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Does a better brake fluid really makes a difference?

Joined
10 February 2001
Messages
1,561
Location
Southern California
Thinking of upgrading the rotors and pads on my NSX, and was thinking of using motul brake fluid in the process. I was wondering whether different brake fluids really make a difference. Anyone know?

Ryan
 
For normal street driving, no. For track driving, yes. The big advantage to high-performance brake fluids is that they boil at a higher temperature. On the track, when you have to stop RIGHT NOW corner after corner, lap after lap, that can mean the prevention of boiling, which avoids bubbles in the fluid that can hamper the performance of your brakes.
 
How important is it to bleed/flush the brake system on the NSX for regular street use? Seems to me I recall that it is required at some interval that seemed excessive to me compared to the required interval for other cars. It is a sealed system, so why the need for a complete flush?
Thanks,
bill
 
You need to bleed the brakes only if you have symptoms of bubbles in the system, such as a squishy feel to the brake pedal. Otherwise, there's no need to bleed.

The maintenance schedule calls for flushing the fluid every two years or 24K miles, whichever comes first. This is VERY important. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, and this lowers its boiling point. That's why you need to flush the fluid.

If you're driving the car hard and/or taking it to the track, you should flush the fluid even more frequently. I have mine flushed annually in the spring (my car sits unused for 4-5 months in fall-winter). If I were tracking it year round, I would have it flushed twice a year.

The system is not entirely sealed. I'm not sure about other parts of the system, but I think there is not a tight seal on the cap on top of the fluid reservoir, for example; this allows the fluid level to fluctuate between the min and max levels as the thickness of the brake pads varies when they wear.
 
I tried the sucker griot's garage sells. they are not up to the task, IMO. I could not get the pedal to be solid hard with that, compare to the original pedal pumping done correctly. The best way to do the brake bleeding is gravity bleed. With the tube at the other end submerged in brake fluids, so the air won't get suck in there.
 
Not only does moisture lower the fluid's boiling point, it also settles to the lowest part of the system - your calipers. Frequent flushing prevents rust in these areas. gm
 
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