Brake Fluid and Auto Trans Fluid.

[Melchior3]

G'day, quick Q...

I was doin a minor service on the car on the weekend and I keep all the crap in a crate (oil/filters/coolant/brake fluid/trans fluid/funnels/rags/etc) and my father-in-law asked me why I had Brake AND Trans fluid, "when they're the exact same thing"...

What I wanna know is: are the two fluids the same thing, ie are they interchangeable? or are they SPECIFICALLY designed for each function?

I personally think he could be full of it, but I guess I should ask around first, since he is twice my age and might know some things i don't...

[Garth]

your father in law is full of it, 2 major factors

brake fluid is like water, just minus the o part, has other chemicals in it alowing it to be compressed.

and transmission oil is a high temp oil

if you mix brake oil with gearbox oil, no explosions will happen, but your gearbox will die (oil is 2 thin, wont get to pressure quick enough and cause friction and slippage big time), and your brakes wont work (because you cant compress gearbox oil)


the only part that is interchanable is the power steering oil and transmission oil, both are the same.

also have been told that diff oil and manual tranny gearbox oil is the same, but dont quote me on that one.

cheers
garth

[Mk III the HSV]

Yeh, the power steering and auto trans fluids are the same.

[holden#1]

i have used auto trans fluid in the power steering also - no probs

[Melchior3]

Hmm, maybe that's what he said?
Quite poissible that I mixed up what he said in regards to brake/powersteering/trans fluids.

But now I know! So it's all good.

Thanks fellas.