Brake fluid types

[F34R]

^Couldnt find a link, but alot of stories of it boiling. But with a BBK I cant imagine it being a problem.

For now I am doing SCCA solo events. So I really don't even have enough time to warm up my R comps xD But it is SOOO much fun =)

The ATE will be perfect and the only racing fluid I could find local was Wilwood 600. That was 20 a ltr and I got my ATE amber and one blue shipped to my door for under 55.

[Emre]

ATE super blue/type 200 has a wet boiling point of 396 degrees vs the Wilwood 570's 313 degrees. In the humid south at least that is where the ATE fluid beats up on the rest...

Not sure why you're so concerned with wet boiling point on a track car. No one is going to leave brake fluid in the system long enough for wet boiling point to be a serious issue.

As a rule, the better performing racing brake fluids are more hygroscopic, so they'll have lower wet boiling points across the board. But you don't leave them in your car for 35K miles at a time, so no one cares.

Besides, Ate degrades quite rapidly under track conditions. It's going to stop working effectively due to break-down far earlier than Motul or Wilwood would stop working due to water build-up. After I switched to Wilwood, I stopped having to bleed my brakes at the track anymore, even when running a 3-day weekend at a challenging circuit. When I used to run Ate Typ200, I had to bleed my brakes after every 2-3 sessions.

Incidentally, there's also such a thing as pedal feel. Castrol SRF might cost a fortune at $75 per bottle, but the pedal feels rock solid. Very easy to modulate. If you're driving a car without ABS in tricky conditions, for example, you'll see why spending the extra money sometimes makes sense.

[F34R]

Not sure why you're so concerned with wet boiling point on a track car. No one is going to leave brake fluid in the system long enough for wet boiling point to be a serious issue.

As a rule, the better performing racing brake fluids are more hygroscopic, so they'll have lower wet boiling points across the board. But you don't leave them in your car for 35K miles at a time, so no one cares.

Besides, Ate degrades quite rapidly under track conditions. It's going to stop working effectively due to break-down far earlier than Motul or Wilwood would stop working due to water build-up. After I switched to Wilwood, I stopped having to bleed my brakes at the track anymore, even when running a 3-day weekend at a challenging circuit. When I used to run Ate Typ200, I had to bleed my brakes after every 2-3 sessions.

Incidentally, there's also such a thing as pedal feel. Castrol SRF might cost a fortune at $75 per bottle, but the pedal feels rock solid. Very easy to modulate. If you're driving a car without ABS in tricky conditions, for example, you'll see why spending the extra money sometimes makes sense.

I am going to see how this ATE works out, I can get Wilwood 600 for 20 a ltr. So not that bad for it being able to drive down and get a bottle.

[jlevie]

Not sure why you're so concerned with wet boiling point on a track car. No one is going to leave brake fluid in the system long enough for wet boiling point to be a serious issue.

I completely agree. There is no brake fluid I'd trust in my race car after more than three months. That being four (or sometimes five) events the interval is also the oil/filter change interval. Transmission and differential fluid gets changed every six months. I figure that when I've gone through a set of pads, front rotors and tires new fluid is appropriate.

[Brian D]

Just a couple of quick reads.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakefluid_1a.shtml

http://www.corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36644&highlight=wet+boiling+point

[xxlbimmer]

You're FUCKING ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET'S END EVERYTHING IN explanation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because I don't know proper punctuation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really? Thought about therapy?

[nando]

I don't think anyone would argue that ATE is the *best*, but it's pretty good for the price. for 99% of us it works very well, especially as E30s are most often used as daily drivers and an occasional track day.

the other 1% that have dedicated E30 track cars with several sessions every weekend for a whole season, and need far more from their braking system, will want to spend the money on better fluids. I can see how flushing ATE every day could be more expensive if one fill of Motul lasts several times longer. For me, I might do 2-3 track days a year. it's just not worth spending the extra money when $25 of ATE lasts an entire year.

[bimmerteck]

I completely agree. There is no brake fluid I'd trust in my race car after more than three months. That being four (or sometimes five) events the interval is also the oil/filter change interval. Transmission and differential fluid gets changed every six months. I figure that when I've gone through a set of pads, front rotors and tires new fluid is appropriate.

I change mine often, even on the 'vert that hasn't left the garage in the last 2 years.;) As for my customers, even the most vigilant may only pay me to bleed their brakes once a year. Several of them fall into the category where if I'm not doing the maintenance for them,it's safe to assume that it just isn't getting done. I only bring up the wet boiling point as something to note for the people who fall into the category of "I'll do it eventually" rather than a strict maintenance schedule. I personally wish the "I'll do it eventually"s kept their cars off the public roads/track, but I am familiar with reality, and see them often at local events and just smile and nod. :-)

This group of drivers I refer to is separate from the Emre's and Jlevie's of the world in that they are in the group that doesn't have a dedicated track car yet(I believe most everyone progresses towards this) and can't perform their own maintenance. I post so I don't have one of them bring me bottles of Wilwood 570 and want to put it in their street/track car next week(mostly street;)) and want to leave it in there for a year, or maybe two b/c they read on the R3v that it was even better than super blue!

[joshh]

Valvoline's Synthetic Is what I've always used. But even with ducting and PBR Ultimate pads on any track that was long and had even moderate straights the brakes were smoking when I got off.
I hope you're using a better pad than the Ultimates as well. So my advice is use something better than the Valvoline....even though it's pretty much the best and cheapest fluid for just about everything else but track days.

[Emre]

Valvoline's Synthetic Is what I've always used. But even with ducting and PBR Ultimate pads on any track that was long and had even moderate straights the brakes were smoking when I got off.
I hope you're using a better pad than the Ultimates as well. So my advice is use something better than the Valvoline....even though it's pretty much the best and cheapest fluid for just about everything else but track days.

Keep in mind the the current version of Valvoline brake fluid is NOT the same as the old "SynPower." The newer version has a dry boiling point that's around 20 or 30 degrees lower than the old formula.

[joshh]

Keep in mind the the current version of Valvoline brake fluid is NOT the same as the old "SynPower." The newer version has a dry boiling point that's around 20 or 30 degrees lower than the old formula.

I did not notice that. Thanks.
I haven't been out for a couple years to a track day so depending on when they changed the formula.