Everything you need to know about brake fluid
DOT 3 and 4 fluids are classified as Hygroscopic..this means that they absorb water. This is a good thing. DOT 5 fluid is silicon based and does not absorb water. NEVER use DOT 5 fluid in an ABS system. The reason for this is that because is does not absorb water, the moisture that is introduced to the system ends up collecting in corner of the hydraulic system and corroding the hell out of whatever it touches. Hygroscopic fluids will absorb the moisture so that it is in very low concentration everywhere in the hydraulic system and will not cause any considerable corrosion if the system is properly maintained. Brake fluid does need to be changed at a minimum of every two years. As water is absorbed into the system....the boiling point of the fluid is decreased. When brake fluid boils, you get brake fade because it develops a gas in the hydraulic system. Gas is compressable while liquids are not. If gas exists in the system, your pedal pressure will go into compressing that rather than forcing the pads against the rotors and stopping the car. Additionaly, as water is absorbed into the system, the chances of component corrosion is greatly increased. I recommend that brake fluid be flushed once a year, or if the vehicle is race (not drag racing, but road racing) in an environment where the brakes are pushed past there limits, the system should be flushed after every race. For racing or high performance use, a performance brake fluid like MOTUL or ATE super blue is recommended.
There is also a DOT 5.1 brake fluid....it has properties of DOT 3 and DOT 4 and has the higher boiling point of DOT 5, it is also made of the same base coponents of DOT 3 and DOT 4. so it can be mixed like DOT 3 and 4 can be. However if you purchase DOT 5.1 you need to make sure it is DOT 5.1 not DOT 5.
Also the silicone base in DOT 5 does not agree with rubber, so if you want to do a DOT 5 upgrade not only do you have to flush the system with denatured alcohol but you have to replace all the rubber components with teflon components.
DOT 5 is a non-hygroscopic fluid, which means it will not absorb or mix with water like DOT 3 and DOT 4. Seems like a great idea right? WRONG! When brake fluid can absorb water, the moisture is uniformly diluted throughout the system, and if proper maintanence is adhered to, the moisture will never be in sufficient concentration to do any damage. DOT 5 on the other hand will not mix with moisture, so the result is small droplets of water in the system. These droplets usually collect in small orifices or corners, like in ABS units, and cause severe corrosion, rendering the component useless. Never use DOT 5 in ABS brake systems. There are plenty of performance DOT 3 & 4 fluids out there that will get the job done.
I found this as well:
DOT3
DOT3 brake fluid is the "conventional" brake fluid used in most vehicles. One of the most familiar brands is "Prestone."
Advantages:
DOT3 fluid is inexpensive, and available at most gas stations, department stores, and any auto parts store.
Disadvantages:
DOT3 will damage natural rubber brake seals and should not be used in any car suspected of having natural rubber seals (most Triumphs prior to 1968).
DOT3 fluid eats paint!
DOT3 fluid absorbs water very readily. (This is often referred to as being hydroscopic.) As such, once a container of DOT3 has been opened, it should not be stored for periods much longer than a week before use.
Since DOT3 fluid absorbs water, any moisture absorbed by the fluid can encourage corrosion in the brake lines and cylinders.
DOT4
DOT4 brake fluid is the brake fluid suggested for use in late model Triumphs. The most familiar brand is "Castrol GT-LMA"
Advantages:
DOT4 fluid is available at most auto parts stores, and at some (but not all) gas stations or department stores.
DOT4 fluid does not absorb water as readily as DOT3 fluid.
DOT4 fluid has a higher boiling point than DOT3 fluid, making it more suitable for high performance applications where the brake systems are expected to get hot.
Disadvantages:
DOT4 fluid eats paint! Small leaks around the master cylinder will eventually dissolve away the paint on your bodywork in the general vicinity of the leak, and then give rust a chance to attack the body of your car!
DOT4 fluid is generally about 50% more expensive than DOT3 fluid.
Since DOT4 fluid still absorbs some water, any moisture absorbed by the fluid can encourage corrosion in the brake lines and cylinders.
DOT5
DOT5 brake fluid is also known as "silicone" brake fluid.
Advantages:
DOT5 doesn't eat paint.
DOT5 does not absorb water and may be useful where water absorption is a problem.
DOT5 is compatible with all rubber formulations. (See more on this under disadvantages, below.)
Disadvantages:
DOT5 does NOT mix with DOT3 or DOT4. Most reported problems with DOT5 are probably due to some degree of mixing with other fluid types. The best way to convert to DOT5 is to totally rebuild the hydraulic system.
Reports of DOT5 causing premature failure of rubber brake parts were more common with early DOT5 formulations. This is thought to be due to improper addition of swelling agents and has been fixed in recent formulations.
Since DOT5 does not absorb water, any moisture in the hydraulic system will "puddle" in one place. This can cause localized corrosion in the hydraulics.
Careful bleeding is required to get all of the air out of the system. Small bubbles can form in the fluid that will form large bubbles over time. It may be necessary to do a series of bleeds.
DOT5 is slightly compressible (giving a very slightly soft pedal), and has a lower boiling point than DOT4.
DOT5 is about twice as expensive as DOT4 fluid. It is also difficult to find, generally only available at selected auto parts stores.
DOT5.1
DOT5.1 is a relatively new brake fluid that is causing no end of confusion amongst mechanics. The DOT could avoid a lot of confusion by giving this new fluid a different designation. The 5.1 designation could lead one to believe that it's a modification of silicone-based DOT 5 brake fluid. Calling it 4.1 or 6 might have been more appropriate since it's a glycol-based fluid like the DOT 3 and 4 types, not silicone-based like DOT 5 fluid. (In fact, Spectro is marketing a similar new fluid which they are calling Supreme DOT 4, which seems less confusing.)
As far as the basic behavior of 5.1 fluids, they are much like "high performance" DOT4 fluids, rather than traditional DOT5 brake fluids.
Advantages:
DOT5.1 provides superior performance over the other brake fluids discussed here. It has a higher boiling point, either dry or wet, than DOT 3 or 4. In fact, its dry boiling point (about 275 degrees C) is almost as high as racing fluid (about 300 degrees C) and 5.1's wet boiling point (about 175 to 200 degrees C) is naturally much higher than racing's (about 145 C).
DOT5.1 is said to be compatible with all rubber formulations.
Disadvantages:
DOT5.1 fluids (and Spectro's Supreme DOT4) are non-silicone fluids and will absorb water.
DOT5.1 fluids, like DOT3 & DOT4 will eat paint.
DOT 5.1 fluids are difficult to find for sale, typically at very few auto parts stores, mostly limited to "speed shops."
DOT 5.1 will be more expensive than DOT3 or DOT4, and more difficult to find.
