| Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,851 | The standard glycerine/alcohol based fluid which would be a direct replacement for the original equipment fluid would be DOT 3. DOT 4 is a similar type fluid with a higher boiling point. It is interchangeable with DOT 3 and just has a higher temperature rating for heavy-duty use in disc brake systems where operating temps can be above the boiling point of DOT 3. DOT 5 is a silicone-based fluid that should not be mixed with the others, or used in a system that has had 3 or 4 installed before.
Alcohol-based fluids like DOT 3 and 4 are "hygroscopic"- - -they can absorb moisture from the air. Fluid containers need to be sealed or the moisture the fluid absorbs can lower the boiling point dramatically. Silicone-based fluid does not absorb moisture, but it has some other oddball characteristics that don't make it a good choice for older brake systems. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
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