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Brake Fluid
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Without a doubt, brake fluid is near the top of most enthusiasts’ lists of boring brake subjects. It
may even rival the ashtray and cup holder for the all-time most boring vehicle part ever. Yet in spite
of its low score on the “cool-o-meter,” brake fluid is one of the most vital components to your
vehicle's brake system performance, and ultimately to its overall safety.
How then can it be neglected for years and years and years at a time? This may not surprise you,
but some people don’t change their brake fluid for the entire life of their vehicle and don’t even
think twice about it.
But don’t worry—help has arrived. You’re about to learn everything you ever need to know about
the very lifeblood of your vehicle’s brake system. If you’re not itching to run to the garage with a
bleeder bottle by the time you’re done reading this chapter, you might want to check your pulse.
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Time, temperature, and moisture are
the three primary enemies of your
vehicle’s brake fluid. The only visual
indication of degraded brake fluid
performance is a change in fluid color
over time from light yellow (the beaker
on the right) to a dark, muddy brown
(the beaker on the left). (Randall
Shafer)
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Brake Fluid 101
Brake fluid’s functional responsibility is to transmit the force from the master cylinder piston or
pistons to the calipers at the four corners of the vehicle. It does this by allowing itself to be
pressurized. Based on the hydraulic gain of the brake system, there may be an increase in the
force delivered to the calipers, but the brake fluid and distribution system fundamentally do not
provide any gain on their own. This relationship was covered in Chapter 3, but can be summarized
by the following equation:
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Caliper input pressure (psi) = Master cylinder pressure (psi)
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The brake fluid found in the master
cylinder reservoir is not pressurized,
even during brake application. This
fluid is drawn into the hydraulic circuit
only as needed due to long-term
changes in brake system volumetric
consumption, such as when brake
pads are worn down to their backing
plates. (Randall Shafer/Delphi
Corporation)
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While that may sound simple, there are several other demands placed on the brake fluid that could
prevent it from performing its intended function. For this reason, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, or NHTSA, an agency of the Department of Transportation, or DOT, has established
a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, or FMVSS, dedicated to brake fluid performance.
FMVSS116
In FMVSS116, NHTSA has identified no less than 14 properties of brake fluid worthy of government
regulation. By law, if the fluid cannot pass one or more of the 14 requirements the product cannot
claim compliance to DOT standards.
If all of FMVSS116 were to be duplicated here in this book, over 22 pages of text would be required.
The sidebar provides a more detailed list of these items, but for now it makes the most sense to
summarize four of the key requirement categories from the perspective of the typical automotive
enthusiast.
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The Fluid Should Not Solidify
As stated a few paragraphs back, brake fluid is able to transmit force across a distance because it
able to be pressurized. While this may be obvious, the pressurization of brake fluid is much easier
to accomplish when it’s in its natural fluid state than when it is frozen solid in the brake lines and
hoses.
Therefore, a critical requirement for brake fluid is that it must maintain its fluid state even in the
presence of extremely low ambient temperatures. Because ambient temperatures routinely fall well
below 32 degrees F, this immediately eliminates water from the list of potential brake fluids.
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One of brake fluid’s most important
characteristics is its ability to maintain
a fluid state even in the presence of
extremely cold ambient temperatures.
For this reason alone, water would
make a very poor brake fluid in
climates where temperatures drop
below freezing! (Randall Shafer)
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The Fluid Should Not Vaporize
As stated a few paragraphs back, brake fluid is able to transmit force across a distance because it’s
able to be pressurized. While this may be just as obvious as it was moments ago, the pressurization
of brake fluid is much easier to accomplish when it’s in its natural fluid state than after it has boiled
into gaseous form in the brake lines and hoses.
Brake fluid fade occurs if the brake fluid vaporizes during use (note that this is quite different from
brake pad fade, which is covered in Chapter 9) and is characterized by a brake pedal that falls
nearly to the floor of the vehicle when pressed by the driver. This increase in pedal travel is
accompanied by a partial or complete loss of deceleration capability, which results in extended
stopping distances. This condition tends to make drivers a bit uncomfortable, to say the least.
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Brake fluid fade occurs when the brake
fluid changes in state from a liquid to a
gas. Unfortunately for the driver, brake
fluid in vapor form is much more
compressible than it is in liquid form,
resulting in little, if any, braking
effectiveness. Under these
circumstances, the best one can hope
for is a gravel trap to stop the car.
(Wayne Flynn/pdxsports.com)
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Therefore, a critical requirement for brake fluid is that it must maintain its fluid state even in the
presence of extremely high ambient temperatures. However, there is a large amount of heat
generated by the brake system itself. In fact, the heat coming from the brake system can greatly
overshadow any effects of ambient heat. Remember from Chapter 1 that rotor temperatures of
hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit are not all that uncommon, even in everyday driving.
For this reason, the boiling point of brake fluid is one of its important physical attributes. In fact, to
the racer it may be the single most critical performance criteria.
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Of paramount important to the racer,
brake fluid must also maintain its fluid
state in the presence of extremely high
temperatures. For reliable
performance on the track, dry boiling
points well over 500 degrees F are
often required. (Wayne
Flynn/pdxsports.com)
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The Fluid Should Not Attack Seals
Before you get the impression that I’m referring to the protection of an endangered species, this
requirement simply implies that brake fluid should not adversely affect the performance or longevity
of the hydraulic seals in the master cylinder, proportioning valves, and calipers. This requirement
not only applies to chemical compatibility, but also to any lubricating properties that the fluid may
need to possess.
