Brake fluid

For street use, you need to look at the wet boiling point, because moisture is absorbed between annual changes, unlike track where people often put in fresh fluid just before the track date.

I’ve tracked my car and haven’t felt the need for fluid with a higher point, wet or dry, than Motul 600. So if what you are experiencing with “some fade,” not failure, it’s more likely the pads or rotor size. Fluid works until it doesn’t when it boils.

What pads are you using? Try StopTech Sport Pads. https://www.zeckhausen.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=230_995&products_id=6112

“StopTech Sport brake pads offer a combination of high bite, low noise, medium dust, and sufficient operating temperature range to be used in light to medium duty track applications as well as street. These are the included brake pads for StopTech big brake upgrades.”

People with 360s who use brakes heavily (e.g. at tracks that have heavy braking demands), have needed to go to big brake kits, but you may be able to get away with pads with a higher MOT.


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Used Motul on my last car and will most likely do the same on this one.

 

Check out Motul 5.1 It is a very low moisture absorbing and high boiling point (right around racing fluids). It is a lower viscosity than normal to work better with anti-lock brakes. It is not Silicone and is compatable with DOT 3 & 4 . It is put in some new cars claiming a lifetime fill. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOT_5.1

 

After you experience fade, do you have a spongy pedal afterwards, or when the brakes cool, the fade goes away? If you boil fluid, bubbles form in the fluid and don’t go away unless you bleed the system. If your braking power and firm pedal returns after the brakes cool, it’s unlikely to be the fluid.

I change my fluid at least annually to help prevent boiling and also to help keep my brake components from corroding. How long ago has your fluid been changed? In humid environments, brake fluid can absorb moisture.

Slotted rotors are better than drilled mainly because they do not weaken the physical strength of the rotors as much, and they are slightly better at dispersing gases generated by the pad material. I also doubt the type of rotors you’re running is causing your issues.

I’ve not tried Redstuff pads, but note they are advertised as a low dust pad. I’ve attached a chart I found about their pads.

In my experience, there is no free lunch when it comes to pads. Low dust pads tend to have not very good cold bite. They also tend not to perform well in track or track-like conditions. Track pads on the other hand tend to give off lots of dust and make noise. Street pads are a compromise of all of these characteristics.

The ideal street pad gives you the highest braking power with little to no fade in even the most rigorous stopping conditions you encounter in street driving, while throwing off little dust and making no noise. And because they don’t stay hot like they do on a track, they need to bite well when cold, too.

I’ve tried a lot of low dust pads and haven’t been happy with any of them. The best compromise for the street for me have been the StopTech Sport pads. They also work well in light track use, as their braking power doesn’t fall off steeply when they reach the edge of their heat range. Just don’t expect to race with them using race rubber. And you will probably have to clean your wheels more often, but they’re no worse, and in fact a bit better than OEM in that regard.

If you can rule out wet or old fluid per the above (as well as check all braking components for wear or other degradation issue), I suggest you try a different pad.

 

I use the 5.1

 

I have a scud and before a weekend at thermal I changed my fluids to Motul 600 and did not experience any issues with my brakes. I dont drive the car often so cant speak about how much it would absorb moisture in a year but I am at San Diego also and if you changed it yearly I doubt it would make a big difference. 3 bottles of 600 is only $60 and easy to DIY

 

If you are concerned about boiling fluid, Motul 600 is 594 dry/401 wet. 5.1 is 509/365. Up to you.


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Since the brakes return to normal after they cool down, it’s unlikely the fluid. Get some better pads. FWIW, I could not find any specs on the LMA fluid. I would go with Motul 600.


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660 has a slightly higher dry boiling point, 617 vs. 594. Both are filled packaged in nitrogen for a longer shelf life. 600 is plenty good for street and light track.

I don’t know if what Castro puts in LMA reduces its moisture absorption by any significant degree compared to other top fluids, and I can’t find specs on its dry and wet boiling points. So it’s just a guess whether it will or will not outperform Motul 600.


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5.1 specs at 509/364. Personally, I’d choose Motul 600.


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How exactly are you driving the car? You getting fade on a track or canyons or autocross or street? What pads? how long the stint?

 

I've always used MOTUL RBF600 on all my cars, never failed me.

 

5.1 has dry boiling point of 509 degrees. Sorry for typo. Wet boiling is 365. Didn’t you read the other posts? All fluids we’ve been discussing have a dry and wet boiling point rating. The latter is what you can expect of fluid that’s been in the car for awhile.

http://www.subispeed.com/2015-subaru-wrx/brakes/brake-fluid/motul-1-2l-brake-fluid-dot-5-1#.WwJK_oplChB


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I invite you to the track. That is the right place. It is safer and cheaper than a speeding ticket and you can let it rip until fear prevails. Check out speedventures.com

There are many reasons your answers can be found there. The answer is not simple just 1 thing. 1 thing will be a temp fix until the next. One thing for certain something is wrong if you are fading brakes on a public canyon road.