what else is brake fluid called?

Does anyone know another common word or term used for brake fluid?


Thanks,
cl8

Well, usually when you spill it on your nice clean fender, you call it "that ^&*@#$% paint stripper"! :runaround:

Otherwise, I do not know of another name, although different types are referred to by their DOT rating (DOT3, DOT4, DOT5 brake fluid.)

Well, usually when you spill it on your nice clean fender, you call it "that ^&*@#$% paint stripper"! :runaround:


I was going to say the same thing... :iceslolan

brake line fluid? hydraulic brake fluid?

Just brake fluid is all I've ever heard.

double post

Thanks for the input.

This is frustrating because a web page on brake fluid I built was analyzed and told me the term "brake Fluid" (keyword) is used too much, the search engines will penalize me if I use the keyword too often.

Would it seem too awkward to just call it "BF" :dunno:

Below is the text I'm told says "brake fluid" too much, anyone know how I could eliminate the word without eliminating info?


Read your vehicle owners manual for specific recommendations for you car.
Checking brake fluid level:
There will be a small, rounded long container, probably near the back, under the hood, it will say "brake fluid" on it. The container is translucent with an easy to see full line. You won't even need to remove the cap. (Unless it is a very old vehicle.)
In the picture to the left you can see where the fluid level is. If you look close enough you can see a "max" line parallel with the fluid level, exactly what you want.


Having low brake fluid could be a sign your brake pads are wearing thin. Every other oil change you should have your tires rotated. Have your mechanic check the pads then.
If your brake pads are in good condition and you continue to have low brake fluid there is probably a leak in the brake line that should be repaired.
The big problem with brake fluid is, over time moisture collects in the brake line, lowering the fluid boiling point as much as 100 degrees F with just 3% water contamination.This can happen in as little as 18 months.
When the brake fluid boils, gas forms, causing the brake pedal to be pushed without any pressure being applied to the brakes. This is called brake fade,this seriously jeopardizes car safety and could obviously cause a serious collision.
*Once you have opened a container of brake fluid, it can easily gather moisture while sitting on the shelf. If you won't use it all in a short time, discard what you don't use.


Thanks,
cl8

I would suggest editing your page a bit. You can change 'brake fluid' to 'the fluid' a couple of times, until the page is deemed acceptable.

There are a couple of technical issues there, though. "Brake fade" also often refers to the loss of braking effect due to overheated rotors or drums, and pads or shoes. This is caused by the brakes being used more than their capacity to shed heat.

Such overheated material loses its ability to absorb additional energy so the brakes lose effectiveness. Furthermore, such excessive heating can crack or warp rotors and drums and glaze or degrade pads and shoes, thus permanently reducing their effectiveness, until they are changed.

Brake fade is a common factor in some kinds of auto racing. However, it is most often encountered when trailer towing or driving in mountainous terrain without taking sufficient precautions to reduce over-use of brakes, such as downshifting the transmissions on steep hills, etc. Older cars with drum brakes on all wheels are also more susceptible to brake fade.

Another point to mention is DOT 5 brake fluid will not absorb moisture and is a good alternative for vehicles which are not driven often. However, the entire braking system must be drained and flushed (with alcohol, I think) before DOT 5 fluid is installed.

If these comments are useful, feel free to use them in your site.

I would suggest editing your page a bit. You can change 'brake fluid' to 'the fluid' a couple of times, until the page is deemed acceptable.

There are a couple of technical issues there, though. "Brake fade" also often refers to the loss of braking effect due to overheated rotors or drums, and pads or shoes. This is caused by the brakes being used more than their capacity to shed heat. Good info, can this happen without the fluid boiling?

Such overheated material loses its ability to absorb additional energy so the brakes lose effectiveness. Furthermore, such excessive heating can crack or warp rotors and drums and glaze or degrade pads and shoes, thus permanently reducing their effectiveness, until they are changed. I read that the rotors don't actually warp, but rather it is debris from the pads getting on them that make them feel "warped"

Brake fade is a common factor in some kinds of auto racing. However, it is most often encountered when trailer towing or driving in mountainous terrain without taking sufficient precautions to reduce over-use of brakes, such as downshifting the transmissions on steep hills, etc. Older cars with drum brakes on all wheels are also more susceptible to brake fade.

Another point to mention is DOT 5 brake fluid will not absorb moisture and is a good alternative for vehicles which are not driven often. However, the entire braking system must be drained and flushed (with alcohol, I think) before DOT 5 fluid is installed.

If these comments are useful, feel free to use them in your site.Thanks for all the info Magicrat, when I make a page on braking techniques I will remember this info ( i was hoping to get some critique of my text)

if it's not against forum policy, I'll post my web adress so you can view it.

(I did find other ways to talk about "brake Fluid", using "brake line" and "braking system")

www.drivingtips.org/brakefluid.html (http://www.drivingtips.org/brakefluid.html)

I would suggest changing the picture on the right to one a bit larger and showing the overall engine compartment so a person new to the brake system can see a common location to match your description. If you can get a photo of an engine compartment of a car with a hydraulic clutch, all the better. That way you can point out that the larger of the two reservoirs is for the brakes, the smaller being for the clutch.

