Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Brakes Everything you wanted to know about fluid

Originally posted by Paul Kienitz:

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Originally posted by patman:

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Any brake fluid should work fine so long as it's properly maintained....if you are racing...use Ate Super Blue or Motul...other than that...DOT 3 will be fine.

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Not if you (a) have an ATX, and (b) drive mountain roads. Brake overheating on steep roads can be a serious problem with these cars. I consider DOT 4 a minimum for those conditions.

Right now I've got like 2/3 Castrol LMA and 1/3 Synpower. I hope those two get along.

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Paul, they are supposed to be compatible, but I'm wondering, is there a specific reason you're mixing the two? I know what you're talking about regarding mountains, years ago I used to do a 500 mile sprint through the Rockys in 7 hours every second weekend . Completely different than 500 miles most other places.

If you're changing your fluid every 1-2 years than the Valvoline is likely the most cost effective with a minimum wet boiling point of approx. 330-343. If you're changing your brake fluid every 6-9 months than the dry boiling point is more of a factor and the Ford HD Fluid should be fine but needs to be changed at least every 9-12 months as it's got a low wet boiling point. Alot of racers use it because in those conditions you're changing fluid frequently so dry boiling points are more important.

For about twice the money, the ATE Super Blue and Type 200 are great and have a long life (Wet BP = 536 Dry BP = 396). Many people switch between the two as they are basically the same brake fluid but one is blue and the other reddish yellow. By alternating you can visibly tell when the old fluid has been completely drained by the change in colour.

Regards, Alan