Is it alright to use different dots in your brakes

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When I first got my brake lines, all I could get was dot 3 for the weekend, used it and it worked fine, dot 4 is less likely to foam correct? I just got dot 5 which is a synthetic and am using that right now (had dot 4 in there previously). Every time I've bled the old stuff completely through, so I'm not intermixing them. I was just wondering if its alright to use the different DOT's. Not to mention a bottle is like 10 bucks at the dealer for dot 4, and I cant find it anywhere else.

[RNBRAD]

When I first got my brake lines, all I could get was dot 3 for the weekend, used it and it worked fine, dot 4 is less likely to foam correct?  I just got dot 5 which is a synthetic and am using that right now (had dot 4 in there previously).  Every time I've bled the old stuff completely through, so I'm not intermixing them.  I was just wondering if its alright to use the different DOT's.  Not to mention a bottle is like 10 bucks at the dealer for dot 4, and I cant find it anywhere else.

340036[/snapback]

 

No you absolutely cannot mix different dot fluids. I learned that the hard way years ago. All dot 5 is sylicone based fluid. It will by no means mix with standard dot 3, 4 and 5.1 which are all glycol based. Dot 3, 4 and 5.1 however are compatibe as well as the sythetic brake fluids on the market. Everything is compatible except for the dot 5 silicone based fluid. The thing I'm not sure about is whether the silicone based fluid is compatible with the banshee's brake seals. I know that silicone is not compatible with all seal types and if you don't get all the old dot 3, 4 or 5.1 out when you switch it will literally coagulate and turn to a white jelly. It is really risky and not recommended. Hopefully you got a sythetic 5.1 instead of a silicone dot 5. I know the silicone dot 5 I used years ago was purple colored, not sure if that is standard or not.

[frocashmoney24]

dot 4 or 3 is the only fluid i would use in my brakes, you checked the local auto stores, they should have it there to.

[FireHead]

Like it was staed before. You cannot mix brake fluids. It is not even recommended to mix brands, but I would not pay as much attention to that. DOT 3 and 4 are failry similair in make-up with 4 having a higher boiling point, less foaming, and is slightly less hydroscopic. DOT 5 is a bastard brake fluid that is not hydroscopic, silicon based (doesn't east paint), does not foam, and has a super high bioling point. From an engineering point you would only want to use DOT 5 when racing or because you have certain brake components that will be eaten by DOT 3 or 4 (Harleys).