The formation of gas/steam doesn't actually cause the brake pedal to be pressed. I know the point you were trying to make. For the curious reader, and to clarify things, you may change the sentence to something like, "The steam/gas formed when the moisture in the system boils will be easily compressed under pressure. This will cause a sensation of low brake pedal resistance along with low braking force in panic situations."

Also, as MagicRat suggested, not all brake or hydraulic fluids are hygroscopic. Since your write-up is mostly geared towards modern cars, you might add a paragraph suggesting that modern cars using DOT 5 are not as susceptible to moisture contamination and therefore the change interval may not be listed. However, even DOT 5 fluid can become contaminated over time and should be inspected regularly for discoloration and changed as necessary.

Since there are getting to be a few different types of brake fluids on the market, you might also add a paragraph listing the different fluids, what's completely compatible with other types, and again as MagicRat listed, what may have to happen is switching from one type to a specific different type. And of course, list the fallback of checking with the vehicle manufacturer and product packaging to be sure the fluid is compatible with the vehicle and other types. Since you do not appear to be aiming the page at the DIY'er so much, but more for pointing out the importance of brake system maintenance, the above addition may not be value added. You make the call.

Suggesting to the reader that brake fluid can damage paint and other materials and to be very careful not to get it on paint could be important as well.

-Rod

CL8, in reply to your points, yes, heat-related brake fade can occur without boiling the fluid. It's quite disturbing to experience it.... the brake pedal feels firm but pushing on it results in progressively less braking effect. Since disc brakes became very common in the 1970's, it's rare for the average driver to experience it.

However, it was a common occurence in cars with drums all around, especially for larger, American-made models.

As for warping, Curtis73 has written extensively here, where rotors can become contaminated by essentially baked-on pad material. This causes an uneven friction coefficient across the surface of the rotor, causing a pulsing effect when braking.

However, such a pulsing effect can also be caused by severe rusting and heat-related warping. I have verified rotor 'run out' when turning them on a brake lathe and the problem does exist.
I should add, though, rotors can also become warped due to uneven torquing of wheel nuts (or bolts). Often, mechanics tend to zip wheels on with an impact gun, often without using a criss-cross pattern and often over-torquing the nuts, or allowing the torque to be uneven from one nut to another.

A final point about DOT 5 fluid. As noted above, although this fluid does not absorb moisture, it is no excuse to neglect the braking system.
Also, I have read that DOT 5 fluid is more viscous than DOT 3 or 4 fluid and may alter braking performance. Personally, I have never used it, although I have several classic cars that are barely driven. I find bleeding/flushing the fluid every 3-4 years to be quick and easy, and gives me some insight into the condition of the brake system internals, so the change-over to DOT 5 is not warranted.

I would suggest changing the picture on the right to one a bit larger and showing the overall engine compartment so a person new to the brake system can see a common location to match your description. If you can get a photo of an engine compartment of a car with a hydraulic clutch, all the better. That way you can point out that the larger of the two reservoirs is for the brakes, the smaller being for the clutch. Would that be only on a manual transmission or big trucks?

The formation of gas/steam doesn't actually cause the brake pedal to be pressed. I know the point you were trying to make. For the curious reader, and to clarify things, you may change the sentence to something like, "The steam/gas formed when the moisture in the system boils will be easily compressed under pressure. This will cause a sensation of low brake pedal resistance along with low braking force in panic situations."Maybe I should say"causing no pressure to be applied to the brakes when the pedal is pressed." Also when you say "sensation", do you mean there is actually more brake pedal resistance than it seems?


Thanks shorod for your other suggestions I'll consider them.



the brake pedal feels firm but pushing on it results in progressively less braking effect.And magicrat, am I correct in thinking in the statement above pressure is being applied to the brakes, but because of the law of physics stated below, there is no "braking effect?"

And I am assuming this is different than why the brakes fail with boiling brake fluid?
( It seems to me if the rotors/disks and pads were overheating, that would be enough heat to cause the brake fluid to boil)

Such overheated material loses its ability to absorb additional energy so the brakes lose effectiveness.


Thanks, cl8

Would that be only on a manual transmission or big trucks?

It would only be on vehicles with a manual transmission AND a hydraulic clutch. Some manual transmission vehicles have a manual clutch and therefore no clutch master cylinder.

Maybe I should say"causing no pressure to be applied to the brakes when the pedal is pressed." Also when you say "sensation", do you mean there is actually more brake pedal resistance than it seems?

Some brake pressure will be applied, but due to the steam being compressable, it won't be nearly as much pressure as it should be. If you changed "no" to "very little" then your sentence sounds good. As for "sensation," I just meant it will feel like the pedal presses easier than it should, because it does. Maybe I should have typed "...causing the sensation of having no brakes" since the brakes will still have some effect.

-Rod

Thanks Rod!