difference in brake fluids

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by bobcowan

There's a new fluid that came out a couple of years ago, DoT 5.1. ... I have never used, because I have never been able to find it.

Bon appétit. http://www.synlube.com/brake.htm

[Bobcat]

What Undy said X2 . DOT 5 in my Galaxie`s system ( drum rear and disc front ) caused all seals and hose to start to disintegrate . Luckily , I caught it before major damage was done .

[jwd]

Originally Posted by Bobcat

What Undy said X2 . DOT 5 in my Galaxie`s system ( drum rear and disc front ) caused all seals and hose to start to disintegrate . Luckily , I caught it before major damage was done .

Must be a Ford thing. I've used DOT 5 in several vintage Corvettes and have never had a problem. The DOT 5 in my 1960 Corvette has been in there for over 30 years and it looks like you just poured it out of the bottle.
There are many misconceptions about DOT 5 and several of them have been posted here. One of them is that is ruins rubber seals. If it won't hurt a delicate paint job, how does it disolve rubber? It deosn't. Another, mixing it with DOT 3 or 4 will cause it to clot (or whatever). Many years ago, I mixed the 2 in a bottle and agitated it. After a period of time, it did seperate but that was all. I even tried heating the fluid with a torch. After sitting on the shelf for several years with no problems noted, I threw the bottle away.
DOT 5 has been used by many, many car restorers for over 50 years and I've never read of anyone having a problem (except rumors spread on the internet by people who have never actually used it). The military has been using it since the 50's with no problem.

Jim