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Re: Go Silicone!

To: twojohnsons@home.com
Subject: Re: Go Silicone!
From: Larry Paulick <larry.p@erols.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 17:39:41 -0500
AL good explanation of silicone brake fluid.  There are a couple of
other items.  Using silicone will not preclude water/moisture getting
into the system, and other groups have reported that the brake line
rusted from within at the lowest point where the water settled, as it is
heavier.  I don't know this for a fact, but have read it in resto books.
 Maybe they left it out in the rain.  

Second, if you don't get All the old fluid out, then you will get a soft
pedal.  I experienced this in a Vette, when I changed to silicone, with
the new SS front brake caliber's.  So if you do change, get all of it
out, whatever you use when you change fluid types.

There are advantages to silicone that are real, and beneficial, as you
have mentioned.

Larry

twojohnsons@home.com wrote:
> 
> This is going to revive an old debate. Here's my 2 cents.
> When Tiger Tom rebuilt my servo 15 years ago, he said he would warrantee it
> only IF I converted to silicone. Said the water picked up by the Girling
> ultimately rotted the bores in the servo. That's why many if not most servos
> are no longer rebuildable w/o sleeving. Silicone is kind to seals & doesn't
> absorb water. The servo is still perfect after all these years. So in my
> experience, the advice you got is wrong on both counts---silicone does not
> "slip by" and DOT fluid is not the best way to go. Silicone will leak easier
> than standard brake fluid, but if it leaks, your rebuilder didn't do the job
> right in the first place. I think it's absolutely the best for a collector car
> that isn't driven a lot & sits around much of the time. In these conditions,
> you can count on leaky system if you use regular DOT fluid. I replaced seals
> regularly.
> You will also hear people say the pedal feels less firm---just another Urban
> legend.
> Al J.

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