Dot 3 or Dot 4....?

[bugfish69]

Does it make a difference? Went to get DOT 3 and could only find DOT 4. I was told they were the same. Is this true? Which should I use for a 2005 RSV?

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Sylvester]

I use DOT 4 for my 02 RSMV.

[Black Owl]

DOT 4 has a higher boiling point.. So, if you are a bit heavy on the braking, go with the DOT 4. And yes, DOT 3 and DOT 4 can be mixed. But probably wouldn't hurt to flush the brake system and replace with fresh fluid.

[Squidley]

You can use DOT 4, I use a Valvoline Synthetic thats compatable with both DOT 3 & 4.

[V7Goose]

Does it make a difference? Went to get DOT3 and could only find DOT4. I was told they were the same. Is this true? Which should I use for a 2005 RSV?

 

Thanks,

Jim

Why did you look for Dot3? The 2005 calls for Dot4. In addition, there is ABOLUTELY NO REASON you should EVER be adding brake or clutch fluid (I now you didn't say you were adding, but I'm trying to make a point).

 

As others have said, DOT4 has a slightly higher boiling point than DOT3. Other than that, it is effectively identical, and the two types are totally compatible if mixed. For clutch usage, I cannot imagine that DOT4 offers ANY value at all, so either DOT3 or DOT4 is equally good there. For the brakes, I'd stick with DOT4.

 

Now back to the "adding" point - neither the clutch nor the brake should ever loose any fluid, so if you fine one of them particularly low, either your brakes are completely and dangerously worn out, or you have a leak. Find and fix the problem. If it has been two years or more since the fluid was changed, this is a good time to do it. Otherwise, when you compress the pistons in the slave cylinder back to accept new pads, the master cylinder will again be 100% full.

Goose