Synthetic Brake Fluid and pads?

[Erich Stahler]

Do any of you use synthetic brake fluid? just wondering if swapping over from mineral if there would be any issues with seals?

Also what's the current favourite brand of brake pads, for early 4.2 with standard AP brakes?
(For road and some track work)

Thanks.

[magpies]

I've used Castrol SRF (Synthetic Racing Fluid?)

no problem with seals

wasn't in a TVR so cannot say what pads

I used it in my RS200 look-a-like which was 4wd 300bhp Turbo (I used DS2500 pads) and track day'd at Croft = 2nd fastest out of 60 cars

[HarryW]

Running DS2500 pads, great for fast road use IMHO.

[esso]

Whatever you do, do not mix mineral and synthetic fluid together, it goes like snot and you will find it extremely difficult to bleed it from the system. Do not use silicon fluid, that rots the seals.
EBC Redstuff pads for me.

[gruffalo]

Pads I use Pagid RS14, they are very good indeed, work from cold to stupidly hot and smoky.

Fluid the high temp Carbon Lorraine stuff brummie sells is top notch.

[scotty_d]

+1 for the CL pads and fluid, my brakes are unreal, best upgrade to the car.
http://www.carbonelorrainebraking.co.uk/

[Erich Stahler]

Right, think I had the wrong end of the stick when I started this thread.

All the common brake fluids DOT3,4 & 5.1 ARE synthetic (Poly Glycol)

The only mineral brake fluids are DOT5 which is Silicon based or the special stuff for Citroens!

So I can safely assume the car already has a DOT spec fluid and just replace with DOT5.1

Anyone disagree shout now!

[HarryW]

Just don't mix them....... if you already have dot4 then I would steer clear of dot5, upgrade to dot5.1...

[GT6k]

I have been using DOT 5.1 for several years with no problems. I flushed through replacing whatever was in there before (probably DOT4) and there were no issues.

[LooneyTunes]

Problem with SRF is that it's a 12 month change cycle.

AP600 is almost same BPs but a two year change cycle.

[Byker28i]

Another shout for Carbon Lorraine stuff that brummie sells. The pads are brilliant, disks are good too.

[Erich Stahler]

Thanks guys, I shall get to it with my trusty pressure bleed if I find a cap that fits.

[ukkid35]

LooneyTunes said:

Problem with SRF is that it's a 12 month change cycle.

AP600 is almost same BPs but a two year change cycle.

The other problem with SRF is that it's £40/L, whereas ATE SuperBlue is £10/L. I get your point about change interval, but presumably everyone here flushes their brake fluid at least once a year (on their Cerb even if not on their daily driver).

[anonymous-user]

M

ukkid35 said:

LooneyTunes said:

Problem with SRF is that it's a 12 month change cycle.

AP600 is almost same BPs but a two year change cycle.

The other problem with SRF is that it's £40/L, whereas ATE SuperBlue is £10/L. I get your point about change interval, but presumably everyone here flushes their brake fluid at least once a year (on their Cerb even if not on their daily driver).

Body work is expensive to repair. SRF is cheap in comparison....and it's very good. Body shops vary.

[ukkid35]

I run my car on a miniscule budget, and the ATE SuperBlue has never boiled in the Cerb (although it has in my fully laden 928 in the Alps), therefore I don't think that would be money well spent for me.

[anonymous-user]

ukkid35 said:

I run my car on a miniscule budget, and the ATE SuperBlue has never boiled in the Cerb (although it has in my fully laden 928 in the Alps), therefore I don't think that would be money well spent for me.

Can't be driving it hard enough