Super Blue safe for street?

[m3f_white-hot]

OMG! ATF in the brakes! That can't be good!

[m3f_enderw88]

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

Yep. How long have you had the car, and was the fluid always "red"? In any event, it is time for a complete brake flush.

[m3f_Jim E.]

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?

I didn't read the article so could you tell me which issue?



Bottom line is brake fluid isn't all that complicated for our M3s.





Up to MY 2001, use DOT 4. From 2001 onward BMW recommends DOT 4 ESL.



"BMW introduced a lower viscosity brake fluid in 2001. It is designated

DOT 4 ESL and was engineered to have better cold temperature properties.

This started with E53 4.6is and is due to of the elimination of the

DSC pre-charge pumps. It is OK to “top up” earlier vehicle with the ESL

type fluid, however conventional DOT 4 must not be used on any BMW

vehicles from 2001 on.



Reference SIB# 34 09 01 for more information"



Never ever used silicon based fluids.



Boiling point of the OE fluid is approximately 500F/260C. Because of the hygroscopic nature of brake fluid, BMW allows up to 2% water absorption within one year. Don't ask me how they expect the average owner to measure that. Note: 3% absortion results in a drop of 212F/100C in boiling point!



You can also use a DOT 5.1 in our cars. Racing fluids are not all created equally. You need to look at the specs that are detailed like this: http://www.motul.com/system/product_...pdf?1340124817



I cannot find the viscosity rating of the BMW ESL fluid. Anybody have that info?



Here are specs for Shell ESL and other fluids in this brochure: http://www-static.shell.com/static/c...s_brochure.pdf

[m3f_TomS2]

Yep. How long have you had the car, and was the fluid always "red"? In any event, it is time for a complete brake flush.

had it a month. ate made red? i know they make blue and orange.

[m3f_enderw88]

had it a month. ate made red? i know they make blue and orange.

As far as I know, there has never been a red brake fluid, that way it can be distinguished from Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF). What Brandon and I suspect is that someone added some ATF to your brake reservoir. It isn't going to kill you, probably. But, I would get it out of there ASAP. I would not wait until winter to do your stainless lines. A brake flush is not that hard, and who knows what else is in there. Just as a sanity check I searched Google for "red brake fluid" and couldn't find any manufacturer that made such a fluid.

[m3f_hencini]

I didn't read the article so could you tell me which issue?

August 2012. Available online if you're a BMW CCA member, or should have been in your mailbox a week ago...

[m3f_hencini]

OMG! ATF in the brakes! That can't be good!

Meh... It's fluid. It shouldn't compress under pressure, so it will probably actuate the brakes as well as anything else except maybe goose snot or grape jelly. You don't want those in your brake system.



Anyway, I'm guessing it's lighter than brake fluid, so it's probably just sitting up in the reservoir, not actually going through the lines. He's fine.

[m3f_enderw88]

Meh... It's fluid. It shouldn't compress under pressure, so it will probably actuate the brakes as well as anything else except maybe goose snot or grape jelly. You don't want those in your brake system.



Anyway, I'm guessing it's lighter than brake fluid, so it's probably just sitting up in the reservoir, not actually going through the lines. He's fine.

This. Its the other stuff that could have been added by someone clueless enough to dump random fluids in there. A good rule to live by is that brake problems get fixed. NOW.

[m3f_hencini]

This. Its the other stuff that could have been added by someone clueless enough to dump random fluids in there. A good rule to live by is that brake problems get fixed. NOW.

For the record, I was mostly kidding.


Obviously, whatever is in Tom's brake system hasn't caused a gratuitous brake failure *yet*, but that ish needs to get flushed ASAP.

[m3f_enderw88]

For the record, I was mostly kidding.



Obviously, whatever is in Tom's brake system hasn't caused a gratuitous brake failure *yet*, but that ish needs to get flushed ASAP.

Which part wasn't kidding?

[m3f_hencini]

Which part wasn't kidding?

The grape jelly. That stuff is totally fine for most cars.

[m3f_white-hot]

I prefer strawberry jam. Higher viscosity, and better texture.

[m3f_enderw88]

The grape jelly. That stuff is totally fine for most cars.

I prefer strawberry jam. Higher viscosity, and better texture.

Its been a long time since I saw a religious war over the base fruit in a spreadable condiment...

[m3f_greyflyer]

The grape jelly. That stuff is totally fine for most cars.

I prefer strawberry jam. Higher viscosity, and better texture.

Its been a long time since I saw a religious war over the base fruit in a spreadable condiment...

Yer all wrong. Jelly...just clear goo. Jam...mashed goo...possibly better in brake lines, but



Blackberry preserves, THAT'S where it's at.

[m3f_moab e36]

Remember when using jam or jelly as fluid...the key is seedless. Don't want to jam things up.