"Motor oil
has been termed the 'life-blood' of the engine. If the engine fails to
start. the vehicle simply won't go. If the oil fails to lubricate properly,
the engine will wear out prematurely. But the BRAKE FLUID is the LIFE-BLOOD
of the
Entire Vehicle.
If the brake system fails, the vehicle will not stop! Eventually it will
stop, of course, but more than likely it will stop quite suddenly. And
the entire vehicle may 'wear out' immediately!
... Brake
fluids, in a very short period of time, do attract and absorb moisture,
especially under conditions of high humidity. This moisture combines with
the fluid, lowers its boiling point, and increases the chanced of vapor
lock formation. Castrol GT LMA, with its unique Low Moisure Activity. is
less affected by absorbed moisture, and has a greater ability to expel
it under conditions of reduced humidity and to regain a higher boiling
point and a higher 'vapor lock temperature.'
... But even
the best fluid unavoidable will become contaminated in service with moisture,
wear materials, dirt, grit, or oil, and the only to rid the system of such
contaminants is to drain the fluid completely and replace it with fresh
new fluid. Girling engineers recommend emphatically that brake fluid be
changed every 18 months, and the entire system overhauled after 40,000
miles. ... Always maintain the proper fluid level. Drain the system and
renew the fluid at regular intervals, sooner in severe operation or under
high heat or humidity conditions, or if contamination is supected. If your
engine fails, you won't go. If your brakes fail, you'll wish you'd gone
-- to Castrol GT LMA."
Castrol GT
LMA was originally "Girling Amber", the highest performance of three brake
fluids made by Castrol for Girling, one of the largest brake manufacturer
in Europe. When the US Dept of Transportation put out the DOT 4 specification,
the LMA met it with flying colors, and became the basic fluid for most
Girling systems. The exception was Rolls Royce, whose vehicles have a hydraulic
suspension tied into the brakes which was designed for Girling Crimson.
Rolls reformulated this for their own use and now sell it as RR363. (Later
Rolls vehicles use Hydraulic Systems Mineral Oil which is totally different
and not interchangeable.)
We only use DOT 4 fluids in our shop and insist that our customers
use only DOT 4 brake fluid in all European and Japanese cars. Some of the
reservoir lids say DOT 3, but that may have been the best available at
the time. We have found that many of the DOT 3 fluids are not compatible
with the natural rubber compounds used in many braking systems. The natural
rubber seals are solfter and perform better than synthetics, but they are
more sensitive to chemical attack. We have taken apart too many braking
systems that have little lumps of tar that used to be brake seals and a
can of cheapie brake fluid in the car. One Saturday a gentleman came in
the store with the guts out of his Audi master cylinder in his hand. It
looked like microscopic mice had nibbled the edges of the seals. His father-in-law
had topped off his master cylinder with whatever he happend to have in
his garage. Not helpful! If you notice your brake fluid turning black or
developing little black specks floating in it, be aware that is rubber
being eaten by your brake fluid.
We carry: Castrol
GT (LMA) 12 oz and 32oz
British Lockheed DOT4
Pentosin DOT4
Ate Blue DOT4
Ate Super Blue
Castrol RR363 for Rolls/Bentley -78
GMF2100 or JLM9886 for Rolls/Bentley 79-