I've been pretty much "lurking" on this list for a while, but I have both
good and bad personal experience with silicone brake fluid on various cars,
so I thought I'd throw in my observations.
Changing to DOT 5 Silicone brake fluid is a good idea IF:
1) You're already tearing down the hydraulics anyway, and will be
replacing the affected seals, flexible hoses, etc. and cleaning out the
reservoirs.
2) Your brake light switch is actuated mechanically by the pedal, rather
than by hydraulic pressure.
Changing to DOT 5 Silicone brake fluid is a bad idea if either of the above
conditions are false, because:
1a) It won't help make bad seals seal any better, and may make things
worse.
1b) Mixing Silicone fluid with the remains of Lockheed or Castrol can make
a nasty mess.
2) Sooner or later, a little bit of any brake fluid will make its way
inside a hydraulically actuated switch. Silicone is a GREAT insulator.
I have seen people rap silicone because they got a hold of a car where the
DPO put silicone into an ignored, already pitted, leaking, swollen-hosed
brake system. The problem wasn't the silicone brake fluid, the problem was
the DPO.
By the way, make VERY sure you don't have any traces of silicone fluid on
your shoes when you walk across your wife's new Armstrong Solarian kitchen
floor, unless it already features random purple blotches. (A
non-automotive bad experience with silicone brake fluid.)
Chris Kotting
ckotting@iwaynet.net
'77 MG Midget "Martha"
'93 Saturn Wagon
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