Silicon brake fluid

[PaulB]

Does anyone on the forum (other than me) use silicon brake fluid in a Sprint. If so what is your experience?

[Carledo]

Used it and boiled it, now I use Dot 5.1 race fluid.
I know Jonners loves the stuff though!

Steve

[Magenta Auto Sprint]

I use silicon brake fluid in my current 1850 auto, used it in my previous 1850 auto and also have it in my Sprint Auto which is not on the road yet.

On all three cars I have replaced rear wheel cylinders, rebuilt the master cylinder and the front calipers, replaced all hoses for braided.

I have found the silicon to be good and not experienced any problems but I don't drive my cars hard or race them.

Malcolm

[Jon Tilson]

Dot 5 is great but to use it you have to first replace everything rubber.

Its in use in all my fleet bar the dual master Sprint.

Its very good at stopping corrosion in wheel cylinders in cars that have to stand a while...

I wouldnt use it in a track weapon cos of the lowish boiling point. Use the special stuff if you do that sort of thing.

Jonners

[matt of the vivas]

I agree with Jon
Which is a shock.
I also use it in my 1850, previously had it in my Vauxhall Magnum, Lotus Excel, and Peugeot 205. Never had a problem provided its put in as part of a system overhaul and the rubbers are all changed. Its brilliant stuff once its in.
Matt.

[PaulB]

I use and have used silicon brake fluid in my Sprint for the past 18 years or so. Converted over to at after I restored the car due to worries about normal fluid attacking the paint if spilt. So it had new everything. It is a late Sprint with dual master cylinder.

It has always had a 'soggy' pedal and I would really like to sort this out. The brake do work, it pulls up straight, but I just don't feel confident with it. There are no leaks in the system. Last week end we did 480 miles on the Lancashire motor club coast to coast run. Really great weekend and went on hills up to about 1:4 so the brakes do work they just don't feel right.

I recently changed the master cylinder seals and flushed the fluid, but no change.

Silicon fluid does have the reputation of giving a soft pedal. I also had a Stag until recently and that was fine with silicon. I couldn't tell the difference.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or if using silicon on a later Sprint with dual circuit brakes which does your pedal feel like?

[Edin Dundee]

I presume you have already changed all the flexible hoses for Goodridge?

[Ictoan]

In addition to the Goodridge hoses I would recommend Mintex 1144 pads. They work well from cold and get even better with a bit of heat in them. For what it is worth I am currently using Dot 4 fluid.

Tim

[Richard the old one]

I have found it is very difficult to get all the air out of the dual master cylinder so I now resort to bleeding the air also out at the master cylinder connections. I suggest you give it a try as you have nothing to loose and I would be interested in what the outcome is as it certainly improved my brake pedal.

[Jon Tilson]

The dual master never feels as solid as the single ones...

I dont think its anything to do with silicon fluid. Mine has goodridge hoses too but still is soggy at rest compared with the single line dot5 car I also use.

The rover and spit are also well solid on dot5.

Jonners