in the reservoir is not going to mix with the old [censored] fluid pushing at the piston in the caliper. The brake fluid moves in a unidirectional way, the old fluid in the caliper will most likely never mix with the refreshed fluid in the reservoir.
For a simple quickie help, suck out the old fluid in the reservoir and fill with fresh.
IMHO that's a bad idea.
First, this defeats the low fluid warning that usually means that the car needs new brake pads (if you remove the old fluid in the reservoir and "fill with fresh")
Second, and correct me if I am wrong, the fluid that you replace in the reservoir is not going to mix with the old [censored] fluid pushing at the piston in the caliper. The brake fluid moves in a unidirectional way, the old fluid in the caliper will most likely never mix with the refreshed fluid in the reservoir.
Originally Posted By: timish
Second, and correct me if I am wrong, the fluid that you replace in the reservoir is not going to mix with the old [censored
fluid pushing at the piston in the caliper. The brake fluid moves in a unidirectional way, the old fluid in the caliper will most likely never mix with the refreshed fluid in the reservoir.
You are correct refilling the master cylinder does nothing for the rest of the system. It does give you the false illusion that the brake fluid is clean.
Second, and correct me if I am wrong, the fluid that you replace in the reservoir is not going to mix with the old [censored
fluid pushing at the piston in the caliper. The brake fluid moves in a unidirectional way, the old fluid in the caliper will most likely never mix with the refreshed fluid in the reservoir.
You are correct refilling the master cylinder does nothing for the rest of the system. It does give you the false illusion that the brake fluid is clean.
The view that brake fluid does not circulate is open to debate. Some previouis posters agree with you but others don't. For example:
Quote:
Yes. There is a lot of movement.
Some more than others, and an ABS system isn't certain.
At the shop we have performed and recommended turkey baster type flushes for people with economic restrictions. It usually helps or fixes some problems, and is certainly good maintainance.
My latest experience was a Chevy work truck. We had the owner suck out his master cyl and clean it, then refill with fresh fluid every couple of days. It would get black rapidly, then started to clear up, and his rear brakes started working properly again.
Of course bleeding the system is faster and better. But we have to deal with people with no money and broken off rusted bleeders.
Quote:
Yes. There is a lot of movement.
Some more than others, and an ABS system isn't certain.
At the shop we have performed and recommended turkey baster type flushes for people with economic restrictions. It usually helps or fixes some problems, and is certainly good maintainance.
My latest experience was a Chevy work truck. We had the owner suck out his master cyl and clean it, then refill with fresh fluid every couple of days. It would get black rapidly, then started to clear up, and his rear brakes started working properly again.
Of course bleeding the system is faster and better. But we have to deal with people with no money and broken off rusted bleeders.
I've used the NAPA Dot 4 fluid many times. I never had an issue with it, but then again how would I know if I did ?
My favorite way to flush a brake system is with a Motive power bleeder. $50 well spent.
http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartDetail.aspx?id=PB
My favorite way to flush a brake system is with a Motive power bleeder. $50 well spent.
http://www.eeuroparts.com/Main/PartDetail.aspx?id=PB
One of the major "brake fluid" companies makes Napa's fluid for them....so it's not like you are buying an off-brand product.
Originally Posted By: trynew
The view that brake fluid does not circulate is open to debate. Some previouis posters agree with you but others don't. For example:
Quote:
Yes. There is a lot of movement.
Some more than others, and an ABS system isn't certain.
At the shop we have performed and recommended turkey baster type flushes for people with economic restrictions. It usually helps or fixes some problems, and is certainly good maintainance.
My latest experience was a Chevy work truck. We had the owner suck out his master cyl and clean it, then refill with fresh fluid every couple of days. It would get black rapidly, then started to clear up, and his rear brakes started working properly again.
Of course bleeding the system is faster and better. But we have to deal with people with no money and broken off rusted bleeders.
If the master cylinder fluid didn't circulate, it would never get "dirty" or darker. And we all know the fluid gets "dirty" through use. It does indeed circulate through the system.
The view that brake fluid does not circulate is open to debate. Some previouis posters agree with you but others don't. For example:
Quote:
Yes. There is a lot of movement.
Some more than others, and an ABS system isn't certain.
At the shop we have performed and recommended turkey baster type flushes for people with economic restrictions. It usually helps or fixes some problems, and is certainly good maintainance.
My latest experience was a Chevy work truck. We had the owner suck out his master cyl and clean it, then refill with fresh fluid every couple of days. It would get black rapidly, then started to clear up, and his rear brakes started working properly again.
Of course bleeding the system is faster and better. But we have to deal with people with no money and broken off rusted bleeders.
If the master cylinder fluid didn't circulate, it would never get "dirty" or darker. And we all know the fluid gets "dirty" through use. It does indeed circulate through the system.
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