<VV> SynPower Brake Fluid

[Mark Chapman]

---snip--
     Does anyone have any reason to think that SynPower is not
hygroscopic?
If it IS hygroscopic, you have to change it every couple of years around
here. You never have to change DOT 5.
--Unsnip--

SynPower IS hygroscopic. It will pick up moisture, but does have a dry
boiling point of 502 degrees F. Wet (saturated) boiling point for the
SynPower is 343 degrees F. 

Im sure I'll get flamed for this, but I wouldn't run Silicone based
brake fluid for all the money in the world... well, maybe for all the
money, because I would need it to keep replacing every seal in the brake
system that the silicone based fluid (DOT 5.0) ate up. Polyalkylene
Glycol Ether based fluids (non-silicone) will not eat seals.

Im also sure that you know that the only difference in Dot 3,4, and 5.1
is wet vs dry boiling temperature of the fluid. Yeah, you do need to
change hygroscopic fluid more often, but good fluid like ATE Super Blue,
or Wilwood's fluid, or Motul 600 will last years under normal (non race)
conditions.

A friend of mine dumped some DOT 5 into a Porsche 356 and ended up with
puddles of brake fluid and the need to replace most seals in the brake
system in a matter of months. Castrol LMA (Low Moisture Activity) is ok
and comes in plastic containers and maintains a long shelf life
(unopened).  As a point of reference, experts (from ATE) estimate that
brake fluid picks up in the neighborhood of 3.5% moisture per year.

Yeah, I'm an engineer.  FWIW:  My conclusion:  ATE Type 200 and Super
Blue are not only the cheapest of the performance brake fluids, they are
also the cheapest per degree of boil protection, and have a very high
6-month BP (Boiling Point wet)estimate. In addition you can alternate
with each change and the color difference will tell you when you're
done.   [Note that ATE Blue is not DOT-approved because of the color.]

If you can avoid DOT 5 fluid, except in cars that were made for silicone
based fluids, I would. 

Just my humble opinion of course...

Mark Chapman