Hey guys:
While draining the old brake fluid in my 914 (it's been sitting for 4 years), I noticed someone had put a label on the fluid reservior that reads "SILICONE FLUID ONLY"
So, I assume a PO had put silicone brake fluid in the system.
After I've rebuilt the calipers and replaced the pads, I will be putting regular DOT 4 Heavy Duty brake fluid in. This is the stuff I got from the local parts supply store.
I drained the old fluid about 2 days ago and it's been sitting empty since.
So, my question is:
So I need to do anything special like flush the system with anything (alchohol?) before I put the new DOT 4 fluid in when I bleed the system?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Andy...

Just keep bleeding them with the new fluid and flush the system completely. When you think you are done bleeding them... bleed them again.


B

Curious, why don't you continue to use the DOT 5? I run it in my VW and motorcycle...Jetta is next when it comes time for her maintenance.

http://www.icbm.org/erkson/ttt/silicone.txt
and
http://www.icbm.org/erkson/ttt/DOT-5_clean_up.txt

which one is less caustic?

that's the one i'd probably use.

Well, DOT 5 will NOT hurt your paint but it's not biodegradable.

It's been eight or ten years since I used silicone fluid, and they may have changed it, but back then, it was significantly more compressible than glycol based brake fluid.
Good points: doesn't absorb water, so little or no corrosion in the system, and I think a higher boiling point.
Bad points: longer brake pedal travel, softer brakes.

Harvey

Am I behind the times and the only one still using DOT3?

-Rusty
(Uhhh, I think I'm using 3.)

It does have a higher boiling point. I don't think it is more compressable -- my setups feel tight.