I hate to contradict Dez, but I had bad brakefade issues at VIR my first time driving my car ever, which was early April Last year. The car lost the pedal at the end of the front straight at 160MPH...It wasn't pretty and I needed new underware after that event. These cars are so heavy and build so much speed, they need more brake attention than I'd have thought when I first considered the 996TT!

I'd order up three or four bottles of Motul and have your local mechanic do a full system flush. You're driving your car there and then home, right? I'd absolutely go on fresh fluids and make sure to do an oil/filter change as well.

Mike

 

Thanks. guys...it is Ford racing fluid....I just haven't heard it mentioned on the forums before...he swears it has the highest boil off.....more than motul, castrol xxx, etc. I discussed it with him. I'll post the exact part # and such after an email is replied to ....


Thanks. I think it cannot hurt to be "over ready" so I'll just suck it up and do it. Safety 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

As I was driving it in to work today on the Pirelli 240's....was wondering what tire pressures you guys will run (I'll have contisport contact 2's on it.... I would love R's, but as a DD, it makes no sense yet to do that.


Ah, here is brake fluid data:

Let's look at some popular brake fluids and their boiling points:

Fluid DRY WET
Castrol LMA DOT 3/4 446 311
Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3 550 290
ATE Super Blue Racing 536 392
ATE TYP 200 536 392
Motul Racing 600 585 421
Castrol SRF 590 518
Performance Friction 550 284


On the net:
Castrol LMA is very good at rejecting moisture and may be kept in your brake system for a couple years. The LMA stands for "Low Moisture Activity". This is the minimum quality stuff that I would use in my Impala. It comes in plastic containers which do not have a long shelf life. Don't buy lots of this stuff at a time because moisture can make its way through the plastic containers.
Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3 is VERY inexpensive and is popular among racers because of its excellent dry boiling point. It absorbs moisture quickly, but the racers don't care since they change their fluid frequently. Comes in metal cans so it may be stored. I would not use this in my Impala for the street.
ATE Super Blue Racing and ATE TYP 200 are the same brake fluid in two different colors (blue and amber, respectively). BMW recommends this brake fluid for their street cars because it, like Castrol LMA, absorbs moisture very slowly. The advantage over LMA is that ATE has a much better wet boiling point. You can put this stuff in your car and forget about it for a long time. An excellent choice for a weekend track car which also sees regular street duty. Comes in metal cans. This is what I use in all my street cars.
Motul Racing 600 is a very exotic and expensive synthetic fluid with high wet and dry boiling points. I use this exclusively in my race cars. Too expensive for the street and requires frequent changing due to its hygroscopic nature. Sold in plastic bottles. It is not suitable for the street because it absorbs moisture quickly.
Castrol SRF is a hyper-exotic and hyper-expensive brake fluid that is generally used by wealthy Porsche owners at track events. I've seen prices of $78 per liter for this stuff. Sold in metal cans. I can't afford this stuff!
Performance Friction High Performance DOT 3 has a good dry boiling point but a crummy wet boiling point. It comes in metal cans which is good for shelf life and sells for $7.87 per 16 ounce container. If you are even considering this fluid, I would go with the cheaper Ford Heavy Duty DOT 3. In either case, change this fluid frequently due to the poor wet boiling point.



Looks like SRF is the way to go.....the assumption on the Ford stuff is that you change it the day of the event.....every time....I'd rather just put great stuff in and not worry. Probably same net cost in a few weeks/months.

JB

 

just put motul rbf600 in...you wont be dissapointed...

 

It's cool man, but I dont know many people who would go 160 at VIR in novice and dont think his car is nearly as fast as yours. But yeah better safe than sorry, and I dont know how VIR is on brakes, I know there is ample time for cooling. I guess I forgot I never tracked my car with factory fluid to begin with.

 

FWIW, I hit 164 when I was at VIR for my first time at a track event...the back straight is HUUUUUUUUGE!

 

I've heard of some guys in stock Z06's hitting 160 mph that will hit 150-155 at Road Atlanta, I've hit 171 at Road Atlanta but can do 167 consistently, I'm almost scared of going any faster than 171 (AND HAVING TO STOP).

But the strange thing is that I saw a gigantic improvement in times when I only went 155 on the back straight, though I did make a small adjustment in technique at turn in for turn 10. I think there is probably .5 second at turn 10 for me at RA.

Oh yeah, VIR (sorry got off on a tangent), I dont think I'll try and go too fast on the straight, unless someone I'm fillowing does it.

 

Car has 1.0bar UMW tune, will have a good exhaust.....and LWFW/rs clutch. Stock brakes and suspension. It has seen 140's.... I am not sure how my underwear will take 160....

I played with heal/toe today. I stink. I like Tom's gas ped...rennline...? (I am a pefectionist....I'm really ok...)


I got Castrol SRF...hope one liter is enough.....shop said super blue was 50....SRF at titanmotorsports was on sale for 76$. Shipping was $8.50. FYI.



JB

 

I use srf in my 996tt and is what I would use in any racecar...but if its a street car, I would still use rbf600 like I mentioned before as the likelyhood that one in a de event cooks rbf w/o racepads or in a race is very low...not worth srf money IMHO...

 

1 year old brake fluid. cant tell you how many times my student has told me that and we lost the brakes on the first run of the day.

dont be a fool, have the brake fluid changed and quality fluid put in, piece of mind if nothing else. also more than 50% of pad life need to be left.

you use way less brakes as a novice than advanced by the way.

 

I hear you. I liked the idea of it being able to last "wet".....so it would tolerate a summer of novice DE with no issues...with the Ford as an example, it is expected to be changed each weekend....it is my DD. I wanted peace of mind and to just put in something and forget about it. That peace of mind was worth 26 extra dollars..... I got the best. Last thing I want to be is in my car going 150+ and lose the brakes with Tom in the car.....we'd be fine because he'd get me through it...but neither he nor anyone else needs that.....or me. So I splurged on the SRF. Because of the wet boiling point, I sort of thing of SRF as "safest racing fluid"....just what I see in the numbers. For such peace of mind, no big deal.

(Tom is too busy this year....but maybe next..)

It is amazing how everything adds up...


Just my calculus.....I fully hear you.

JB

 

dez, which brake fluid did you have when you had that agriculture experience at LTGP?

 

Actually, it is amazing how once you get going how affordable it is.

I bleed my brakes, drive to a Chin event sat am, stay one night teach and drive again sunday and drive home
brake flush cheap, tires good, event cost free, gas 100 buck, hotel 75 bucks

so I spent less than 200 bucks for two days of hours of track time, look at it that way, it is better.

At least get to the PCA event at VIR!!

 

I am on the waiting list. ....should not be an issue per the registrar. Looking forward to meeting the gang here and other PCAers and learning a bunch. In the meantime, I am practicing heal-toe as best I can.....

JB

 

good that you are practicing it but in these cars on the street that will be tough to do.

now a miata would be a different story.

 

yep...I suspect in the novice group the 996TT has so much power that it will allow me to look faster than my feet really are.....wonder when the waiting list gets the nod....

My focus is first and foremost safety.

Then learning.

Then fun.

The LWFW actually has made it a bit tougher actually...it falls in revs really fast...perhaps it is just me. It is faster...and I love it, but I had to re-calibrate my brain when I got it....from all of my prior cars which the dual mass felt similar too (at least to me)....I just need time and such. You blip it and it rushes skyward remarklby fast.....so it is just a bit more touchy in my mind than any car I have been in before. Any of you guys run LWFW's besides Mike Kelly? I do love it, it just has my brain needed timing recalibration in my muscles.