Fluids freshening, recommendations - brake, etc

[DMan]

My 03 has 17K mis now. I'm planning on taking her in for a little freshening up.

I want to get solid motor mounts, I have an SVSi shifter that's been sitting in a box for months, etc. I'd like to also freshen the fluids, obviously I do the oil, but what about the brake fluid & power steering fluid? Any recommendations on the best fluids to use? Gotta take care of my baby/beast.

 

[dave6666]

Brake fluid every 2 years on a street car. It is hydroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. Garage queen or DD.

 

[grcforce327]

I use Febreze air freshener(linen&sky),works great!!!!

Are you wanting to flush your brake,clutch,and powersteering fluids???

 

[adg44]

No point in flushing the power steering fluid so soon. You should do the brake and clutch fluid. I'd go for a DOT 5.1 fluid as they are a little thinner and good for ABS systems. Don't use DOT 5 as that is silicone based and can't be used with DOT 3/4 systems.

- Anthony

 

[grcforce327]

No point in flushing the power steering fluid so soon. You should do the brake and clutch fluid. I'd go for a DOT 5.1 fluid as they are a little thinner and good for ABS systems. Don't use DOT 5 as that is silicone based and can't be used with DOT 3/4 systems.

- Anthony

17k and no need to flush powersteering??? What are you smoking?I'll take some!

 

[Westxsrt10]

No point in flushing the power steering fluid so soon. You should do the brake and clutch fluid. I'd go for a DOT 5.1 fluid as they are a little thinner and good for ABS systems. Don't use DOT 5 as that is silicone based and can't be used with DOT 3/4 systems.

- Anthony

Should have flushed the power steering fluid 12,000 miles ago Go with Dot 4 or 3 with the brakes and clutch.

 

[MikeR]

Just flushed my P/S fluid. It was dirty, 2 years and 20K. I had done the **** the fluid out with a baster and top off in the resevoir every few months. But too lazy to do a complete flush. But it was worth it. My fan was getting noisy and it seems to have quieted down some after the flush.
Ialso did brakes again and clutch. Im probably going to start doing P?S and clutch every year,brakes more often depending on track days.

 

[DMan]

Hmm, OK thanks for the input, yes flushing all the fluids is what I had in mind, sounds like I'm tardy on the PS, I'll do these this week.

Should go with the dealer provided Mopar fluids, I'm assuming theyt're DOT3, or buy a better brand of fluids on my own? Like Amsoil, Redline, etc. I figure if I'm going to fo it I want to do it the best way. Thanks guys!

 

[grcforce327]

Just go to your local parts store! Valvoline and Castrol both make a decent synthetic fluid for brakes(clutch) and power steering!

 

[dave6666]

Hmm, OK thanks for the input, yes flushing all the fluids is what I had in mind, sounds like I'm tardy on the PS, I'll do these this week.

Should go with the dealer provided Mopar fluids, I'm assuming theyt're DOT3, or buy a better brand of fluids on my own? Like Amsoil, Redline, etc. I figure if I'm going to fo it I want to do it the best way. Thanks guys!

On my '01 I went with all Dodge labeled fluids from the dealer, except for the brake fluid which was Prestone from Wallymart. And I believe it is DOT 4 not DOT 3.

There are more opinions on which brands of fluid to use than there are brands. Here's my 0.02.

-> If you don't track your car and you change your brake fluid every 2 years like your supposed to, the regular stuff works just fine.

-> I trust the OE engineers got the fluids right the first time, I have no problem going to Dodge to get them the second time. Except for the Mobil 1 engine oil, which once again comes from Wallymart.

 

[adg44]

I still find it odd that you guys are changing your power steering fluid so soon. There is no combustion blow by damage for it, and it's not hydroscopic, so I don't know why it needs to be changed so frequently.

As for DOT 3 and DOT 4, the only difference is that DOT 4 has a higher wet/dry boiling points (wet is the number you really want to focus on, and the higher the better) compared to DOT 3. They are backwards compatible, as is DOT 5.1. ATE makes some of the best brake fluid, and I will most likely pick up a litre of ATE Super Blue (Dot 4+) fluid when I do mine, or MOTUL 5.1. What is also great about Super Blue is that it's blue, so you know when the fresh fluid is coming out. They also make a non-blue one, which you use the next time you flush the brakes, so again you know that the old fluid is out.

It doesn't matter if you don't track your car or not, you want the fluid with the highest boiling point that you can find. Just if you use a straight racing fluid, you will need to change it out more often as those fluids aren't for longer duration use (they have great boiling numbers, but don't resist water very well).

- Anthony

 

[MikeR]

I still find it odd that you guys are changing your power steering fluid so soon. There is no combustion blow by damage for it, and it's not hydroscopic, so I don't know why it needs to be changed so frequently.

As for DOT 3 and DOT 4, the only difference is that DOT 4 has a higher wet/dry boiling points (wet is the number you really want to focus on, and the higher the better) compared to DOT 3. They are backwards compatible, as is DOT 5.1. ATE makes some of the best brake fluid, and I will most likely pick up a litre of ATE Super Blue (Dot 4+) fluid when I do mine, or MOTUL 5.1. What is also great about Super Blue is that it's blue, so you know when the fresh fluid is coming out. They also make a non-blue one, which you use the next time you flush the brakes, so again you know that the old fluid is out.

It doesn't matter if you don't track your car or not, you want the fluid with the highest boiling point that you can find. Just if you use a straight racing fluid, you will need to change it out more often as those fluids aren't for longer duration use (they have great boiling numbers, but don't resist water very well).

- Anthony

The power steering pumps on these cars get really noisy and so do the fans, which i beleive is hydraulic. Anyways i had one of the Viper tuners tell me you should flush steering fluid OFTEN. So I flushed it and may fan seems to be running quieter, steering less noisy. Im no expert on the why's and how's, but i noticed a difference and will be doing it more often.

 

[adamlotus]

i would have all fluids replaced,engine oil,filter,diff service,trans serv,coolant serv,p/s fluid flush.coolant service,brake fluid flush yes it can be expensive but its cheap insurance.

 

[ROCKET62]

Zactly what Mike said. With the hydraulic cooling fan which is powered by the power steering pump it does make sense to change it more often. I have a small hand pump and simply pump out the fluid and add new stuff. Doesnt change it all, but definitely "freshens it up" as per the title of this post. I use a turkey baster to freshen up the brake fluid and clutch as well. Again, not a complete flush, but it's gotta help.

The power steering pumps on these cars get really noisy and so do the fans, which i beleive is hydraulic. Anyways i had one of the Viper tuners tell me you should flush steering fluid OFTEN. So I flushed it and may fan seems to be running quieter, steering less noisy. Im no expert on the why's and how's, but i noticed a difference and will be doing it more often.