ATE or Pentosin Brake Fluid

I got in the habit of using ATE back when the blue fluid was available. Great way to flush with different colors. It's been gone a while but I stayed with ATE out of habit. It's time to change again and I was wondering if I should just stick with ATE or possibly switch to Pentosin. Is there any advantage of one over the other and also is there any reason to move up to 5.1 from 4 even though I have no ABS? I only buy the "best" available for my QV, even if I will not reach whatever limit any fluid is designed for on a track or the road.

Or is there another brand with better qualities? This may not really matter anyway since I'm flushing it every 12-16 months already.

 

I think you are overthinking things .
Any mineral will do , just yesterday I flushed my GT4 with Febi Bilstein as it was on offer at my local “ Eurocarparts “ DOT 4 I think .
It’s my 3 rd or 4 th rodeo with brake fluid flushes with this car .

Used 1 L . About 1/3 rd through the first furthest away calliper to fill the reservoir with new . Then equally the other 3
Obviously the nearest needs very little .
Sure the old stuff was dark , but as soon it goes pale it’s done .
Tend to do mine every 2 yrs .It’s not tracked or drive aggressively .

It’s going to the Alps in 2 weeks on a Dino meet @ St Moritz .
Figured the brakes ought to be as best as they can get ….FWIW ?

 

Can't go wrong with Ate 200

 

It sounds like I am.

I just was wondering if there is any advantage - any at all - of one vs the other.

 

From what I understand the ATE 200 has a longer service life / sitting life vs some others ..not sure about Pentosin

 

I've been using Pentosin for years in all kinds of road and race cars. Super high quality stuff and you cannot go wrong. ATE is also excellent and I would treat them as interchangeable.

 

DOT5.1 absorbs moisture more readily, which is the main reason one changes brake fluid, so unless you are boiling your fluid through hard charging mountain roads, and need the higher boiling point, DOT4 is the better choice.

ATE200 comes in metal cans when I buy, which gives a longer shelf life. Maybe Pentosin does too? ATE might be slightly lower viscosity, and that can be helpful for ABS responsiveness, but that said there is no specific unique brake fluid spec for ABS systems I am aware of.

All the brake components were likely made by ATE, so ATE fluid would have possibly have been a factory OEM fill as well.

Let's hope ATE fluid is still manufactured to the same quality standards as it used to be. BASF and Clariant both actually make the fluids for both ATE and Pentosin, they may well be identical formulas for the core products. Shell supplies the Japanese brands and many private labels.

 

Not all true.

 

5.1 was specifically formulated for ABS systems, it has a lower viscosity to work better in very cold temps. Its temp rating is higher than the DOT 4 minimums but most DOT 4 works much higher than the minimums. Most racing fluids are DOT 4 and they are vastly higher than minimum specs. Same applies to water absorption. Its a brand by brand situation. The DOT specs are minimums only. Like anything else quality brands beat out the minimums by big amounts.

Pentosin and ATE DOT 4 are both good fluids.

 

Sounds good. I have fresh unopened ATE on the shelf. I'll just keep using that.

I appreciate everyone's input

 

Not be over answer the original poster question, but 5.1 with its lower vis can also foam more readily in Abs systems that cycle rapidly and at higher tempertaures, but the faster response time was needed for some dynamic stability control systems. So it is not necessarily "better" for any and all abs systems. I recall that from a reserach paper that came out when 5.1 was coming to market, maybe that is no longer the case as brake designs were further refined with what are the now ubiquitous stability control systems set up for the 5.1.

So don't use 5.1 for a car just because it has abs if it is not actually specified, even thought they are chemically compatible.

 

I know I gave my recommendation for non-abs brakes above( ATE 200) - For ABS brakes I use ATE SL6 or Bosch ( below) - both for non-race conditions
BOSCH ESI6-32N Brake Fluid

 

I've used Comma 5.1 in my ABS 328 for must be 20+ years & never had an issue with it. It was originally put in the system by one of the Indy techs the last time someone else worked on the thing & I've just kept using it ever since.

I change it every couple of years & its never been an issue. I can't say I've ever felt much change in the pedal before & after a change either.

I don't track it but I've sent it up & down a few mountains in Italy, France & Spain & its never felt anywhere close to fading or a soft pedal. Pads are Ferodo DS2500s IIRC