Dot 3 or Dot 4

[BearOnt]

Dot 3 or Dot 4, does it matter which I use?

My clutch started acting strange last evening, I was stalling :oops: , and had a hard time shifting. I pulled up to a corner and it kept driving with the clutch lever fully pulled :? . Thats when I figured out what was happening. Anyway I am low in fluid, I am going to look for a leak, then top it up.
What are your thoughts? :?:

[SIR tricky]

DOT 4

[Guest]

My Clymer manual calls for DOT 4
available at Canadian Tire.
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[Tropicalsuns]

And a good bleed!

[admin]

DOT 4 has a higher boiling point point so there is less chance of getting a spongy lever when things get hot.

[BearOnt]

I was reading on NGW about the differences and they were saying that Dot 4 has a higher boiling point but it will also absorb water faster therefore it needs to be replaced more often than Dot 3.
I have some Dot 3, so it would be convient to use that but I think I will find some Dot 4 and do it by the book.

[admin]

That's why it's best if you change the fluid every couple of years to eliminate the water collection.

[BearOnt]

Got some Dot 4 at Royal this afternoon.

[BearOnt]

Got some Dot 4 at Royal this afternoon.

[Duq]

Overhere Dot4 is getting hard to find. They're selling Dot5 everywhere. Is that the same story again; higher boiling point than Dot4 but you need to replace more often?
How often should I replace the fluids for brakes and clutch anyway?

Ronald

[admin]

WARNINGo not use DOT 5 in place of DOT 4 they are two completely different animals. DOT 5 is silicone based and DOT 4 is a polyethylene glycol-based fluid and they are not compatible at all. DOT 5 is easy on the paint job but its actual brake performance is not as good as DOT 4. Now to make things even more confusing there is a DOT 5.1 brake fluid which is a synthetic, non silicone brake fluid designed for antilock braking systems and it can be mixed with DOT 3 and DOT 4

It is recommended that you flush and replace the hydraulic fluids every 2 years for best performance.