>From: Steve Laifman <laifman@flash.net>
>
>Since the silicone fluid is not hygroscopic (don't absorb water), it
>doesn't need
>the regular flushing of the standard fluid to get the absorbed moisture
>out. I've
>heard about water getting into the synthetic systems, in some un-described
>path,
>and laying there doing damage.... Can't understand that, unless it was
>there before the fluid was added.
>...
>One of the biggest design flaws in our hydraulic systems is the lack of a
>barrier
>between the fluid and the air in the reservoir.
>
Steve, Thanks for the good inputs - the bit about the system being open to
atmosphere was my chief concern. While it looks like you could get away
with running the same silicone fluid indefinitely in a sealed system, the
unprotected master cylinder vents would still leave the problem of moisture
condensing in the reservoir and accumulating in the lower parts of the
system (assuming silicone fluid is also lighter than water??). Seems you'd
still need to flush even silicone in any open system every few years to deal
with this.
Wonder what the guy at the parts counter is going to think when I ask for
silicone brake fluid and a reservoir prophylactic...
>A good practice is to flush the new system out with fresh Castrol LMA,
>which
>absorbs water and sets the seals, and then displace it with the synthetic.
One common restoration book also recommends shooting brake cleaner through
old lines before switching to silicone. Probably okay for the lines, but
I'd keep it away from the seals.
Regards,
Bob Douglas
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