Brian,
I worried this problem recently.
The DOT 5 in my TR-3A is a deep irridescent blue, tending toward purple.
The DOT 3 in my TR-4A is clear, tending toward tan, somewhat lighter in
color than a light beer.
Could the Green be DOT 4, which is somewhat compatible with 3, but not
with 5. You can't mix 5 with the other two?
Unfortunately, given your symptoms, you probably need to replace all
rubber, flush the system out with alcohol and rebuild everything from scratch.
Where you live, I'd go with DOT 3. DOT 5 seems an expensive, unoriginal
headache, unless you live in a rain forest. (Be prepared for others to
disagree.)
www.vtr.org has a good discussion on this topic.
John Cowan
On basis of various testimony of varying reliabli
At 10:22 AM 1/1/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
>Listers,
>
>Just before putting my TR4 away in late October for an engine pull and
>rebuild... I noticed some fade in the brakes and clutch if they were applied
>for a long time... like sitting in traffic using the clutch or riding the
>brake while rolling down a long downhill.
>
>I got the car in July and drove it a lot all summer with no problems. The
>PO said the car was on silicone hydraulic fluid. Both reservoirs were full
>and the fluid was clean and clear. The color of the fluid was an olive oil
>green. I bought a quart of silicone fluid from TRF and the color was clear
>purple. I tested the green fluid on paint and it did not harm it. Around
>the end of August, I topped up the brake and clutch MCs with just a small
>amount of purple silicone.
>
>I just dismantled and rebuilt the two MCs and found the rubber parts to be
>all gooey and changing to a black sticky substance. The little valve seal
>was the worst rather than the plunger seal and the brake was much father
>along than the clutch. There is obviously something attacking the rubber
>parts.... or would this be normal for 10 years of service. The PO didn't
>maintain the car... just fixed what broke.
>
>Is there a way to tell by color if you have silicone or not? I know from my
>Naval Air days that all military aviation fluids are color coded. Have I
>mixed the little bit of purple silicone with DOT 3 or 4 or some
>non-compatible silicone?
>
>So listers....I need some advice from you folks who have been there..... to
>know whether this means I must flush the whole system and rebuild everything
>or just normal symptoms of old MCs.
>
>Brian Sanborn
>62 TR4 CT16260L - Groton, MA
>sanborn@net1plus.com
>
>
>
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