Dot 5 brake fluid

[WildCat]

Seen in another thread about using DOT 5

I built my Dart and the system was all new, had a quart of dot 5 that I thought I would use in my Prowler, but after reading that you needed to completely clean & flush the system decided against it. So the Dart was 100% all new system so I used it in the dart.

A few years later my SSBC front calibers started to leak, luckily for me I was able to get the car home safely, get the calibers rebuilt (SSBC DID IT FOR FREE)
Flushed the system and put DOT 4 in it. So far so good.

Use DOT 5 only if the system is compatible with the fluid

I will NEVER use it or other fluid again if not recommend for application.

My convertible top pump has red auto trans fluid, like it came from the factory.

 

[dodge freak]

Just case the new cars use it doesn't mean its the best ! if only more people could understand that. Newer at one time might have been the best, not anymore

 

[slantsixdan]

I think yours is the right way to do it -- use the type of fluid recommended for the application. See also here.

And most new cars do not use silicone brake fluid, either.

 

[69DARTS]

i use dot 4

 

[Darter6]

I used Dot 5 once,,, Fresh clean system,Didn't work for me either.Started to have problems just about 2 years into it. Going back to Dot 3 or 4.

 

[4spdragtop]

We just put Dot 5 in dads 67 cuda....we will have to see how it goes. So far so good.

 

[pettybludart]

I use Dot 5 in my race car(fenderwell hedders),I,ve never had any problems.

 

[Frank Mopar]

http://www.moparaction.com/tech/quest/binder_juice.html

 

[BillGrissom]

Have used DOT 5 in all my non-ABS cars for years. Never a leak and no more rust issues. The best endorsement I know is that the U.S. military uses it. Not sure why you blame the silicone fluid for your caliper leak. There were some cars in the 50's that could only use silicone since glycol fluid would eat the seals. The story that you must totally flush the old fluid out is bunk spread by clueless auto parts guys. The only issue is that if you leave drops of old glycol fluid, that is places that can rust. I have always used it when totally rebuilding the brakes, so easy to blow alcohol thru the tubes.

Other brake fluid trivia. Some pay extra for "synthetic" DOT 4. That is marketing bunk (Valvoline I recall). All brake fluids are man-made and thus synthetic. There is now DOT 5.1. It is not silicone. It is the first glycol fluid to meet the DOT 5 standards. They named it "5.1" to not confuse with silicone since it will still rust your system and remove your paint.