Super Blue safe for street?

[m3f_hencini]

Hey all--


I was just reading Mike Miller's column in Roundel and he opens this month with a blurb about using "race" brake fluid in a street car. Bottom line, he says not to do it because of issues with the wet boiling point and has a couple of "industry experts" back him up, one of whom refers specifically to a blue fluid that is illegal for street use in Germany. I believe Super Blue is not USDOT approved simply because of its color and have read it is illegal to sell a car in Florida that has Super Blue in the reservoir.


Furthermore, and possibly even more alarming, is that Miller says there are no anti-corrosive agents in racing fluid. That doesn't sound good.


On the other hand, ATE's literature says the product exceeds all relevant standards, blah blah.......


Sooooooooo... What's the deal? Given that it says "Racing" right on the can, should I chuck the Super Blue or is this much ado about nothing?

[m3f_vmbray]

Could call the company. They'll know if it has anti corrosives for instance. I called royal purple after reading a lot of contradicting info and they seemed very credible on the phone. Of course how would I know, but it wasn't some guido who answered the phone


Sent from my MB870 using Tapatalk 2

[m3f_hcaleman]

Give carbotech a call. I spoke with them some years ago about a car and they were very helpful and knowledgable. They may have an opinion on the matter.


I have pentosin racing in mine though it's some for a flush.

[m3f_Richardsperry]

It's a racing fluid, it should be changed regularly. (like before every track event...lol) Will most people do that? No... WIll most people change the brake fluid every 2 years? No. Should most people use Duper Blue fluid? No.. But if you want to change it semiannually, it won't hurt a thing.

[m3f_greyflyer]

I run Ate blue or yellow in all my cars, have for years. Switching colors makes it easy to tell when you have fully flushed the system. It's simply the best and if I feel like taking a car to the track, I don't have to worry about it because the boiling point is far higher than a standard fluid.


That said, yes it's a racing fluid and I DO bleed the brakes fairly frequently, and a full flush every couple years. It will absorb water more quickly than a standard street fluid, which is why you change it more frequently. "Quickly" is relative though. Unless you're driving around with the reservoir open, it really isn't a problem. Love the stuff.

[m3f_Magic M3]

It's fine to use on the street. I have had some in my car for, well let's just say "a while". And I have had zero issues. I do plan on doing a full flush this fall. A good friend of mine owns an Indy shop and installs ATE SuperBlue in many "performance cars" that customers bring in. Zero issues there too!

[m3f_white-hot]

I will add to the parade as I have used both the blue and amber for years is half dozen BMW's and other cars. Never an issue, ever. The vert had the same blue fluid in it for 5 years and ~22k miles and it was still perfectly clear when I flushed it a couple months ago with fresh amber. While it may be "race" fluid and should be changed more often I think for people like us who stay on top of maintenance on our cars there should be no ill effects from its use.

[m3f_hcaleman]

I try to change every year. Probably just going to go with Pentosin Super DOT4. I think it replaced the racing fluid and I can get it locally. I wouldn't worry about it so much.

[m3f_fiveightandten]

I've been using super blue in my M3 since 2007, changing about every 20K miles. I'm on the original master cylinders, and have replaced the clutch slave once as preventative maintenance when the clutch was done. No issues.

[m3f_cracky]

super blue is a great fluid thats less hygroscopic than say motul...


great street fluid imho..


fuchs also sells a blue fluid(for less) but a lot speculate its the same as the ate.


cant say ive heard of any street car having issues with brake fluid...even 10 yr old pep boys crap.

[m3f_ECS Tuning]

As long as you flush the system from time to time ATE Super Blue isn't going to become "wet" enough to really have issues. I've been running "racing fluids" (Motul mostly) in all of my cars for years with zero issues. I've even neglected the fluid in the farm truck without any issues of overly "wet" fluid.... probably going to go ahead and flush it this weekend now that I'm thinking about it.

[m3f_Hallatauer]

I think the important part is that you change the brake fluid regularly. I don't know a single driver apart from track drivers that have any clue that you even need to change the fluid. They go years and then wonder why the caliper locked up. Probably makes no difference if you change your fluid as often as we do but a neglected system will survive longer on non track fluids. JMTC

[m3f_cscat87]

All my cars get Motul RBF600, and bled once a year (no track use). Has worked great for me for the past 10 years or so that I've been doing that.

[m3f_TomS2]

i put super blue in my wife's xc90 and in my little astra. had it in each of my porsches for years.



maybe now i know why most clubs require an annual flush. for the track car i flush annually. for the street car i flush every 2-3 years. im not worried.



what i want to know is who makes the red brake fluid? thats whats in the roadster and the pedal doesnt feel good. i plan on puting ate in when i switch to stainless brake lines and do the coolant flush over the winter.

[m3f_Brandon318]

i put super blue in my wife's xc90 and in my little astra. had it in each of my porsches for years.



maybe now i know why most clubs require an annual flush. for the track car i flush annually. for the street car i flush every 2-3 years. im not worried.



what i want to know is who makes the red brake fluid? thats whats in the roadster and the pedal doesnt feel good. i plan on puting ate in when i switch to stainless brake lines and do the coolant flush over the winter.

Sounds like the ol' ATF special if you ask me.