(Author’s note: no seals were harmed in the writing of this book.)
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The Fluid Should Not Be Compressible
When Newton (yes, the same Newton from Chapter 2) was not preoccupied defining the laws of
motion, he took some time to study fluids and discovered that all of them—without exception—were
compressible to some degree. In other words, when they are pressurized they decrease in volume.
For this reason, when brake fluid is pressurized it shrinks in reaction.
While this does not pose a performance concern with the fluid, it does result in extra brake pedal
travel. For this reason, selecting a brake fluid with low compressibility can result in significant
improvements in brake pedal feel.
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Brake fluid’s compressibility indicates
how much the fluid shrinks in volume
when it’s pressurized. For the best
brake pedal feel, fluid with the lowest
compressibility possible is desired.
This is just one of the reasons that
silicone-based DOT 5 fluid is not
recommended in high-performance
applications—its chemistry makes it
much more compressible than DOT 3
and DOT 4 fluids. (Randall Shafer)
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Dry Boiling Point
During competitive events, mild track use, or even spirited street driving, it’s not uncommon to see
rotor temperatures well in excess of 800 degrees F. While not all of this heat is seen by the caliper
body, the brake fluid behind the piston can easily reach 300 degrees F, with severe applications
resulting in even higher temperatures.
Fortunately, brake fluid manufacturers have found a way to formulate brake fluids that can perform
in these extreme operating conditions without even breaking a sweat. When new, most common
brake fluids have dry boiling points of well over 400 degrees F. Unfortunately though, these very
same fluids also have an Achilles heel.
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Although the glowing front brakes on this
Subaru indicate their temperature is well
over 1,200 degrees F, the brake fluid
does not experience quite the same level
of heat during use. The temperature of
the brake fluid in the caliper is probably
closer to 300 to 400 degrees F. (Wayne
Flynn/pdxsports.com)
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Detailed FMVSS116 Requirements
In all, FMVSS116 calls out 14 different performance requirements over 22 pages for brake fluid
sold in the United States. Listed here, in their official order of appearance, are those properties
under NHTSA’s microscope:
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1. Dry boiling point
2. Wet boiling point
3. Kinematic viscosity
4. pH value
5. Chemical stability
6. Corrosion
7. Fluidity and appearance at low temperature
8. Evaporation
9. Water tolerance
10. Compatibility
11. Resistance to oxidation
12. Effects on rubber
13. Stroking properties (lubrication capability)
14. Fluid color
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While each requirement spells out specific performance criteria in gory detail, all were developed
with a single objective in mind: ensuring that brake fluid maintains its ability to transmit force under
a wide range of operating conditions.
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Previous | Next
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This has been a sample page from
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High-Performance Brake Systems
Design, Selection, and Installation
by James Walker, Jr.
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High-Performance Brake Systems: Design, Selection, and
Installation gives you the knowledge to upgrade your brakes the
right way the first time. Author James Walker, Jr. doesn’t just tell
you what to do—he uses over 330 photos and plain English to
help you understand how and why your brake system works, what
each of the components does, and how to intelligently upgrade
your brakes for better performance. There are chapters showing
you how to choose and install the most effective rotors, calipers,
pads, and tires for your sports car, muscle car, race car, and
street rod. You will even find special sidebars detailing how each
upgrade will affect your ABS.
Brakes might be one of the most important, yet least understood,
vehicle systems. Brakes are relied upon day in and day out
without giving a second thought to their condition, let alone their
purpose, function, or design. Brake systems can be intimidating,
and they aren’t usually the first thing the average horsepower
junkie chooses to upgrade. But there’s no reason to wait until you
have a problem to learn how your brakes work. Whether you are
a casual enthusiast, a weekend warrior, or a professional racer,
this book will tell you everything you need to know about brakes.
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Click below to view a sample
page from each chapter
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Chap. 1 - Energy Conversion
Chap. 2 - Tires Stop the Car
Chap. 3 - System Design
Chap. 4 - Brake Balance
Chap. 5 - Pedal & Master Cyl
Chap. 6 - Brake Fluid
Chap. 7 - Lines and Hoses
Chap. 8 - Brake Calipers
Chap. 9 - Brake Pads
Chap. 10 - Brake Rotors
Chap. 11 - Sports Car Brakes
Chap. 12 - Race Car Brakes
Chap. 13 - Muscle Car Brakes
Chap. 14 - Street Rod Brakes
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8-1/2 x 11"
Softbound
144 pages
330+ color photos
Item: SA126
Price: $21.95
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Click here to buy now!
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This is a great book that any performance enthusiast will love!
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Other items you might be interested in
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Sport Compact Turbos & Blowers
While most owners of sport compacts can afford the simple bolt-ons
available, some owners want to take their modifications a step further.
There is intense competition to be the fastest, and quite often the only
way to win is to go to the next level – by installing a supercharger /
blower or turbocharger on your engine. This book is an enthusiast’s
guide to understanding and using turbochargers and superchargers
on sport compact cars.
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Price:
$18.95
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Shipping is combined and discounted for multiple item purchases!
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