Soldato
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Its for a mini cooper s. Doesn't need to be anything fancy, just good quality dot4. What do people use? And how much will I need to replace the whole lot?
Brake and Clutch fluid
- Thread starter NoNameNoNumber
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My local ECP are a joke... I'll have have a Google.
RBF600.....overkill much? 
RBF600 is really only necessary for a car used on track, its high boiling point is a good thing for serious use but it needs changing more frequently than regular dot 4. Its more of a motorsport/track day product, its not even cheap either compared to normal brake fluid in fact its even quite expensive, nearly twice the price of ATE Typ200 that is nearly as good.
Regular Dot 4 fluid from Castrol, Pagid, ATE or Motul would be decent enough. No point spending extra for RBF600 if the guy doesn't want anything fancy and isn't going to track or race his car!
RBF600 is really only necessary for a car used on track, its high boiling point is a good thing for serious use but it needs changing more frequently than regular dot 4. Its more of a motorsport/track day product, its not even cheap either compared to normal brake fluid in fact its even quite expensive, nearly twice the price of ATE Typ200 that is nearly as good.Regular Dot 4 fluid from Castrol, Pagid, ATE or Motul would be decent enough. No point spending extra for RBF600 if the guy doesn't want anything fancy and isn't going to track or race his car!
Soldato
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I've used my car quite hard on track and even then didn't think RBF600 was worth it I'd just get some decent DOT4 that isn't Tesco own brand and you'll be fine.
I'd just get some decent DOT4 that isn't Tesco own brand and you'll be fine.
Soldato
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As brake fluid is hydroscopic (absorbs water) it degrades over time.
The fact you are even bothering to change it is better than most people!
Off the top of my head:
Dot 3 is old style.
Dot 4 is the same as Dot 3 but with a few extra ingredients to raise the boiling point. People often put Dot 4 in a Dot 3 car.
Dot 5 is silicon based and nothing like Dot 3/4. Never put Dot 5 in a Dot 3/4 car and vice versa. Dot 5 is superior though.
Just get some regular Dot 4 from a Motorfactors, but please don't put Dot 5 in if the brake fluid reservoir says Dot 4!
The fact you are even bothering to change it is better than most people!
Off the top of my head:
Dot 3 is old style.
Dot 4 is the same as Dot 3 but with a few extra ingredients to raise the boiling point. People often put Dot 4 in a Dot 3 car.
Dot 5 is silicon based and nothing like Dot 3/4. Never put Dot 5 in a Dot 3/4 car and vice versa. Dot 5 is superior though.
Just get some regular Dot 4 from a Motorfactors, but please don't put Dot 5 in if the brake fluid reservoir says Dot 4!
Any old DOT4 mate, this is what I have in my car...http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-60249-millers-oils-universal-brake-fluid-dot-4.aspx
Last edited:
I use Castrol React Performance DOT 4 in my car - it's a high spec fluid which meets or surpasses DOT5.1 or so I'm told, and used as OEM by Lotus.
Don't get DOT5 and DOT5.1 mixed up.
DOT5 is silicone based and has much longer standing time than glycol based fluids as it doesn't absorb moisture. It's also pretty poor as a paint stripper. On the down-side it's more compressible than a glycol based fluid.
DOT5.1 is a typical glycol based spec fluid. With very high spec racing fluids these often don't have the lubricating properties of more standard versions, as it's expected the systems are stripped down and refilled on a much more regular basis, plus are rated to temperatures you'll never get your brake system up to with road use.
Having used Castrol SRF in the past for a racing bike, it felt absolutely no different than more standard brake fluids and luckily I was given it to try as a freebie. I thought it was rather expensive at £35 per litre and it's gone up in price since then
Don't get DOT5 and DOT5.1 mixed up.
DOT5 is silicone based and has much longer standing time than glycol based fluids as it doesn't absorb moisture. It's also pretty poor as a paint stripper. On the down-side it's more compressible than a glycol based fluid.
DOT5.1 is a typical glycol based spec fluid. With very high spec racing fluids these often don't have the lubricating properties of more standard versions, as it's expected the systems are stripped down and refilled on a much more regular basis, plus are rated to temperatures you'll never get your brake system up to with road use.
Having used Castrol SRF in the past for a racing bike, it felt absolutely no different than more standard brake fluids and luckily I was given it to try as a freebie. I thought it was rather expensive at £35 per litre and it's gone up in price since then
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Cheers guys, went for this Castrol in the end, slight bit of fanboyism but I've never had any trouble with their stuff so...
8L of engine oil, 2L of gearbox oil, 1L of brake fluid, some colder NGK Iridiums, an oil filter and a fuel filter on order
8L of engine oil, 2L of gearbox oil, 1L of brake fluid, some colder NGK Iridiums, an oil filter and a fuel filter on order