Anyone had any experiance/knowlage/opinions?
I'm going a complete overhall of the 106's brakes in the next couple of weeks, changing everything (inc the springs/sliders!!) as I'll be completely draining the system I was originally going to replace the old stuff with some new 5.1, but now I see there is full silicone brake fluid.
Is it worth it? I do plan on keeping the pug a while.
Cheers
Silicone Brake Fluid
Moderator: RichardW
er if its not bright green its not worth having 
sorry couldnt resist it..........
sorry couldnt resist it..........
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Kowalski
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My Dad uses Dot 5 silicone fluid in his Jeep Cherokee, it doesn't absorb moisture so it stops a load of corrosion and doesn't need changing as often as a vegetable oil based fluid (Dot 3, 4, 5.1 etc). The only place he could get it cheaply was "Just Harley's" because Harley's use silicon, since he had his Jeep in bits at the time, I was dispatched to pick some up. Just Harley's was a strange place....
You can't use it if the car has ABS, you have to check seal compatability and make sure you get EVERY LAST TRACE of the old stuff out of the system unless you want seal eating mayonaise in your brake hydraulics.
The stuff was developed for the US Military so they didn't have to keep maintaining some of their vehicles that were stock piled in case WW3 broke out, in harsh climates you get problems with water absorbtion, and then freezing.
You can't use it if the car has ABS, you have to check seal compatability and make sure you get EVERY LAST TRACE of the old stuff out of the system unless you want seal eating mayonaise in your brake hydraulics.
The stuff was developed for the US Military so they didn't have to keep maintaining some of their vehicles that were stock piled in case WW3 broke out, in harsh climates you get problems with water absorbtion, and then freezing.
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philhoward
Silicone fluid is great in one respect - it doesn't absorb water. Alas, it does absorb air. Don't be frightened to find constantly spongy brakes...
I've heard mixed reports; strangely enough those who don't complain also fitted Stainless brake hoses at the same time as a complete (master cylinders - the lot) brake rebuild.
Mixing the two fluids isn't a good idea and seals which have been exposed to DOT3/4/5.1 fluid tend to swell up giving sticking/sluggish brake response. Unless you're repiping and resealing the complete system, stick with 5.1 and flush it through every couple of years (as one should..)
I've heard mixed reports; strangely enough those who don't complain also fitted Stainless brake hoses at the same time as a complete (master cylinders - the lot) brake rebuild.
Mixing the two fluids isn't a good idea and seals which have been exposed to DOT3/4/5.1 fluid tend to swell up giving sticking/sluggish brake response. Unless you're repiping and resealing the complete system, stick with 5.1 and flush it through every couple of years (as one should..)
stainless brake hose has always been popular with bikers....flexible hoses expand under braking so it costs you a little bit of brake efficiency
dont know if it matters as much in a car (with a brake servo)
dont know if it matters as much in a car (with a brake servo)
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philhoward
Yep...still makes a shocking difference (from lighly-bloating original rubber ones, anyway). The free-play in any brake pedal does seem to disappear.weety wrote:stainless brake hose has always been popular with bikers....flexible hoses expand under braking so it costs you a little bit of brake efficiency
dont know if it matters as much in a car (with a brake servo)
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CitroJim
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This has been an intersting thread..
If brake fluid is such a problem, being hydroscopic, corrosive (especially to paintwork) and silicone gets airy and so on, why do they still use the horrible stuff?
Have they never heard of LHM? It seems superior in every way so why is it not universally used in place of conventional brake fluid?
I know you cannot just drain out brake fluid and pour some LHM in because of the seals but what precisely is the killer advantage of brake fluid over LHM when used in a conventional braking system?
Am I right in thinking the 2CV used LHM as brake fluid?
If brake fluid is such a problem, being hydroscopic, corrosive (especially to paintwork) and silicone gets airy and so on, why do they still use the horrible stuff?
Have they never heard of LHM? It seems superior in every way so why is it not universally used in place of conventional brake fluid?
I know you cannot just drain out brake fluid and pour some LHM in because of the seals but what precisely is the killer advantage of brake fluid over LHM when used in a conventional braking system?
Am I right in thinking the 2CV used LHM as brake fluid?
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
just guessing but cost? lhm is substantially more expensive than brake fluidcitrojim wrote:This has been an intersting thread..
If brake fluid is such a problem, being hydroscopic, corrosive (especially to paintwork) and silicone gets airy and so on, why do they still use the horrible stuff?
Have they never heard of LHM? It seems superior in every way so why is it not universally used in place of conventional brake fluid?
I know you cannot just drain out brake fluid and pour some LHM in because of the seals but what precisely is the killer advantage of brake fluid over LHM when used in a conventional braking system?
Am I right in thinking the 2CV used LHM as brake fluid?
it would have another advantage as well.....brake fluid being clearish its easier to miss a leak....now the big green puddles on my drive draw my attention to exactly where my cit has started leaking from now
M reg xantia 1.9td 266000 miles expired
R reg xantia 1.9td 186000 miles veggy power expired
L reg renault clio 1.9D 91000 miles expired at 107000 miles
x reg clio 15d veggy power bottom of the car rotted through
06 c5 2.2 TD wowser so much power and comfort 160000 miles
R reg xantia 1.9td 186000 miles veggy power expired
L reg renault clio 1.9D 91000 miles expired at 107000 miles
x reg clio 15d veggy power bottom of the car rotted through
06 c5 2.2 TD wowser so much power and comfort 160000 miles
I don't think LHM is any more expensive than brake fluid and it has a greater shelf life so there would be less wastage etc on retailers shelves.
I think its a question of what people expect. Look at our ZX - it has a power steering pump, a brake servo and a vacuum pump to drive the servo. It could have a single pump, no servo and run on LHM - or power steering fluid for that matter - and 2 of the components would have been saved - as well as potentially unreliable master cylinder seals.
I think its a question of what people expect. Look at our ZX - it has a power steering pump, a brake servo and a vacuum pump to drive the servo. It could have a single pump, no servo and run on LHM - or power steering fluid for that matter - and 2 of the components would have been saved - as well as potentially unreliable master cylinder seals.
jeremy