Gregg Carlen wrote: Blain, Does it really matter if its DOT3 or 4? I have 3 in my van and haven't noticed anything wrong. Should I be using DOT4? How come? :-) This has generated a lot of traffic. I need to apologize somewhat for perhaps promulgating another Internet "apocryphal" tale. A few weeks ago there was some traffic on the Vanagon list about DOT 4 being the required brake fluid; since there wasn't much discussion at the time, I took it as the gospel. The service guy at the local non-dealer VW repair also concurred. Turns out that the owners manual (which I didn't have at the time) and the Bentley book (which I did have) both indicate that DOT3 or DOT 4 may be used. Some listies agreed that the additional resilience of the DOT 4 was worth having. Meanwhile, I changed mine out (it needed it) and "installed" Castrol DOT 4. Bleeding the system was a gold-plated b*tch, and it's still not 100%. I was getting air out of the back brakes long after I expected (pretty much ran an entire quart through it). I'm beginning to suspect that the piston for the rear circuit is drawing air and that it may be time for a new master cylinder. Who was selling these for $100? BTW, can anyone explain the Bentley instruction to "flip the lever on the pressure regulator towards the rear of the car" before bleeding? And why does it never instruct you to "flip it back"? Does this even apply to the '91? TIA -Blaine Bachman Albuquerque |
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