brake fluid

[a100]

Hi all I'm new at this, and my car is getting closer to shake down runs, In cleaning up the chassis and repacing loose rivets I had to take the master cylinders off and when draining them I noticed the fluid was blue.. this car uses lookheed masters , I have some rebuild kits and the instuctions of these kits states using Girling dot 4 or 5 the question I have is which fluid is blue and whats compatable with girling dot 4 or 5? and help would be great.....John

[Shep]

Hi John,

The only blue brake fluid I'm aware of is ATE Super Blue (cousin to ATE TYP 200), a high performance fluid popular with the track-day crowd. (Dry boiling point 530F)

ATE Super Blue is a DOT 4 fluid, and can be mixed with other DOT 4 or DOT 3 fluids. Note that DOT 5 is silicone chemistry, and given the advancement in non-silicone brake fluids lately (DOT 5.1 designation), I would think DOT 5 is something to be avoided.

For what it's worth, I believe multi-national champion Dave Weizenhof said he used Castrol LMA fluid, a cheap DOT 3 fluid found at any auto parts store...

There are several recommendations for different fluids here in the archives if you search for them, but for a formula ford in cooler climes I get the impression that it's not too critical a decision. Super Blue works (but stains everything blue), Keith Averil mentioned Cartel 570, I've used the Ford Motorcraft High Performance fluid (550F min dry boiling point). Several say Castrol LMA gets it done. For the money lately, I think the Valvoline "synthetic" fluid from any parts store might be the way to go - 503F dry boiling point, but the 343F wet boiling point is higher than most - depends on how often you change out your fluid.

[Bill Hetzel]

I have Lockheed's on my car and have used Castrol LMA for years with no problems.

[RussMcB]

One interesting thing about the ATE Super Blue is that they make the same fluid in a gold color. You can alternate colors if you want to flush a system and know when the new fluid has reached the bleeder.

[EYERACE]

AP 600............if it won't boil at the general application stress temperatures we get, you don't get bubbles, if you don't get bubbles, you don't need to bleed very often. i like low maintenence things.

[racerxlilbro]

I had been using the Motul 600 stuff, until a buddy who works for Ford told me he could get me the Motorcraft stuff for, uh...let's call it "Drastically Reduced" pricing.

I've had zero issues with it. And the price is right.

[Tim FF19]

I have used Castrol LMA for 20+ years with no problems. You can use it for brakes and clutch, its cheap and easily available. Our cars simply do not generate enough heat to require anything else.

[ZEKESPEED]

The best is Castrol SRF, Best Bang for the buck is Ford Heavy Duty Dot 3 (Heavy Duty Truck Sales) 550 dry boiling point. $ 6.00 a Can

[Steve Demeter]

Castrol GT LMA at pep boys.


cheap readily available and plenty plenty good for our application. We simply do not get the brakes hot enough to require anything else.

Being that it is cheap, you won't be hesitant to change the fluid a couple of times a year also.

Doing this cleans any debris out of the system and dramatically prolongs the life of the calipers and MC's.

[racer27]

We ran the Castrol LMA fluid in the VD. Switched over from the more expenive Racing Dot 5 stuff. No problems at all. $3 a can, avail anywhere, change it mid season, no problems at all. We plan to run it in the Citation too.

[Bob Devol]

Ford developed the high-temp Motorcraft fluid decades ago for use in the luxo barges they built back then. The drivers of those cars tended to keep their feet lingering on the brake pedals most of the time.

I've used the Motorcraft fluid for years in CFs, FFs and SRFs and it works great for me.

You'll want to steer clear of most silicone-based fluids as they're somewhat more compressible than standard brake fluids.

[John Robinson II]

Castrol LMA, if you boil the fluid then you are using way to much brake. Besides, brakes slow you down.


John

[Terry]

Just to add my 2 cents. Nice thing about LMA is the small size container. Less chance of drawing water before next use, or just use it a bottle at a time. Nice stuff.

[kea]

At some tracks like Blackhawk Farms, LMA can give up in some applications. I have been using Cartel 570 (dry boil of 570) since the late 70's.
Keith

[TimW]

At some tracks like Blackhawk Farms, LMA can give up in some applications. I have been using Cartel 570 (dry boil of 570) since the late 70's.
Keith

What type of applications? What aspects of Blackhawk Farms bring out the problem in those applications?

[kea]

The same reasons that cause higher brake pad wear at Blackhawk, than most other track, is the stop and go nature of the track. I had little problems with LMA while on the track and moving, but if I stopped in pitline (testing), the pedal would get soft, and bleeding the brakes was the only solution. Maybe it was my car (RAlt RT-1 S-V) compared to others? All I know is that the Cartel 570 solved the problem.
Keith

[R. Pare]

Try taking your danged foot off of the brake after you stop!

[bryancohnracing]

Did you know that in the mid 80's there were only a few brake fluid manufacturing plants in the US?

Did you know the reason Castrol LMA lasts so long is has the lowest moisture absorbtion rate of any brake fluid?

Did you know that AP 550 and 600 have one of the highest moisture absorbtion rates of any brake fluid?

Brake fluids change color as they absorb moisture. So now when it's black you've waited WAY too long to bleed!

I could go on and on with useless information like this...

Why do I know so much? Years of Showroom Stock racing back when the rules didn't "allow" us to use racing pads or do much of anything to make the cars have brakes.

One of the reasons that Ford's brake fluid and Castrol LMA work so well is that they are basically the same "receipe". I've used both for years with excellent results, even in brake consuming pigs like my 3500 lbs Peugeot 505 Turbo SSB car. Yes, LMA would live in that car, with no brake ducts and DS11 pads (hey, I never said I didn't push the rules) by bleeding and flushing EVERY session. Oh, and replacing the pads every session too. and the brake hoses every weekend. And the rotors every other weekend. You get the idea.....

Bryan

[kea]

Sorry Richard, but I don't leave my foot parked on the brake pedal after I stop.
A stupid statement on your part.
Keith

[Todd TCE]

I'm surprised at the number of people shelling out such $ for brake fluid- on a FF. Few times ever do I recall anyone having fluid fade issues in 20+ years.

If you don't boil what you run now you have no need to spend money on higher priced, higher boiling point fluids. If $3qt Pyroil is working for you and not boiling your brakes won't work 'better' with $9qt 'racing fluid'.

I fight this battle all the time with big brake kits on sedans. There's just that urge to spend more money that somehow makes us believe it's needed.