Well, yes and no.
The two fluids will not combust or turn to acid if combined, they just
will not mix.
That's where the main problem arises. The two fluids will sit next to
each other in a brake component. The old DOT 3 or 4 will probably have
moisture contamination. That moisture will not migrate into the DOT5, so
there it sits, trapped, corroding whatever steel component with which it
happens to be in contact. If, after a few years like this, you perform a
panic stop, that weakened metal will fail. If it's a steel brake line
(usual weak link), guess what happens to all the brake fluid, and your
car =8O
When I converted over, years ago, I flushed a full quart through the
system. I worked my way around the four bleeders, then again, and
again, until the quart was gone. Then about 2 weeks later I repeated the
process. At $17 a quart, it ain't a cheap process, but it's saved my
paint on several occasions.
To date, I've had no component, rubber or otherwise, fail.
Charlie B.
> Yes, you need to FULLY flush the old fluid out of the system, the fluids
> are NOT in any way compatible. The only way I know to completely be sure
> of ridding the system of the old fluid is to rebuild or replace everything.
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