I just ordered new TSW rotors , IE brake lines, and Hawk HPS pads for the front of my mini (rear rotors and pads aren't far behind) and I was really wondering if I should replace my brake fluid with some ATE super blue while I'm doin the install. I know the heat advantages of the super blue, but I've heard some synthetics leave you with a "bouncy" pedal feel and I don't even track my car yet, just aggressive street driving, so in everyones opinion should I change fluids or not waste my time?

And thanks alot to Auto X Cooper who I just ordered the rotors and lines from.

 

Change the fluid while you are at it, IMHO.

For street, try Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3/4. It's DIRT cheap and offers nearly the same performance as Ate stuff for like 1/3 the cost.

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/produ...sp?product=138

 

Well, not cheap but I use the Shell Donax UB fluid, and I love it.

 

Thanks for the help, the price for the ate was another concern, like most I'm on a tight budget.

 

I use the Ate because I can switch off from the blue to amber which makes it easier to see when all the old stuff has cleared the lines.

 

I would change your brake fluid. I did a change not too far back and noticed the pedal got a bit more responsive and stiff. I like this feeling in the brakes. It cant hurt to chane the fluid so I would say do it. I use willwoods fluid, its perfectly clear so its easy to see any contamination and it stand up to heat very well.

 

If your car is under warranty don't use ATE Blue, the dealer will freak out if they find it and won't warranty anything with the brake system. Also I've had several spongy experiences with the Blue. I use Motul RBF 600 it is amber/clear in color so the dealer never knows and has a 594 degree boiling point.

 

My dealer has seen the Ate Blue in the master cylinder and doesn't have a problem with it. As long as the fluid "Meets or Exceeds" the recommended fluid, the dealer can't say zip. Thats like saying you have to use castrol oil or dealer will void warranty. You must know your statement is BS and you should have never made it. BTW: I noticed on your website you actually sell Ate....for $35.00 which includes shipping.... I can buy Ate all day long for $13.95 plus shipping... want to explain that??

 

Dude. Info and opinion = good. Making personal attacks = unwarranted. As is accusing a VERY GOOD vendor who makes TONS of contributions to this community of whatever you were accusing him of...

As for vendor pricing... if you don't like what Way charges for Super Blue, buy yours somewhere else. Free country. Bad form.

 

+1

Maybe not all dealers are the same, I happen to know that here in Italy (just like everywhere else) some are more strict and some aren't and will let you into warranty as long as it's not evident that the mod caused the failure, although this last kind is quite rare here, much more than in UK or US. As for the price, you can find it for less, good for you

 

wow..... that was unnecessary.

 

For street only, I still stick to the cheapo Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3/4 recommendation. Works great and is uber-cheap.

We've tried lots of different fluids for the track - Ate, Motul, Wilwood. To be honest, I can't tell the difference so I buy what I can get the cheapest. Dr. Mike did report that switching to Wilwood fluid cured his "spongy pedal", though. Shrug.

 

Thread moved to Brake forum from suspension.

And yes my dealer did freak out (a bit) when I took it in with ATE super blue for brake fluid due to another problem.

Problem with any upgraded brake fluid that looks like stock- what if it is a little low and they top off the fluid with stock stuff?

 

I've used the Valvoline SynPower DOT 3/4 in my BMW for about 5 years and it's just fine. There's no need for ATE stuff in a street car. You'll never get anywhere near the boiling point driving your car around on the street.

As for the ATE colors, it's pretty easy to see when you have clean, clear fluid coming through the calipers with plain-old DOT 4 fluid.

 

If the "street" is US129, I have proven this to be incorrect.

In fact, I proved it to be incorrect for SUPER BLUE.

 

ATE's though was to offer SuperBlue to be alternated with Type 200 Amber - so that you see an even transition.

On my track rat I do this because I am pounding fluid so often. On my street cars, I often do the blue - but have run amber before the rat's flush capacity is about 40% of the 1 lieter bottle. If my buddie brings his 02 over we share a liter of fluid.

Alex

 

I guess that you could make a point that my post was "Unnecessary" but, many look to this forum for assistance and accurate advise. However a comment, especially from a vendor, saying that, by using ATE Blue the dealer "Will (not might but will) freak out if they find it and won't warranty anything with the brake system" is totally incorrect.

Guess I've seen so much mis-information posted that I just snapped.

I will stand by my posted comments.

 

I've had no problem with my dealer seeing the ATE Blue in my MINI. As long as it meets spec's there is no real issue. Yep some dealers are a pain in the ****. Mine isn't.

 

do you guys use the Motive bleeders?

when you connect the pump to the resovoire and
pressurize, does the air in the tubing go into the
brake system? always wondered about that...

 

I use the motive bleeder, love that thing, and I've never had a problem with it pumping air into the lines--it would require quite a bit of pressure to do that, as long as you keep it at 20 or less, I seriously doubt you could force air to the bottom of the resevoir and into the actual lines. It really doesn't require much pressure to bleed the brakes, they bleed just fine at 15 PSI.

 

but the tube is empty when you hook it up to the reservoir.
where does that air go before the fluid actually starts flowing
into the reservoir?

 

was this a tuff question? i suppose if you have
the non-universal one you can keep the cap loose on the
reservoir side to bleed the air out until the fluid starts entering
the reservoir...(?)

this is one reason why i think the old fasion method is still
most effective.

 

Well, as I remember, I start pumping before I've completely sealed the power bleeder to the resevoir. Once the line is full, I tighten it down--all the air has already escaped out, provided you haven't completely tightened the power bleeder down (I think this may even be in the instructions, or maybe I picked that up from NAM, can't remember). I have little, if any, air in the line. And a little air shouldn't be a problem--its physics, you're just not going to be generating enough PSI to push the air into the lines, it's going to stay near the top of the resevoir.

 

Yeah - what cct1 said.

Not an issue.... the actual volume of the tube from the powerbleeder to the brake fluid reservoir is TINY compared to the volume of the reservoir... and brake fluid is heavier than air... so whatever air that is in the tubing just becomes a LITTLE additional headspace in the reservoir. Now, if the reservoir were COMPLETELY empty (I mean bone dry empty), then you could push some air into the lines before the fluid starts flowing... but in practical use, I don't see it ever really happening.

FWIW, I use a baster to remove most of the old fluid from the reservoir, and then do the "loosen the cap until the fluid starts to flow, then tighten it" trick to prevent any possibility of this....

 

cct1, blimey- huh, that's pretty cool and makes sense.

i should just buy one and try it. lol my G needs
its brakes bled before next season so i should get the 0107
and 0100 nozzle.

so you guys recommend ate 1L blue and 1L amber and use
interchangeably?