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After raiding my cupboard i can only find some 5.1 break fluid and my breaks (Giant MPH) needs 4 dot.
Would it be ok to use the 5.1 dot or not recommended at all? and why?
1) They're BRAKES. Not breaks. Breaks are when you have a Kit Kat.
2) Yes, DOT 5.1 will be fine, to all intents and purposes it's basically the same stuff as DOT 4.
This is break fluid 🙂
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Thought 5.1 just had a higher boiling point?
Are you draining & refilling or just topping up?
I thought you weren't meant to mix them - no idea why.
DOT 5.1 and DOT 4 can be mixed. Using the wrong fluid can cause the seals to swell and the brakes will then become inoperable and will need a rebuild.
Apparently the main differance between 4 DOT and 5.1 DOT is that 5.1 has a higher boiling point. apart from that i have no idea.
and it was because all the fluid leaked out :s so i now need to drain it all out and refill it again.
There is no problem in using dot 5.1 brake fluid in brakes that have used dot 4. Avid recommend dot 5.1 due to the higher boiling point as bike brakes generally have smaller pistons and calipers which means they heat up more.
Dot 5.1 fluid isn't "better" than dot 4. You can find dot 4 with higher boiling points than 5.1 but with viscosity that doesn't match 5.1 specs.
btw, those pads you contamined, 20mins in the oven at 180c. Might recover them enough for use. leave them on the springclip and use some tongs to hang them on the grid.