I'm changing the discs, pads and brake fluid on my 1997 Corolla 1.8 Conquest. I bought the Castrol dot4 fluid but when I took off the brake fluid cap it says to use dot 3 only. The Castrol dot4 fluid says it can be used in dot3 and dot4 specified products. But also says except where dot3 is specified.

 

Is it safe to use the Castrol dot4 fluid or should i buy a dedicated dot3 fluid?

 

Cheers

I'm changing the discs, pads and brake fluid on my 1997 Corolla 1.8 Conquest. I bought the Castrol dot4 fluid but when I took off the brake fluid cap it says to use dot 3 only. The Castrol dot4 fluid says it can be used in dot3 and dot4 specified products. But also says except where dot3 is specified.

 

Is it safe to use the Castrol dot4 fluid or should i buy a dedicated dot3 fluid?

 

Cheers

 

you can use dot 4 in a dot 3 system but not the other way around. also they don't make dot3 anymore

hang on hang on wooah there wait a minute.

 

dot 3 and dot 4 are a US department of transport specified standard of brake fluid relating to the boiling point only. how they do this is up to the brake fluid manufacturer.

 

dot 4 fluid is basically a dot 3 fluid with the addition of borate esters (i think?) which increases the boiling point. However it does not HAVE to have borate esters added.

 

toyota always specifies dot 3 fluid only. I THINK the borate esters were the problem, they eat the seals in the braking system on the toyotas.

 

You can buy PBR or valvoline brake fluid in a dot 3 flavour, it is blue in colour. However, I'm quite sure castrol response and valvoline dot 4 fluid (green in colour) both do not have borate esters added and thus do not cause problems in toyotas. I've seen both fluids added to toyotas without problems.

 

To make things tricky, I've also seen problems in late model toyotas that APPARENTLY were brake fluid related (grj120r prado's and possibly a mcv20r camry). I'm not entirely convinced.

 

I have a ke55 which had a brand new master cylinder and wheel cylinders fitted and happily runs castrol response dot 4 fluid, has done for years without problems. I also have an ae93 seca in the family running castrol response. I've seen valvoline dot 4 fluid in many many toyotas without dramas.

 

Just to be anally retentive, we actually use toyota genuine brake fluid in all late model toyota's at work to eliminate this possibility. Too expensive IMHO but we all do what the boss tells us to do.

 

dot 5 I think is the completely different fluid that you shouldn't use in a dot 3 or 4 system.

 

If I were you, I'd run the blue dot 3 fluid just to be on the safe side :jamie: I had an rt142 corona that I always had the blue fluid in it, I was pretty happy with it. But its up to you.

 

Robert.

you can use dot 4 in a dot 3 system but not the other way around. also they don't make dot3 anymore

 

Wrong wrong wrong!

 

Dot 3 only is Dot 3 only. I work as an Automotive Parts Interpreter and we stock PBR Dot 3 on the shelf.

 

Toyota specify to use Dot 3 only in their braking systems as Dot 4 will eat the rubber seals as the rubber seals are only suitable for Dot 3 applications (as corolla_nut said).

 

Dot 5.1 is for systems with ABS and Electronic Stability Control systems and shouldn't be used in Dot 3 or Dot 4 applications.

 

Evan, please do your research before you go giving advice as I'm sure this forum member doesnt want to kill themselves by having their braking system fail due to using incorrect fluid in their system.

it won't fail that dramatically that there will be a serious accident, the pedal will become rather squishy after a period of time and eventually deteriorate to the point where there won't be much braking being done.

 

but it will vary from car to car so don't quote me on that...

 

I have seen a lot of toyotas running dot 4 fluid without problems, but it is something you should be aware of before you go and try it out.

 

Its not a huge drama to put the dot 3 in it, and blue brake fluid looks cool anyway :jamie:

 

Robert.

woops ive had dot 4 fluid in me 55 track car for about 4 mouths now

as I said, its not always a problem. the borate esters which are in SOME dot 4 fluids eat the seals of the master cylinder out. not all dot 4 fluids have the borate esters present. the us dept of transport (dot) specification only stipulates the boiling point of the bluid, not HOW they make it comply with that boiling point. They can make dot 4 fluids with or without the borate esters and they are still labelled the same.

 

castrol response dot 4 and valvoline dot 4 (green fluid) seem to be quite ok in lots of toyota's i've seen.

 

and we run castrol response dot 4 in the ke55 and have done for years with no dramas at all.

 

Robert.

mines the extreme brand i think in yuellow bottle

Wrong wrong wrong!

 

Dot 3 only is Dot 3 only. I work as an Automotive Parts Interpreter and we stock PBR Dot 3 on the shelf.

 

Toyota specify to use Dot 3 only in their braking systems as Dot 4 will eat the rubber seals as the rubber seals are only suitable for Dot 3 applications (as corolla_nut said).

 

Dot 5.1 is for systems with ABS and Electronic Stability Control systems and shouldn't be used in Dot 3 or Dot 4 applications.

 

Evan, please do your research before you go giving advice as I'm sure this forum member doesnt want to kill themselves by having their braking system fail due to using incorrect fluid in their system.

 

straight from yahoo answers " Dot 4 is synthetic brake fluid. You can use dot 4 in a system that calls for dot 3 but you must not use dot 3 in a dot 4 system or the rubber seals will fail in the master cylinder and calipers/wheel cylinders.

Source(s):

Mitsubishi Master Tech"

 

dolmah?

straight from yahoo answers " Dot 4 is synthetic brake fluid. You can use dot 4 in a system that calls for dot 3 but you must not use dot 3 in a dot 4 system or the rubber seals will fail in the master cylinder and calipers/wheel cylinders.

Source(s):

Mitsubishi Master Tech"

 

dolmah?

 

Don't believe everything you read on the net. Being as I sell the stuff and have to know what effects it may have if used in incorrect applications, you should check with someone in the industry :bash:

 

I'm sure I would get my ass handed to me by management if I gave someone the wrong advice, not to mention be liable for any accidents that happen because I sold the stuff to someone without prior knowledge of what applications it can and can't be used for. :jamie:

be skeptical of what you read on the internet at times...

 

dot 3 and dot 4 are both glycol based fluids and are very similar bar the boiling point spec to the best of my knowledge. dot 5 and dot 5.1 are silicone fluids i think? and they are different.

 

Be on the safe side and put the blue brake fluid in, it looks cool anyway :)

 

Robert.

Castrol Brake Fluids

 

Castrol Response Dot 4 Data Sheet

Edited October 18, 200916 yr by Felix

it mustn't be the borate esters that are the problem then.

 

and it SHOULD be ok in a dot 3 system as well.

 

Robert.

I have never had a problem with using dot 4 fluid in 3 systems, The only manufacturer I know of that requires the use of dot 3 only is the new cars from Mazda.

Brand new toyotas also are marked as dot 3 only.

 

Robert.