What brake fluid do you use?

[FiSt’N]

Reviving this ol' thread...

Has anyone used Motorcraft DOT 5.1 (WSS-M6C65-A3) I picked some up for cheap on Rock Auto and thought I would give it a try for Daily/Autocross use.

 

[M-Sport fan]

For my next brake fluid flush I will use what is easily attainable locally which is Pentosin DOT 4 LV or Motorcraft DOT 4 LV. Either will suffice for my needs and use.

Yes, very old post, but just to let everyone who is intent on using/sticking with the factory DOT4 LV spec know; that Pentosin LV does have slightly better wet and dry boiling points than the Motorcraft equivalent, and the best for any DOT4 LV fluid I've found so far.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yes, very old post, but just to let everyone who is intent on using/sticking with the factory DOT4 LV spec know; that Pentosin LV does have slightly better wet and dry boiling points than the Motorcraft equivalent, and the best for any DOT4 LV fluid I've found so far.

Update;

The Ate SL6 DOT4 LV has the very highest wet boiling point of any of the other major brand brake fluid manufacturers I've found yet, bettering the Pentosin by ~10*F on that spec, and is cheaper (at least before shipping on the Bimmerworld site) than the Pentosin at Advance Auto.

The Bosch DOT 4 ES16-32N fluid does beat the Ate by almost 20*F on wet boiling point, but it is a 'catch all' type of DOT 4 fluid, and does not actually specify DOT 4 LV in it's product copy, even though it does beat the DOT's max allowed viscosity spec for a LV fluid. I am not sure if it is 'safe' for LV requiring systems otherwise.

ALL of the DOT 4 LV fluids seem to top out at ~509*F to about 515*F on their DRY boiling points.
And everyone I have spoken to says to NOT use them for open track sessions at all, especially with sticky tires and track compound pads, since they are too thin to stand up to the heat generated in that scenario.

 

[PunkST]

Update;
ALL of the DOT 4 LV fluids seem to top out at ~509*F to about 515*F on their DRY boiling points.
And everyone I have spoken to says to NOT use them for open track sessions at all, especially with sticky tires and track compound pads, since they are too thin to stand up to the heat generated in that scenario.

Well thats a pickle, my car came with the aggressive summer pads. And ive a set of sticky tires for lapping days and autocross. So i would either need different fluid altogether, or a more conservative tire compound than my old A048s.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I am sure that it would be OK for a few 20 minute sessions (and definitely for autocross), but I personally would flush it out after that, and put in some higher temp DOT 4 racing fluid (or at the very least the Ate Typ200), for the summer if you plan on doing more open tracking this season.

That is, IF it is not the factory original fluid, and has been changed out completely before this.
If not then yeah, I would just flush it out now as it has way much too much moisture in it for any open tracking, if it is the factory original, 5 year old fluid.

 

[PunkST]

Thats sundays plan. At least a full flush with pentosin stuff. As its on the shelf available.

 

[ebr735]

I use ATE Type 200. I tried RBF600 first but it didn’t manage heat very well when I was using stock brakes on the track. I switched to ATE Type 200 and pedal feel was better at the end of 20min sessions. I have no fade at all when combined with my BBK. I was about to switch to Castrol SRF but it’s unnecessary now.

Edit: I flush my brakes A LOT. I flush the calipers after every track day. SRF would be far too expensive but perhaps it might not require frequent flushing. I would rather flush the ATE and have a clear head about it.

Any issues running ATE 200 as a DD/occasional track use being a non LV fluid?

 

[M-Sport fan]

Any issues running ATE 200 as a DD/occasional track use being a non LV fluid?

I wanted to know this as well, since most who open track would actually want the fluid to either disable, or 'tone down' all of the nannies, including the ABS system, which all require the LV fluid to function properly.

But then just how non-functional do those systems become once one has to go back onto the streets, in what is not a dedicated 'track car'?

 

[Woods247]

Any issues running ATE 200 as a DD/occasional track use being a non LV fluid?

