Castrol SRF brake fluid and alternatives

[(steven)]

I still find my brakes are going off more than I would like while on the track despite having EBC blues on.

Before I make the move to some more extreme/expensive pads or a big brake kit I thought I would try braided lines and posher brake fluid (currently using an off the shelf 5.1 Dot from my local motor factor).

Castrol SRF gets a good write up but at £40 a litre I should hope so. Ate super Blue also has a very good name for itself but at £10 a litre it’s a bit more attractive.

The question to the group is, is Castrol SRF worth the 4x price increase or will something like Super Blue be fine?

[GreigM]

IMO SRF is worth the price. However, EBC pads are st.

[andyiley]

Have used ate super blue for around 10 years & never had fluid issues, change it every year & it will be fine.

Also as per another thread on here go for some Pagid RS29s to complement it perfectly.

30 laps of Cadwell at a time with no fade or issues, this combination lasts me a year of track days at a time.

[Trev450]

Motul 600 is a good, less expensive alternative fluid. As already said, though, EBC pads are not the best.

[Far Cough]

IMHO a boutique priced brake fluid offers nothing more than freshly changed cheaper alternatives of the like that have been mentioned. Your problem is not the fluid but the pad choice. EBC blues suffer from horrendous fade when hot or fitted to a heavy car.

[Paul_M3]

I've looked into brake fluid specs vs price quite a bit.

Based on this, I've been using Gulf RF1000. Dry boiling point is about as high as you'll get, and the wet boiling point is good.
However, because it's such good value you can change it often enough to never worry about the wet boiling point.

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-69356-gulf-competition...

However, when you say your brakes are 'going off', what do you mean?

If the pedal is still firm but you're not slowing down then it's the pads that are the issue.
If the pedal is getting spongy and closer to the floor, then you're correct that fluid is your problem.

[mrmr96]

Trev450 said:

Motul 600 is a good, less expensive alternative fluid. As already said, though, EBC pads are not the best.

Agreed.

[(steven)]

Paul_M3 said:

If the pedal is getting spongy and closer to the floor, then you're correct that fluid is your problem.

It's this plus they are not even recovering the next day which to me suggests cooked fluid.

I've been using a suction bleeder running off my compressor and I think its introducing some air into the system, so I've also purchased a pressure bleeder for when I next replace the fluid.

[philevo6]

I ran castrol srf for years on my evo...zero problems.

Switched to ate super blue for the last 18 months and 9 track days....still zero issues (running alcon 365mm front kit,330 rear kit with carbotech xp10 pads all round)

I would ditch the ebc crap first of all...or you will end up in a ditch.

[philevo6]

I ran castrol srf for years on my evo...zero problems.

Switched to ate super blue for the last 18 months and 9 track days....still zero issues (running alcon 365mm front kit,330 rear kit with carbotech xp10 pads all round)

I would ditch the ebc crap first of all...or you will end up in a ditch.

[sydown]

I ran motul rbf600 in my M3 with braided lines and std calipers with rs29 pads and never had an issue with fade in 25-30 minute sessions! I would change the lines and the fluid first to see if that improves things then look at upgrading the pads to pagid/performance friction/carbotech etc. Lines and 1.5 litres (more than enough to flush the system) fluid will only be £120ish!

[iguana]

Are you bleeding a bit out the front calipers after each trackday? Essential imho esp with single piston jobbies on heavier cars & full flush each year.

[andyiley]

iguana said:

Are you bleeding a bit out the front calipers after each trackday? Essential imho esp with single piston jobbies on heavier cars & full flush each year.

Never done that in 10 years of TD's, do you mind if I ask why it is essential?

[ezi]

I can't really fault the ATE Super Blue and EBC YellowStuff combination in my car, never experienced any fade with them on track.

[spyderman8]

I've got SRF in the race car (I doubt my team would use anything else) and Blue in the road car that I sometimes track.

OP: you need need to define "going off". "Better" pads could make it worse.

[DiscoColin]

steven said:

Castrol SRF gets a good write up but at £40 a litre I should hope so. Ate super Blue also has a very good name for itself but at £10 a litre it’s a bit more attractive.

The question to the group is, is Castrol SRF worth the 4x price increase or will something like Super Blue be fine?

The counter question is : is an extra 30 quid every year or so really consequential in the grand scheme of the running costs of a heavy track car? Against the cost of a decent set of pads (such as Pagids, PF or Endless) it is an easily lost sum...

[Konan]

I've been running the ATE Super Blue and the pedal has stayed absolutely solid despite the fact my brakes have been running around the melting point of carbon (this may be an exaggeration).



Happy with the fluid, now just need to sort out the rest of the system!

[NJH]

Never used SRF but used both ATE Blue and the Motul stuff in my race car. My car boils the fluid out of the reservoir in the engine bay BTW every single time it is on track, seems to be completely normal for a 944 running standard calipers (not M030). Never ever had brake fade but then I have always used Pagid race pads (yellow front, blue or orange back) and big cooling ducting to the front disks. Therefore from my experience I am going to say the fluid is the least important after pads and cooling.

[andyiley]

iguana said:

Are you bleeding a bit out the front calipers after each trackday? Essential imho esp with single piston jobbies on heavier cars & full flush each year.

Can I ask why it is essential?

I have never felt the need to do it in 10 years of TDs & have never had an issue between changes each year.

I have run an e36 (heavy) for all this time with many different front and rear brake set-ups in this time, including fully stock.

[Oilchange]

Just makes sense to bleed through the fluid nearest the hot brakes thus putting fresh stuff right at the business end so you know it's at its best
Not essential for every situation though, clearly