Best brake fluid to run in our SC's?

90tbirdsc

Registered User
I was wondering what is the best brake fluid to run in our sc's? Im in the process of putting on new PBR front and factory replacement rear calipers and ill be bleeding them soon so I went to my local auto parts store and picked up some regular dot 3 fluid, Is this good enough? or should I go to my local Ford dealership and get the fluid ford recommends in the owners manual?
 
Short answer.. DOT3. Longer answer, unless you plan to change it out regularly, DOT3. There are a number of issues related to brake fluid choice, but unless you plan to seriously road race, as in not street legal, the boiling point of DOT 3 will not be a problem. Even occasional road course use isn't enough to push DOT3.
 
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Short answer.. DOT3. Longer answer, unless you plan to change it out regularly, other. There are a number of issues related to brake fluid choice, but unless you plan to seriously road race, as in not street legal, the boiling point of DOT 3 will not be a problem.

does brand matter?
 
Dot 3?

I am pretty sure Ford Calls for DOT 4. You can find it at any AP store. It also has a higher boiling pt. I would never put dot 3 in my Birds. I use Valvoline synthetic since regular brake fluid is hydrophilic and it needs to be changed as water gets into it. Because of that it corrodes the hydraulics.
The only type off brake fluid that doesn't need to be flushed yearly is silicone but it is not for use in cars with ABS because it foams when the pistons open and close.
 
The ford brake fluid ' DOT 3 ' does have the highest boiling point of all the brands I've looked at. And, its about the same price! Which I found weird. I don't mean just a little bit higher either. it's substantially higher.
 
DOT 3, 4 and 5.1 all are hygroscopic (absorb water) being glycol based. DOT 3 and DOT 4 are interchangeable if your starting with DOT 3 in that DOT has a higher boiling point ; could go 4 to 3 in a pinch as its better than nothing but.... As for 5.1 its does have an even higher boiling point but was designed for mechanical ABS.

DOT 5 is for non-high performance fair weather use--think Harley.
 
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