Is Colored Brake Fluid still a thing?

[XraytecH]

Can't seem to find any now a days.

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[mert34]

ate super blue and other were pulled in like 2015 for not complying with regulations.

"The federal standard requires motor vehicles brake fluid to be colorless or amber in color"

 

[rharr]

it was never a thing.

it's clear or a touch yellow.

 

[XraytecH]

it was never a thing.

it's clear or a touch yellow.

The color change in the bleed hose tells you when the you’ve flushed the lines.

 

[rharr]

must have been a boutique thing, never seen it around my parts and it seems like i am in a parts store every weekend some times.

Usually you can tell new from old just by the darker color of the old and the clearer color of the new.

 

[fourfa]

It was really big in German car circles. ATE (major German fluids mfg) made the same high-spec brake fluid in Typ 200 (amber) and Super Blue (dark blue) formulation. You'd swap colors each brake flush, so you could easily tell when the old fluid was out. I guess they just dropped the blue one. I found some new old stock online without much trouble... but old brake fluid is the last thing you want, so don't

 

[XraytecH]

ate super blue and other were pulled in like 2015 for not complying with regulations.

"The federal standard requires motor vehicles brake fluid to be colorless or amber in color"

That sucks.

 

[Elff]

I used to alternate between the blue and non blue to make brake changes easier.

 

[Cburd61]

If you are really wanting it, couldn’t you just add a little food coloring?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

ate super blue and other were pulled in like 2015 for not complying with regulations.

"The federal standard requires motor vehicles brake fluid to be colorless or amber in color"

Then why is DOT 5 purple?

It's silicon based so has to be differentiated from the others so they won't get mixed.

Honda's DOT5 is orange.

Only the glycol based fluids must be clear to amber. 3, 4, 5.1 for example.
That's to keep them from getting mixed with 5.

 

[mert34]

Then why is DOT 5 purple?

It's silicon based so has to be differentiated from the others so they won't get mixed.

Honda's DOT5 is orange.

Only the glycol based fluids must be clear to amber. 3, 4, 5.1 for example.
That's to keep them from getting mixed with 5.

Yep, but figured we were talking about our braking systems and that was the reason given for super blue going away sadly. Project Mu had some other fluid out not too long ago that would change from green to clear when it was needing to be changed.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yep, but figured we were talking about our braking systems and that was the reason given for super blue going away sadly. Project Mu had some other fluid out not too long ago that would change from green to clear when it was needing to be changed.

I suspect they had to nix that and stick with some sort of standard as if you mix the glycol based fluids with the silicone based fluids - disaster.
And making it more confusing is that 3, 4 or 5.1 are fine together but not 5 - the one in the middle.

Anyway, I can see the reason for the rule making them the same color and none of the color changing or different colors.

5 is used a lot in classic cars - vehicles that sit, it won't absorb moisture and won't take the paint off the firewall or fender if it leaks.

 

[PJZ]

Had a couple Subaru STIs I used to track and would switch blue / amber.
Have a tiny amount of blue left. Could probably use it as a tint base

 

[onewhippedpuppy]

It was really big in German car circles. ATE (major German fluids mfg) made the same high-spec brake fluid in Typ 200 (amber) and Super Blue (dark blue) formulation. You'd swap colors each brake flush, so you could easily tell when the old fluid was out. I guess they just dropped the blue one. I found some new old stock online without much trouble... but old brake fluid is the last thing you want, so don't

Yup, I’ve had plenty of Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes and always alternated colors. Made brake flushes so much easier. Blue was outlawed as noted, you know since the government solved all of the important problems facing our nation….

 

[Rusty PW]

I suspect they had to nix that and stick with some sort of standard as if you mix the glycol based fluids with the silicone based fluids - disaster.
And making it more confusing is that 3, 4 or 5.1 are fine together but not 5 - the one in the middle.

Anyway, I can see the reason for the rule making them the same color and none of the color changing or different colors.

5 is used a lot in classic cars - vehicles that sit, it won't absorb moisture and won't take the paint off the firewall or fender if it leaks.

Couple years of Harley and Caddies used Dot 5 fluid. It was short lived thankfully.

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