Dear all
I wasn?t able to find fixed mandatory rules of Dept. of Transportation regarding DOT 5 brake fluid color.
I have a dark bluish / violet fluid in, and I have the original canister DOT 5.
I only can find DOT 5 SBBF specs:
"S5.1.14 Fluid color. Brake fluid and hydraulic system mineral oil shall be of the color indicated:
DO3, DO4, and DO5.1 non?SBBF?colorless to amber.
DO5 SBBF?purple.
Hydraulic system mineral oil?green.
(b) The grade (DO3, DO4, DO5) of the brake fluid. If DO5 grade brake fluid, it shall be further distinguished as "DO5 SILICONE BASE" or "DO5.1 NON?SILICONE BASE." "
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/571.116.htm
What please is the difference between Dot 5 and DOT 5 SBBF?
I got a clear fluid addition last year, the canister is no longer at my mechanic?s. He had ordered Harley Silicone Dot 5 . Is it possible he got 5.1 (glycolic) ? Does the color tell? I?m working with silicone impression materials in my practice, they have a lubricating feeling and the clear stuff does too. But how ?feels? glycolic?
Again: Is the color suited enough to determine DOT 5 vs. DOT 5.1 ?
TIA + greetings! Go
Go,
I don't know of any difference between DOT 5 and DOT 5 SBBF. The "SBBF" designation means "Silicone Based Brake Fluid". I would guess that sometimes they include the SBBF suffix and sometimes they do not depending on the manufacturer of the fluid.
I use DOT 5 and it is purple. In my brake bleeder I have noticed it seems to lose some of its purple color with age.
DOT 3, 4, & 5.1 are "NON SBBF" and do not mix with DOT 5!
Jim
Quote from: Go Fleiter on December 13, 2008, 08:32:46 AM
Dear all
I wasn?t able to find fixed mandatory rules of Dept. of Transportation regarding DOT 5 brake fluid color.
I have a dark bluish / violet fluid in, and I have the original canister DOT 5.
I only can find DOT 5 SBBF specs:
"S5.1.14 Fluid color. Brake fluid and hydraulic system mineral oil shall be of the color indicated:
DO3, DO4, and DO5.1 non?SBBF?colorless to amber.
DO5 SBBF?purple.
Hydraulic system mineral oil?green.
(b) The grade (DO3, DO4, DO5) of the brake fluid. If DO5 grade brake fluid, it shall be further distinguished as "DO5 SILICONE BASE" or "DO5.1 NON?SILICONE BASE." "
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/571.116.htm
What please is the difference between Dot 5 and DOT 5 SBBF?
I got a clear fluid addition last year, the canister is no longer at my mechanic?s. He had ordered? Harley Silicone Dot 5 . Is it possible he got 5.1 (glycolic) ? Does the color tell? I?m working with silicone impression materials in my practice, they have a lubricating feeling and the clear stuff does too. But how ?feels? glycolic?
Again: Is the color suited enough to determine DOT 5 vs. DOT 5.1 ?
TIA + greetings! Go
Jim, thank You for the explanation of SBBF! So, seems they put wrong fluid in...
Waiting this spring to redo all of the seals and gaskets... Greetings! Go
Just an added note on the care and feeding of brakes while we're at it.
The design of our hydraulic brakes was done with the knowledge that the system would be exercised every ,or almost, every day. This keeps the cylinders 'wet', both the master and slaves, and keeps the rubber parts lubricated with brake fluid. This stops minute tears from starting in the edges of the seals and keeps ridges from forming on the cylinders walls. If the pistons and their rubber seals are not slid back and forth on a regular basis, rust can also form on the cylinder walls from the water that creeps into the brake fluid.
All this comes down to the necessity of exercising the brakes even while the car is in winter storage. Once a month starting now, I will pump the brakes on my cars a few times to wet the cylinder walls and prevent the above conditions from occuring. It has stood me in good stead over the years as my brake systems never develop leaks or sticking pistons. About every 3 or 4 years I drain out the system and replace the fluid. I have always used DOT 3 and have never experienced a failure of any sort. The fluid however comes out looking like coffee! (I guess I should be doing it sooner!) And you know ,as discussed by Go, it should have a honey to clear color.
? But I am yet to replace any parts or do any repairs after 25 years and this past summer on a tour of pre-WWII cars, a friend and I exchanged cars and the first thing he noticed was my Plymouth had better brakes than his Chrysler. ? ? ?
Thanks for Your very important hint, Plymouth.
I never considerd, that the backmost parts of the brake cylinder walls are only exposed to brake fluid while braking!
So theywill dry out and are not rust protected otherwise.
As I go to the garage to check my batteries acid level every month ( and have to refill because having them hooked up to a loader), I will add Your monthly braking to my routine too!
Greetings! Go
This is why I love this forum. Great advice about exercising the brakes, and available to me now 12 years later. Thanks!