Never. Been in the car for over 40k miles. Flushed often.

 

[Woods247]

I wanted to know this as well, since most who open track would actually want the fluid to either disable, or 'tone down' all of the nannies, including the ABS system, which all require the LV fluid to function properly.

But then just how non-functional do those systems become once one has to go back onto the streets, in what is not a dedicated 'track car'?

All my nannies still work. I was literally on a skid pad and autox last weekend and all that stuff fires off like crazy if it’s enabled. Not sure what LV fluid is but not having brake fluid boil is my priority. I’ve always used ATE in my track cars but I took the advice from posts on this forum and tried Motul when I had stock brakes and about put my car in the gravel after a few laps at RoadATL, which doesn’t really abuse brakes. The Ford and Motul stuff just didn’t work for me. ATE is cheaper than SRF and has a higher boiling point than Motul, so I went back to it. I haven’t experienced fade since changing. Now I have ST40 front calipers and OEM rear so everyone else’s experience may vary but no way I’d run anything beneath ATE on track with stock brakes. Especially with an open diff. TVC is extremely hard on the brakes in my experience.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

All my nannies still work. I was literally on a skid pad and autox last weekend and all that stuff fires off like crazy if it’s enabled. Not sure what LV fluid is but not having brake fluid boil is my priority. I’ve always used ATE in my track cars but I took the advice from posts on this forum and tried Motul when I had stock brakes and about put my car in the gravel after a few laps at RoadATL, which doesn’t really abuse brakes. The Ford and Motul stuff just didn’t work for me. ATE is cheaper than SRF and has a higher boiling point than Motul, so I went back to it. I haven’t experienced fade since changing. Now I have ST40 front calipers and OEM rear so everyone else’s experience may vary but no way I’d run anything beneath ATE on track with stock brakes. Especially with an open diff. TVC is extremely hard on the brakes in my experience.

Low Viscosity Fluid*

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[M-Sport fan]

All my nannies still work. I was literally on a skid pad and autox last weekend and all that stuff fires off like crazy if it’s enabled. Not sure what LV fluid is but not having brake fluid boil is my priority. I’ve always used ATE in my track cars but I took the advice from posts on this forum and tried Motul when I had stock brakes and about put my car in the gravel after a few laps at RoadATL, which doesn’t really abuse brakes. The Ford and Motul stuff just didn’t work for me. ATE is cheaper than SRF and has a higher boiling point than Motul, so I went back to it. I haven’t experienced fade since changing. Now I have ST40 front calipers and OEM rear so everyone else’s experience may vary but no way I’d run anything beneath ATE on track with stock brakes. Especially with an open diff. TVC is extremely hard on the brakes in my experience.

Yes, it is Low Viscosity DOT4 fluid, and some on here (Dave and others) have claimed that it is essential for all of the nannies, especially the ESC/'torque vectoring' systems to function properly.

I will take your word for them still working with the Typ 200 though, since I'd rather use that than the ATE SL6, both because of higher wet and dry boiling points, longevity, and yes, price.

 

[esp_martin]

Yes, it is Low Viscosity DOT4 fluid, and some on here (Dave and others) have claimed that it is essential for all of the nannies, especially the ESC/'torque vectoring' systems to function properly.

I will take your word for them still working with the Typ 200 though, since I'd rather use that than the ATE SL6, both because of higher wet and dry boiling points, longevity, and yes, price.

happy i came across this thread. gonna go with ATE TYP 200 in my car in the next couple months.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^If I had to pick ONE fluid to do everything, and was not compulsively obsessed with sticking with an LV type fluid, THAT would be the one.

 

[Woods247]

happy i came across this thread. gonna go with ATE TYP 200 in my car in the next couple months.

I still use it. Close to 60k miles and zero issues. I actually had pads overheat for the first time a couple of weeks ago while braking hard on my fifth lap from 133mph to 56mph but the fluid and pedal were fine. The Type 200 stuff works really well for me.