[T3] Battery Install, Oil Change & Brake Fluid Reservoir

[John Jaranson]

FWIW, when I was first putting Sophy on the road back 20 plus years ago, I had Jim Adney rebuild her master cylinder, calipers, and maybe her rear wheel cylinders.  I also installed all new brake lines and hoses.  At that time, I filled the system with DOT 5 brake fluid.  20 plus years and 75K+ miles later with many mountain passes up and down and lots of twisty roads, the system is still performing flawlessly.   I have never had to change the fluid or do anything to the system.  As a result, I have also changed over the fluid in Jill’s 67 Type 34 Karmann Ghia to DOT 5 and I will be changing over the fluid in our new to us 71 Westy to it when I replace the old rubber hoses this summer.

Sophy may look it, but she is definitely not a trailer-queen show car. <G>

John

From: type3-vwtype3.org <type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org> on behalf of William Hoyer <wjhoyer at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, May 13, 2024 at 4:45 PM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org <type3 at vwtype3.org>
Subject: Re: [T3] Battery Install, Oil Change & Brake Fluid Reservoir
DOT 5

Here is what I found about DOT 5 brake fluid.  Looks like 5.1 will work OK
but it may not be non hygroscopic.  I think I will stick with DOT 3.


As counterintuitive as it is, DOT 5 is not intended for use in active
braking systems. This a silicon-based fluid meant to be used in show
vehicles. It’s more of a preservative than actual brake fluid. If you were
to try and use this in a street vehicle, you’d end up with no brakes pretty
soon.
DOT 5.1

Despite having that 5 in its name, DOT 5.1 is a whole different beast than
DOT 5. DOT 5.1
<https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/71260/Brake-Fluid-DOT-5-1-500ml-100951/> is
a glycol-borate based fluid that has a high dry boiling point of 270C/500F.
DOT 5.1 is backward compatible with DOT 4 and DOT 3. In fact, it’s the new
standard for most vehicles.


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