Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2016 21:38:14 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Sticky brakes
In-Reply-To: <BAY405-EAS1592520E6A0C26FF7CF0091A0240@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
My one experience with silicone brake fluid was with my MGB. It had a metal reservoir and moisture would condense on the walls. Not be absorbed, the water collected on the bottom, got pumped into the system and corroded everything.
Absorbing a little water is not necessarily a bad thing! Just change the earlier glycol fluids every couple of years. Silicone fluid is for race cars.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Dennis Haynes
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:42 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Sticky brakes
The DOT 5 fluids are better in a number of ways but the incompatibility is a real problem. To change over you have to flush the system out with alcohol and it is probably best to do this with all new parts. With just a little bit of maintenance the DOT 4 fluids work just fine. There are resons the auto industry hos not gone the DOT 5 route.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of C. Abney
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2016 9:34 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Sticky brakes
I didn't read enough into it, but I wonder if the silicon-based brake fluids draw less water. They are incompatible with the glycol-based ones, but I suppose if you fully flushed the system it would be usable even in the venerable vanagon?
On 6/29/16, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Brake fluid (glycol) is used as it gets along well with certain
> rubber/plastic parts. Yes it can absorb moisture especially since most
> of the system is exposed to ambient temperature changes and it not
> heated except at the calipers or pistons to drive the moisture out.
> Worse is that our vans have open caps to let air in as the fluid expands and contracts.
> Year ago many vehicles had a master cylinder with a cover and bladder
> over the fluid. As the fluid level went down the bladder would pull
> down with so fresh air never entered those systems.
>
> In reality bakes should be inspected at some regular basis, at least
> once year or after any unusual situation such as an emergency stops or
> long term storage. At that point it is not a big deal to flush through
> some of the fluid. Same for power steering fluid. Some of that
> darkness could be from the rubber hoses or just from the moisture
> making the fluid cloudy. Changing it every two or three years will
> make most issues go away. Still, even with fresh fluid overheating the
> brakes to the point that the fluid gets to the vapor point will cause
> a low pedal next application. At that point there can also be caliper
> or cylinder damage so simply bleeding the brakes may not be sufficient.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of C. Abney
> Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2016 7:21 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Sticky brakes
>
> The properties of brake fluid make it a frequent topic of discussion,
> and you know it makes me wonder just how much or little thought has
> been put into its continued use.
>
> Brake fluid absorbs water from the environment. This water then
> causes corrosion in the system, brake fade when the brakes get hot, it
> might increase dissolved gases in the fluid.
>
> I've never seen old brake fluid bled out that wasn't filthy. Where's
> that from?
>
> What is it about brake fluid that makes it indispensable to a braking
> system? Isn't just about a certain level of viscosity? If that's so
> can't something better be substituted for it?
>
> That said, there is a wide variation in the wet/dry boiling points of
> brake fluid. Even within one DOT rating. The vanagon uses dot 4, but
> dot 5.1 can also be used and is compatible with dot 4, and has a wet
> boiling pt. MINIMUM of 180C.
>
> For some reason the high boiling point stuff, even though it's the
> same chemistry as dot 4 in general, is much more expensive. You're
> better off being diligent about changing your brake fluid regularly.
>
>
>
>
> --
> There's no .sig like the present
>
--
There's no .sig like the present
