DOT 5.1 Fluid in VY SS

[garfa]

Hi,

Seems I am ok to replace the DOT 4 brake fluid with DOT 5.1.

Appreciate if anyone who is aware of this/done it to confirm its fine.

Brakes are a joke at the moment and since I am bleeding them I wanted to know if DOT 5.1 is ok.

Thanks.

 

[Sean880]

DOT 5.1 (NOT to be confused with the DOT 5 silicone based fluid) is a glycol based fluid (like DOT 3 and DOT 4 )and is fully compatible with DOT 3 and DOT 4 fluids. The major difference with DOT 5.1 is the higher boiling point performance compared with DOT 3 /4 fluids. It is safe with all rubber formulations. Being a conventional glycol based fluid it will deteriorate over time by absorbing moisture like DOT 3 and 4 do.

So - no problems in upgrading to DOT 5.1 . (Just make sure you buy the 5.1 and not the silicone DOT 5 which is totally incompatible with all glycol based fluids).

 

[garfa]

DOT 5.1 can eat some rubber so my question is about that so really there may be a problem.

 

[aussieakito]

DOT 5.1 can eat some rubber so my question is about that so really there may be a problem.

5.1 is harmless to rubber.
3 and 4 are meant to go into your system.. they are harmful to rubber.
your system has no rubber

you can use it no problem.


i had 2 different types of brake fluid put in mine today... both said Dot 4 on the bottle. Except one was yellowish and one was green ..i thought yellow was dot 3 .. so why did it say dot 4 on it ;\

 

[Brett_jjj]

I dont think the fluid colours mean anything, Ive got 3 different bottles of DOT 4 fluids, ones got yellow fluid, ones got blue fluid and the other is green fluid.

 

[Sean880]

I dont think the fluid colours mean anything, Ive got 3 different bottles of DOT 4 fluids, ones got yellow fluid, ones got blue fluid and the other is green fluid.

That is correct. The colours are meaningless but are helpful when flushing systems. If you use a DOT 4 fluid and flush your system with another colour of DOT 4 fluid you can clearly see when the old fluid has been emitted and the fresh fluid has reached the bleed point. So colours have a practical application. If you bleed your fluid every 2 years as is recommended you are not going to see much difference in the new and old fluid colour (often no difference) if you use the identical colour fluid. At least that is what I find. So preferably use a different colour.