Guest Andrew Report post Posted February 9, 2004 I guess not...but I don't want to make it to the grass (touch wood), and will do whatever I can to ensure that my stopping power will work (without replacing brake components). Cheers was having a chat to Ernst today at Bavarian. He'd go the DOT5 with the stock brakes, even said the BMW drums are good as on the track and won't die for a while. We'll do a group brake bleed. Yours? Mine? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 dot 5 sounds good...i may even do mine again...my house easier to organise a lot of cars in and dont have no security gate.....brake bleeding isnt hard...once its jacked up took me bout 15 mins max..and that was with my gumby dad.....as long as dave doesnt do it its sweet... the mobil fluid i used is a dot 4....what do ya reckon? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 Gus's it is then. I will get some DOT 5 fluid before (or on) the weekend. How much do you need? Haynes doesn't actually say the capacity. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 not much aye..i had a 1L bottle and i had some left over....im relatively sure that i completely bled the brake system...how much is dot 5? where u get it from? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 I was going to try Repco and Supercheap Auto's. If they don't have it, I'll ask them who to see. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 I have been doing some research tonight. DOT4 and DOT5 Brake fluids have pretty close to the same boiling point (230 degrees celcius). The difference between the two is that DOT5 (aprt from price) does not absorb water (it is silicone based). DOT4 Fluid will over time absorb water, and within a year the boiling point will be probably be greatly reduced (up to not much above normal water - 100 degrees). Therefore a brake bleed with good quality DOT4 about now will mean that the fluid will be good for the Taupo track day. Gus - you are probably alright for the brake bleed - unless you want to re-do it...but you are welcome to help anyway. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 sweet....ill just wait till the next track day after this to do a dot 5 change...so glad im welcome to help grant! ive heard something about silicone based brake fluids....do they not damage paint as well? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 Especially as your house is the likely venue of the mass brake bleed!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 yeah - do not spill DOT3 or 4 brake fluid on your paint (the glycol in it eats the paint)...but feel free to spill DOT5 all over your paint. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 as in they dont damage paint like normal brake fluid does.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 9, 2004 Yeah - DOT5 won't damage your paint. Also I was reading that it is not good to replace DOT4 with DOT5 without stripping off your brake components and clean them all with alcohol and then reassembling the brakes. If DOT5 fluid comes into contact with DOT4 fluid, it causes a sludge type liquid that severly hampers your braking ability. I think I'll use good quality DOT4, it seems a bit risky to change just doing a brake bleed alone. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OLLIE 26 Report post Posted February 10, 2004 just replying to the first post as i didn't read the rest. gus just clean or replace your spark plugs, injectors ( interjectron is good), leads, and stop letting your foot slip off the gas it make it feel like your car is f**ked. hope that was some help Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted February 10, 2004 It may be easier at mine gus.. your driveway is a bit hectic. Grant or Gus.. do you want to give me some cash to get the DOT5 plus any parts you need from BMW.. I got some order forms from work today so i've got trade discount. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grant 4 Report post Posted February 10, 2004 Andrew I'm keen as, can you check with the guys at your work, or with the BMW people that it is ok to switch from DOT4 to DOT5 without completely stripping and cleaning the brake parts. I have read conflicting reviews/recommendations, but it would appear that it would be ok so long as you insure that all of the DOT4 fluid is 100% bled out. Just let me know what I owe you. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Napier_E36 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2004 Grant, going back to your earlier post about wanting to stop before you hit the grass... do any E30s have ABS? It would be right about the time that you hit the grass that you will be wishing you had ABS huh... As for the stripping the brake components down, that sounds like a hell of a lot of work, maybe you could like fill up the resevouir (spelling sorry - been a long day!) and just let the bleed valves go, then pump the pedal a few times to get the dot5 into the system. Is there an easy way to tell the difference? like does it appear different to the dot4? or perhaps you can try filling you brake resevouir with an eythol alcahol and pump that thru? could be pretty dodge tho... and putting the dot5 in, and pumping that thru until the brake fluid comes out, that should be easier to spot.... But dont listen to me - unless you run my theories past a mechanic who knows what hes doing.... hehehe obviously i dont, ive probably just given you the ultimate way to wreck your brakes once and for all!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gus 5 Report post Posted February 10, 2004 not many e30s come with abs....tims one has it the lucky bastard....would be interested to know about the dot 4- dot 5 change.......i didnt think of changing the spark plug leads....would be worth a go along with changed the o rings on injectors......still need to get a price from bmw.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
