Mixing Dot 4 with Dot 5 brake fluid

Mixing Dot 4 with Dot 5 brake fluid

Author
Discussion

Cactussed

Original Poster:

5,292 posts

214 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
Just got Dot 4 in there now and was going to do a quick top up with Dot 5.

Will this have any negative effect? Presume the world will not end or the whole system explode.

(More specifically, they don't react and end up with bubbles in the system)...

Monki

1,233 posts

192 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
Not sure but check what you are supposed to have in there as DOT5 can mess up some ABS systems etc on cars like the rx8

crofty1984

15,874 posts

205 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
I think (not SURE!) that dot4 and dot5.1 (which is 99% of the dot"5" you'll encounter in real life) is OK. actual, proper dot5 is apparently a big nono

tvrolet

4,278 posts

283 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
Dot 5 or Dot 5.1? Very different animals.

Dot 5.1 is fine to mix with 4 and 3 as they're all polyglycol based.

Dot 5 is silicone based and doesn't mix. But as it's pretty rare stuff I assume you actually have 5.1 and not 5.

markCSC

2,987 posts

216 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
While it’s permissible to mix DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5.1 brake fluids, DOT 5 Silicone fluid
cannot be mixed with any other type. If the system is not completely purged before conversion, the mixture may gel and result in very poor braking.

Cactussed

Original Poster:

5,292 posts

214 months

Friday 18th September 2009
quotequote all
Thanks people. I mean 5.1
Finally installing the Brembos on the M3 tonight, and also need to bleed the 355 and its braking like st (well, runs out of pedal around the track).