I run this stuff in my rex that i autox. i have went to three auto part stores and no one seems to have it. i saw that autozone on-line does not list a price. did they discontinue it? what should i use?

 

I just had this same thing going on...

The answer is "no" the SynPower is no longer available outside of the remaining stock on store shelves and in dusty cabinets.

Valvoline no longer sells the SynPower brake fluid. They now sell their Dot 3/4 Synthetic brake fluid in white bottles... allegedly the same thing, but the packaging boasts of a dry boiling point 20° lower than the previously stated 500, and for wet it simply states that it exceeds the 311° standard, which all Dot 4's do.

This could mean the Dot 3/4 Synthetic is indeed not as good as the old SynPower, but it could also mean that the new packaging is a revised and more honest estimate of the performance of SynPower. Only independent testing will tell... but I'm going with the Dot 3/4 for now in my autoX car in place of ATE.

 

For autoX? Use anything. You are doing something wrong if you have fluid fade at an autoX

 

so if i use the new stuff, do i have to bleed out all of the old stuff or are they compatible?

 

supposedly Ford has a really good factory brake fluid available at dealerships for a reasonable price. it's DOT 3, though, so you'd want to change it frequently. High dry boiling point, though.

ATE is always good: http://www.raceshopper.com/brake_fluid.shtml


Modified by slofu at 1:49 AM 8/30/2008

 

Motul 600.

Edo

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slofu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">supposedly Ford has a really good factory brake fluid available at dealerships for a reasonable price. it's DOT 3, though, so you'd want to change it frequently. High dry boiling point, though.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Word amongst those who use it is that Ford changed their formula within the last year or so... the new stuff isn't nearly as good. They started phasing in the new stuff as a replacement for the old so it's kinda hit or miss on which you'll get depending on the store and their stock.

edit & PS
Motul is great stuff but is complete overkill for autoX, imo.

 

The most recent list of brake fluid boiling points and prices is here.

The higher the dry boiling point, the less likely the fluid is to boil when it's new. The higher the wet boiling point, the less likely the fluid is to boil after it's been in the car for a while and has had a chance to absorb moisture.

You asked about compatibility. All DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 fluids are compatible with each other. DOT 5 fluid is silicone-based brake fluid and is not compatible with any of those. I would avoid DOT 5 for this reason.

I use Motul RBF 600 in my tracked cars. Good stuff, not ridiculously expensive. It's labeled as DOT 4 but its dry and wet boiling points exceed DOT 5 minimums.

 

A good off the shelf fluid is the castrol GTLMA

 

Hey Jimmy, I checked out the GT LMA stuff:

From Pegasus Racing
Dry Boiling Point - 446°F
Wet Boiling Point - 311°F

From Castrol's product PDF
Dry Boiling Point - 509°F
Wet Boiling Point - 311°F

I wonder why Pegasus is listing it so low? Also, which auto-supply chain store carries it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fireant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just had this same thing going on...

The answer is "no" the SynPower is no longer available outside of the remaining stock on store shelves and in dusty cabinets.

Valvoline no longer sells the SynPower brake fluid. They now sell their Dot 3/4 Synthetic brake fluid in white bottles... allegedly the same thing, but the packaging boasts of a dry boiling point 20° lower than the previously stated 500, and for wet it simply states that it exceeds the 311° standard, which all Dot 4's do.

This could mean the Dot 3/4 Synthetic is indeed not as good as the old SynPower, but it could also mean that the new packaging is a revised and more honest estimate of the performance of SynPower. Only independent testing will tell... but I'm going with the Dot 3/4 for now in my autoX car in place of ATE.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
any idea where i can find this?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
any idea where i can find this?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you mean Valvoline DOT 3/4 Synthetic, it comes in a white bottle, and I was able to find it at Autozone, Advance Auto, and O'Rielley's locally at a reasonable price.

Its not ATE and it maybe not the old SynPower, but its as close as you can get off the shelf as far as I know.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fireant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hey Jimmy, I checked out the GT LMA stuff:

From Pegasus Racing
Dry Boiling Point - 446°F
Wet Boiling Point - 311°F

From Castrol's product PDF
Dry Boiling Point - 509°F
Wet Boiling Point - 311°F

I wonder why Pegasus is listing it so low? Also, which auto-supply chain store carries it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Just go to any local non chain place. all of my local stores stock it on the shelf, if they dont have it you can have them order it from their warehouse, you should be able to find it without problem

 

For street and auto-x use (even some HPDE), I don't see how you can go wrong w/ATE. It's hardly expensive, fairly easy to get/order, and if you order several litres it should last you a while before you need more.

 

I'll go ahead and bump this now that I've used the inexpensive Castrol DOT 3/4 synthetic (white-bottle) for some months of daily driving, autocrosses and HPDE events.

I thoroughly bleed the brakes before any HPDE, and I've had no issues so far with it.... car is 2000lbs with stock brakes and Kuhmo XS tires.

Once I do some events in the summer I expect it might be different... if so I'll switch to ATE.... but for a moderately light street/autox car, this Castrol stuff is a great deal!