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Serious answer is stick to conventional DOT4. Its what the system was designed for and it works. My Stag has had it for the last 40 years (as far as I know), my Landy for the last 30 - the Landy is still on its original master cylinder and front callipers I did try some silicone fluid (Automec) in my old Vanguard and noticed no difference except the pedal "feel" wasn't as good, but the brakes were rubbish on that anyway (front drums and no servo!) - definitely not worth the expense in my opinion. If you do change then I would recommend changing all the rubber seals and thoroughly flushing the system first,another reason to leave well alone. Of course if you are going racing or on track days or whatever then you need to take the advice of someone who has done that.
Roger
Now Stagless but have numerous car projects
So many cars, so little time!
Enthusiastic road use only these days, my forest track days are long past.
I'm changing the brake system because most of it is 42 years old and now that the car is doing proper mileage again I'd like to know that the brakes are as good as new. I am aware that there have been a number of changes to brake-related components (now they tell me there's no asbestos in brake pads anymore, who'd have believed that..) so I want to check that the products I'm using work well.
I rebuilt my braking system back in '95, rebuilt calipers, new rear cylinders, new brake lines and aeroquip flexible hoses.
Still the same brake fluid last 20 years, never had to touch it, so that would be silicone brake fluid then from me!
As Mike has said if you are rebuilding the whole system then fine.
my system was rebuilt all but the master cyclinder. That Said my master cyclinder decided to leak after 4 years so I rebuilt that now all leak free and silicon brake fluid.
When I rebuilt my car all braking system component parts were new, so I decided to use Silicone brake fluid for the reason of long life (as its not hydroscopic).
I had no problems in the bleeding of the brakes and the pedal feel and braking effort is good. As with all these things there are fors and againsts and at the end of the day it comes down to personal choice, much the same as the old thorny 'Header tank' issue - there I've said it
I love deadlines - I like the whooshing sound they make as they pass by!
In all seriousness, there are pros & cons either way. I have heard bloodcurdling stories of consequences of silicone fluid, but a knowledgeable friend fitted silicone in his car to a completely rebuilt system (everything completely renewed - no old component left) and it still stops on a sixpence 18 years later.
I think problems arise if fluids are mixed - even in tiny quantities. And I know of one TR with A Willwood 4 pot upgrade where silicone was used and water collected behind the piston and corroded it and the calliper beyond use in a couple of years. (I think he re-used the pipes and MC from Dot 4 days.
Wiser heads than mine say that it is very hard to remove all traces of either fluid from a system if you're swapping to the other type.
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