Alternative to Castrol SRF brake fluid? | FerrariChat

Alternative to Castrol SRF brake fluid?

Discussion in 'Tracking & Driver Education' started by SCKOMS, Apr 8, 2020.

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  1. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    Oct 21, 2011
    3,843
    Lake County, IL
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    Spiro
    Since I began attending HPDE track events, I have used SRF. It seems to be impossible to find. What are you using as alternatives?

    I'm considering Endless RF 650, but Motul 660 is less than half the price...cost is not the big consideration, but is Endless worth the premium price?

    TIA
     
  2. LBBP

    LBBP Formula Junior

    Highly recommend Motul RBF 660 for track use and for even "spirited" street driven cars.
     
  3. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    Thanks for the feedback. Do you change fluid after each track day? With SRF I would change annually, attending 4 track day sessions each summer.

     
  4. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    Brian Crall
    SRF is the best but if changed more often Motul 660 is good too. I'd go back to SRF when available.
     
  5. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    Thanks! Do you recommend to change after each track session (4 runs of around 40 minutes each) or every other?
    Definitely going back to SRF when available.

     
  6. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    If you are not overheating it shouldn't be required. SRF has the best water absorption abilities out there.
     
  7. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    Very helpful...thanks!

     
  8. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
    899
    Homosassa, FL USA
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    Ian Joubert
    I have an unopened bottle ... either 1L or 1 Qt.
     
  9. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    Are you looking to sell it?
    Sent from my Galaxy
     
  10. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Ian Joubert
    I'd be willing to do that, forget what it costs. I can look it up. Send me a PM if interested.
     
  11. Dogdish

    Dogdish Formula Junior

    Dec 27, 2005
    367
    Denver
    We use SRF in a Daytona for track events, worth it for safety. Not sure what additives they use to get the boiling point up, but the SRF and Motul 660 gets past my seals just a bit. We use Motul 600 or Ate Blue in our race cars.....as long as we bleed often we don't have any problems with the 600/Ate. As I'm sure you know, that brake fluid absorbs moisture as it ages, with a boiling point of 212F.
     
  12. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    26,288
    socal
    If your brake system isn't marginal then you don't need the expensive srf. I'm lazy so I want to do the least work. Changing fluid often isn't what i want to do with all the other race prep and development needs. I want to be able to use any off the shelf fluid and that means have heat capacity in the system and right sized cooling ducts and right shaped spindle ducts etc.
     
  13. SCKOMS

    SCKOMS F1 Rookie
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    It's a standard 430 spider. Steel brakes with Carbotech pads, per your recommendation.
    Sent from my Galaxy
     
  14. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    If you can get away with ATE you can use just about anything. It is a pretty ordinary fluid and nowhere near the heat abilities of the Motul. Just means it has great brakes that are not being over driven. A Daytona on the other hand is a great car to test fluids in. By modern standards it is very under braked. I used a clients Daytona at Laguna Seca a number of years ago to test brake fluids. Laguna is a very brake intensive track and we only had to go a few laps to know how different brake fliuds performed. The worst we tested was ATE.

    Yes most fluids are hydroscopic but I have read and not confirmed SRF is actually hydrophobic like silicone and is why it has such excellent wet specifications. We also know hydrophobic or not brake fluid gets water in it.
     
    Dogdish likes this.
  15. mdrums

    mdrums Formula 3

    Jun 11, 2006
    2,172
    Tampa FL
    SRF for me feels more compressible and it leaks past the caliper bleed screws. I have had better experience with Motul RBF660. Endless also has great fluid too that some of track friends use
     
  16. rlips

    rlips Formula Junior

    Jul 29, 2011
    959
    New Jersey, USA
    I’ve been using endless in my challenge car. Brakes glow red hot... never had an issue and able to run a whole day and not have to bleed. For high heat, I’ve been very happy with it.
     
    Manda racing likes this.
  17. Jorligan

    Jorligan Formula Junior
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    Apr 23, 2007
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    SRF should be available soon, I just ordered 3 bottles. Interesting that leakage was noted past the caliper bleed screws, I had the same issue near the end of a session and my brakes felt a little soft on my GT3, never on my Cayman. Since I am in the process of doing all annual maintenance on my 458, switched to Motul 660.
     
  18. LuigiVampa

    LuigiVampa Karting
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    Jan 17, 2020
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    Todd
    SRF is expensive but not when you consider the damage caused by brake failure. Motul 660 is something to use if you can't find SRF, but they are not equal.

    Changing brake fluid is extremely important as it is hygroscopic - it absorbs moisture. Moisture gets into brake systems and that moisture boils and causes a lot of brake fade.

    Even if you buy SRF it won't save you if you don't change your fluid regularly.
     
    Speed and Angels likes this.
  19. Jorligan

    Jorligan Formula Junior
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    SRF available. Delivered yesterday from Jegs
     
  20. 38 Off

    38 Off Karting

    Nov 4, 2003
    247
    Pace, FL
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    Phil Crain
    You can just bleed some (not all) of your fluid at the caliper bleeders after each track session. I do 4 brake pedal pumps in front and three in back out of each of the two bleeders per corner. The fluid gets hot by the caliper, not all the way up the line. I do quite a few track days and if a light brake use weekend due to easy or wet track, I will bleed the next time. Motul 660.
     
  21. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    May 27, 2004
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    Endless is the way to go.
    Great stuff. In the exige track car I change it every 5 days to playboy safe.
    In the Elise which is sued as a toad car and does maybe 3-4 track days I do it seasonally.

    srf felt too spongy to me
     
  22. Speed and Angels

    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2015
    57
    Dallas, TX
    SRF is the the best hands down. Motul Is very very good but not quite as high of a “wet” boiling point. Brake fluid by itself cannot feel spongy, it is (as all brake fluid is) non-compressible. Lots of other parts can contribute to a spongy feel (pads, brake lines, air in the lines etc.). All brake fluid is the same until it boils, that what makes SRF the best, very high “wet” boiling point. All DOT 4 will absorb water fairly quickly, read the specs if you are comparing different fluids.

    YMMV.
     
  23. mdrums

    mdrums Formula 3

    Jun 11, 2006
    2,172
    Tampa FL
    Brake fluids have different feels. SRF is a great fluid but is known and tested to prove it is more compressible that other fluids. That is why I mentioned SRF feels spongy to me. Here is some tested data on this among other data points.

    https://thebuildjournal.com/tech-guides/ultimate-brake-fluids-review-analysis/

    https://parsbrorc.com/?page_id=33
     
  24. Speed and Angels

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    Dec 24, 2015
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    Dallas, TX
    Great article and thanks for posting, as a “lazy” track guy the SRF is the best of the group. I always reserve the right to get smarter and will check out the Endless fluid. I am also intrigued how they measure compressibility and at what temperature, it should be negligent in a braking system but I have been wrong before.
     
    mdrums likes this.
  25. Speed and Angels

    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2015
    57
    Dallas, TX
    Or “negligible” if spell check doesn’t kick you rear.
     

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