silicone hydraulic fluid, why not DOT5 silicone? Options

[worn]

We run silicone brake fluid in our LBCs (Little British Cars) and this is widely accepted among that crowd. This week I am putting new front wheel cylinders in the 47 Dodge P.U. truck cause we don't run it enough and they pitted.

So why not use the silicone fluid in a 914? Yes, there is a slight compression you can feel in the pedal, but in my TR6 you can hardly feel it. I now have enough toys so that routine maintenance is a pretty big chore. Keeping up with batteries and tires is bad enough. Yes, I know that you should bleed out the old fluid, but frankly I doubt that would have helped me with the truck. The problem was the lack of movement of the seals over the cylinder. My time flies!

So - what do you think?

Thanks,
Warren

[Dave_Darling]

Early on when DOT5 was introduced, I heard stories about mold growing in/on/under it. That, and the point about water not being absorbed but simply sitting in a layer, convinced me not to try it. I'm still not using it, probably because of inertia...

--DD

[worn]

Early on when DOT5 was introduced, I heard stories about mold growing in/on/under it. That, and the point about water not being absorbed but simply sitting in a layer, convinced me not to try it. I'm still not using it, probably because of inertia...

--DD

Well I was a microbiologist for more than 20 years studying yeast, and knowing what those critters can do I am not surprised. But the same can be said for camera lenses in some parts of the world. As for puddling I suspect that does less damage because there are no ions or probably oxygen. But that is a guess.

This is all in aid of getting the truck going to move a Lotus 907 motor. Not too German tho.