Silicone Brake Fluid

From: Carol Kenyon (Da-Kenyons@webtv.net)
Date: Sat Mar 17 2001 - 22:50:07 PST


  Sorry I ranted about silicone brake fluid. I usually don't understand
what most of you people are talking about. When I saw something I
understood, I jumped in.
  You speak "greenese" or mil-speak. I'm catching on, though.
  I stand behind my original statement about
silicone brake fluid. I am always (gratefully) surrounded by old junk.
Putting silicone b.f.
in one of these might produce some scary moments, though.
  Yes! I realize many people use silicone b.f. with good results!
  Advocating silicone b.f. to someone who isn't
a mechanic with brake service experience isn't
a good idea, in my opinion. I've spent hours trying to find the cause
of a low or erratic brake
pedal with regular brake fluid. My mind aches
at the thought of doing it with silicone in the master cylinder! Too
many variables.
  Those rare wheel cylinders can always be sleeved if rust pits them,
you know.
  I know of a man who used cooking oil in his automatic transmission.
It worked. The trans
leaked badly and he got cooking oil very cheap.
Automatic transmissions weren't designed to be
used with cooking oil. My old (up to 71 years old) trucks weren't
designed for silly-cone b.f.!
  I've noticed that there are some very educated people on this list.
I'll assume that many of you have college degrees. I've also noticed
through 26 years of automotive experience that college degrees and the
mechanical repair profession usually don't mix.
  I personally don't have a college degree.
  Most higher-education types have forgone extensive mechanical-repair
experience in order to graduate college.
  I salute you!
  Since the braking system on a vehcle is the number one priority, I
think it's always important to stress SAFETY FIRST to the less
mechanically experienced.
  I work on brake systems for a living, I certainly wouldn't expect
everyone on this list to know when silicone b.f. might be appropriate.
Therefore, use regular b.f. and be safe.
  If your military vehicle CAME WITH silicone brake fluid in it, either
as an authorized modification or from the manufacturer, by all means
stick with it.
  I've haven't worked on (as a hobby) anything that new, yet.
Don Kenyon ASE Certified Master Technician,
L-1, California Enhanced Smog License
1939 Ford 115th Quartermaster Regiment / CA
National Guard "contact" truck



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