So if my fluid is purple (which I am pretty sure it is) I shouldn't have topped
it
up with the stuff I did - which I think was standard stuff.
And the PO replacing the standard pipes with copper wasn't so good either.
<expletive>
I am now going to dash to the car park on this fine afternoon and find out.
James
Richard Gosling wrote:
> Marc,
>
> Apparently DOT5 (silicone) fluid has a quite different appearance - purple
> (I think) instead of the light brown of normal brake fluid. If there's any
> fluid left in the M/C, or if you can pump a little out of one caliper, that
> should tell you.
>
> I have heard that DOT4 is a bad idea because the mineral oil eats the
> natural rubber seals, not sure how much truth their is in that or not.
> Probably best to stick with DOT3 to be on the safe side, if you use DOT3 or
> 4. These can be safely mixed I believe.
>
> If you switch to DOT5 silicone fluid (NOT the same as the DOT5.1 stuff you
> sometimes see, not sure what that is), many believe that this needs to be
> done in conjunction with a rebuild of all your brake parts, replacing every
> bit of rubber in the system, or the rubber may perish. There are some who
> say that they have done just fine by flushing all the old fluid out of the
> system using 'mineral spirits' (I guess that may be American for White
> Spirit??), and filling with silicone fluid, without replacing anything.
>
> Also, Silicone fluid is significantly more expensive than normal brake
> fluid! It does have its advantages - spills won't eat through your
> paintwork, it will not absorb water which leads to corrosion of brake pipes
> (unless they've been replaced with copper), it needs bleeding less often.
> As for brake feel, opinions differ - I think Silicone is less compressible,
> which means brakes will come on more suddenly, and the brake will move less
> between the slightly-applied position and full-on position - some prefer
> this, some don't!
>
> One word of warning - be gentle when undoing your bleed nipples!! If they
> won't budge easily, spray with penetrating fluid and leave for a while.
> Apparently a hammer tap on the end helps as well - best use a small bit of
> wood between the hammer and the nipple to avoid damage to the nipple. I
> currently have THREE broken half-nipples stuck in my brakes, and am awaiting
> replacement calipers and rear cylinders, having failed to get the old bits
> out. Not good, and not cheap.
>
> Richard & Daffy
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